Williams scores 6 TDs for Downers Grove South
In case Josh Williams, Downers Grove South's standout junior running back, had any confusion about the difference between varsity and sophomore football, those doubts were dispelled on Friday night as he scored 6 touchdowns in just more than two quarters to lead the Mustangs to a 42-0 homecoming and West Suburban Conference Gold Division victory over visiting Willowbrook.
"I did that at the sophomore level when I was a freshman, but doing it on the varsity is different, it has a lot more meaning," said Williams, who did most of his damage running up the middle.
Williams' six-TD performance - which came on only 17 carries with 128 yards rushing - will have coach John Belskis scouring the school record books to see just how impressive it really was.
"I've been here for 30 years and I can't ever remember anyone scoring six touchdowns; if it happened before I got here, I don't know," Belskis said. "Our offensive line blocked extremely well tonight and our receivers blocked downfield, so he got a lot of help tonight."
While Williams was identifying the difference between varsity football and the game that is played at the lower levels, a young Willowbrook (1-4, 1-2) squad that has six sophomores playing extensive minutes was also learning a valuable lesson.
"We made too many mistakes, but we're young with six sophomores, and we're progressing," said Warriors coach Mark Olson, whose squad had 5 turnovers on the night. "I thought we competed, especially early on."
The tone for the game was actually set on the first play when the Warriors tried an onside kick that was recovered by the Mustangs (3-2, 2-0) at the 50. From that point Downers Grove South did not run a play that was farther away from the Willowbrook end zone, with the Mustangs' 6 scoring drives averaging just over 28 yards.
The Mustangs didn't score on that opening chance, but Williams did cap Downers Grove South's next three drives with scores of 12, 2 and 3 yards that began with interceptions by Bryan Ruggiero and Leo Arvanitakis and a peculiar play where the strong crosswind appeared to blow the ball away from punter Dom Battaglia's foot just as he prepared to kick it.
Williams added two more scores before the half on 45- and 3-yard runs and after Danny Leach recorded an interception of the first play of the third quarter, Williams sprinted 17 yards to close the scoring and end his sparkling night, with the game's final 23 minutes, 36 seconds played with a running clock.
The victory was the Mustangs' third straight and helped to push further into the rear-view mirror the team's 0-2 start to the season.
"Being 0-2 was a learning process and I told them that this is a journey," Belskis said. "We played good teams in the beginning, but our goal is to win conference and go deep in the playoffs."