Williams ready to run at UConn

Emmaus High graduate Joe Williams has been one of the fastest athletes on the local stage in recent years.

But Williams, who rushed for nearly 1,300 yards in the 2010 season and set several school records with one memorable playoff performance against Pocono Mountain West, needed to slow down just a little.


The University of Connecticut wanted Williams, but Williams needed to attend Fork Union Military Academy in the fall to get his grades in order.

Williams did just that and now he's all set at UConn where he'll receive a full scholarship to play football for the Big East program.

The defending Lehigh Valley Conference champ in 100 and 200-meter sprints will report to Storrs next week.

"I am excited," Williams said on Sunday. "Coach [Hank] Hughes [UConn's assistant head coach and defensive line coach] talked to me during last track season. I had an unofficial visit there in June and I verbally committed right there. But they said I had to go to Fork Union for a half-year and if I did well and became eligible, I would be at UConn in January and that's what happened.

"I had a very productive season at Fork Union, both academically and on the field," Williams added.

Williams rushed for 480 yards on 35 carries and scored six touchdowns at Fork Union after running for 1,283 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior at Emmaus.

Many Green Hornets fans will forever remember his record-breaking performance against Pocono Mountain West in the Eastern Conference semifinals when he ran for a school-record 283 yards and six touchdowns.

Williams, listed at 6-foot and 205 pounds, spent his high school career shuttling between Emmaus and Allen.

He spent all of ninth grade and part of 10^th at Emmaus and then transferred to Allen for the rest of 10^th grade and all of 11^th before coming back to Emmaus for 12^th grade.

He has been back at Emmaus several times recently and credits Green Hornets head coach Joe Bottiglieri and former Emmaus assistant and current Becahi head coach Joe Henrich as being very helpful in his making a connection with UConn.

Henrich, who is still a guidance counselor at Emmaus, is a UConn alum.

Several other schools, including Oregon and Clemson, expressed interest in Williams, but UConn was always the front-runner.

UConn returns its leading rusher, Lyle McCombs, but graduated several other backs.

"The opportunity to get playing time right away without being redshirted was important," he said. "Plus, it's pretty close to home. My grandparents live in New York and the coaching staff was real nice. I felt more comfortable there than at the other schools. When I took my official visit [on the weekend of Dec. 9-11], I was again very impressed with everything."

Williams would like to continue his track career at UConn, but said getting acclimated to the football program and the academics are his first priority.

BULLDOG HOLIDAY CHALLENGE

The Bulldog Holiday Challenge, a girls basketball event for grades 5-8, was another huge success in the week between Christmas and New Year's.