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Williams Breaks Rushing Record, Then Loses It To Cousin

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By LEE DIEKEMPER Tribune correspondent

Published: November 12, 2007

TARPON SPRINGS - It's easy to see why Gulf High School football coach Jay Fulmer thinks so much of running back David Williams.

Williams, a senior, entered his final game as a high school player with a shot at breaking the Pasco County regular-season rushing record of 1,734 yards. And Williams did just that Friday night at East Lake. But his 183 yards, which gave him 2,087 yards for the year, proved not to be enough. Instead, his cousin, Ridgewood running back Byronelle Arline, also had a shot at the same record. Arline ran for 307 years in a 56-6 Ridgewood win against Zephyrhills to set the mark at 2,188. Williams is now second on the all-time regular season Pasco County rushing list.

Some players would have been distraught at not getting the record. And while Williams was disappointed, you wouldn't have known by his demeanor after the Buccaneers' 23-10 loss. Williams praised everyone from his offensive line to his coach to how well East Lake's defense played. On losing out on the record to his cousin, he said, "I'm happy for him. At least we get to keep the record in the family."

On East Lake's defense: "They had a job to do defensively and they handled me. I could tell they were keying on me and they were doing a good job. They were laying some hits on me. But I was able to find a couple of cracks and I hurt them. But that's a really good defense. I hope they do good in the playoffs. I hope they get a win in the first round."

The main "hurt" Williams put on East Lake was a 92-yard score in the second quarter. He ran around left tackle, broke a few tackles, turned right and raced for the right corner of the end zone.

"I could hear footsteps, I could feel them," Williams said about breaking away from East Lake defenders at midfield. "I heard the crowd roar when I was near midfield so I knew someone was close so I gave it everything I had."

Oddly enough, the coach on the field who knew most about Williams may not have been Fulmer, but East Lake coach Bob Hudson. The Eagles coach, who played his high school ball at Gulf, once coached Williams in elementary school when Williams was in the third grade and Hudson taught at Calusa Elementary.

"Williams was in the third grade and we'd double-team him with fifth-graders and he'd still burn us," Hudson remembered. "You could tell he was going to be a good one.

"I strongly believe we've faced the top five running backs in the Tampa Bay area: Arline at Ridgewood in a preseason game, Brynn Harvey at Largo, Jeff Brinson at Northeast, Williams and Adarius Bellamy at Dunedin. There's no question Williams belongs in that group."

Williams has had interest from Southern Miss, South Florida, Auburn and Miami. Williams credits Fulmer with helping him on the path to college.

"I've been sitting down with Coach and going over academics. He wants me to do more than just play football. Coach Fulmer loves me like a son. I have a lot of support from his family. It warms you all up."

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