When the Large Naperville Central receiver, Mark Williams, said he had the university team last month, he knew he was making a big leap in class.
After all, going from the first year, a team at the university in a year is a chance that few players get.
Unsurprisingly, Williams had a few butterflies at the opening of the season against Oswego.
“At first, I was afraid,” he said. “I was afraid and nervous the first games, but I had a lot of help around me, so it was good. I enjoyed it. “
The 5-foot Williams 11 inch and 155 pounds marked a touchdown in the 31-15 defeat of the Redhawks against Oswego, the first of the three consecutive defeats.
But Williams proved that he belonged because the central coach of Naperville Mike Ulreich knew it. Williams is one of the six second -year students submitted to university.
“It’s a guy who didn’t miss an off -season training,” said Ulreich. “He was a guy who didn’t miss a summer training.
“To be a university football player, there are a lot of skills, but he is committed. He is determined. This means a lot for him.”
Williams is not the only new university come for whom it is true. Another wide receiver, the junior Kyle Clark, is committed to helping the Redhawks to continue their winning tradition.
On Friday, Williams and Clark succeeded in Touché’s passes in the quarter-Arrière Junior Jackson Loth while the Redhawks beat the host Neuqua Valley 24-17 for their first victory of the season.
“This is the first match that Kyle started, and we knew that it meant a lot for Kyle, so we were going to have the chance to make him the ball and remove the defense summit,” said Ulreich. “These two guys are everyday guys in the bodybuilding room. We just needed to trust them more than us. ”
This confidence was rewarded. Clark scored the first hit on a dive in the first quarter, and Williams scored the second, in shock in a pass of 105 yards of Loth in the second quarter.
It was the sixth and last take from Williams of the match. He finished with 111 reception yards.
“He played very well,” said Lot. “It has intensified occasionally. It’s everyone up to the occasion today, and you just have to like to see it. ”
Clark certainly likes to watch Williams, who caught the Loth pass on the right key line on the 35 yars line of Neuqua Valley with a defender on his hip and sprinished intact in the goals.
“I like to think that I am fast, then I look at it, and I say to myself:” It’s not even close “,” said Clark. “He is the fastest guy on the team. We have seen him on this game.”
Clark, in fact, said that he had seen that Williams had the chance to exploit a seam in the defense.
“We saw him open very quickly,” said Clark. “I said to train:” Throw this ball at Mark. He will make this game. “”
Ulreich knows it and is determined to involve Williams more.
“We spent a lot of time watching our film from the previous match, and one of the things I was frustrated by myself is that we just didn’t give the ball to Mark enough,” said Ulreich. “So we tried early and often to make him the ball, especially because he can fall back and take the ball behind the defense. It was a large part of that. ”
They say you never forget your first hit. But for Williams, the second score was very special.
“It has changed life,” he said. “I could see my teammates on the touch encouraging for me. I see my family in the stands. I see my teammates – Kyle, Jackson – run to me. It was like the best thing for all time. ”
As I play university football.
“I love the atmosphere,” said Williams. “I love the team. I love everyone around me. “
There was light rain on Friday, which made slippery conditions. It didn’t slow down Williams.
“We were on a lawn field in the mud,” he said. “Everyone was slipping. It was just fun.
“I have a good traction in my crampons. I stand up. I don’t make difficult cuts. I try to stand up and create a balance, I persevere. ”
Clark is impatient to see what Williams will create elsewhere.
“It’s just a second year student,” said Clark. “I can’t imagine how better he will get the next two years.”
Matt Le Cren is an independent journalist.
