Williams continues to make history

Fox Creek High School’s Marty Williams takes a breather and gets some family applause Wednesday afternoon, a moment after signing his paperwork to attend Clemson University on a football scholarship. Staff photo by By Bill Bengtson.

NORTH AUGUSTA -- Marty Williams staked a claim to another piece of Fox Creek High School athletic history Wednesday, becoming the school's first student to earn a university football scholarship.

The standout quarterback, who delighted Predator fans and baffled dozens of opponents over the past couple of seasons, made his mark to attend Clemson University, with family members around him and several senior teammates seated nearby.

"Visiting up there a lot and going to a lot of ball games and hanging around with the players and coaches, it really meant a lot to me," he said. "We created a good bond toward each other. The players up there are like brothers to me."

He is listed at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds. His academic interests, he said, are in the areas of music and sports (such as sports management).

Williams, known as a threat in both running and passing, had C.J. Williams, Quadre Castlebbery and DeOndre Baskett among his favorite passing targets over the past couple of years.

Williams also commented on his prospects on the Clemson roster. "For right now, I'll think I'll be playing at defensive back."

He also served in the Predators' defensive backfield. On offense, major highlights in the 2011 season included one game in which he scored seven touchdowns (six by ground and one by air).

The season's final couple of games included some unsettling moments involving a neck sprain that took him out of the action. It first arose in the opening playoff game. He returned to play the next week but was taken away in an ambulance as the Predators' season came to a close.

A Clemson website noted that Williams "chose Clemson over Florida, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, Miami, East Carolina and South Carolina, among others."

Williams commented, "I hope it will open up doors for Fox Creek and give an opportunity for more guys to compete ... It means a lot to me, playing with the guys that are in younger grade levels. It shows to them that it takes a lot of work to get what you want. I hope they work hard for it, because the door's open for them now."

Coach Russell Schneider, who has guided the Predators' football program since its creation, described Williams as a hard worker with exceptional talent. "It's nice to see the time you've invested turn out to be such a great opportunity for him and his family," he added.