The state record for all-purpose yards in a Georgia high school football game is unknown, but it can’t be too far off the 565 that Meadowcreek senior tailback Chauncey Williams put up last week in a 51-36 victory over Duluth.
Consider that the NCAA record is 578 (Utah State’s Emmett White in 2000), and college games are 12 minutes longer than high school games. Also remember that passing yards do not count in all-purpose yards. It's all rushing, receiving and returning.
Against Duluth, Williams rushed for 330 yards on 19 carries, caught two passes for 90 yards and had 145 return yards on two kickoffs. He also scored five touchdowns.
‘’His kickoff return in the first half helped hold us in the game, in addition to our one-play drive where he went 65 yards for a score up the middle,’’ Meadowcreek coach Jason Carrera said. “Some adjustments by our defense in the second half helped us secure the lead, and Chauncey and our o-Line did the rest. We average about 320 up-front so those guys wear you down after a while.’’
Meadowcreek is 2-0 for the first time since 1993. It’s also only the second time since 2001 that Meadowcreek has won more than one game in a season. Meadowcreek’s winning streak might continue as the next four opponents have a combined record of 1-9.
Then it gets really tough when Region 7 rivals Brookwood, Norcross, Central Gwinnett and Parkview come calling. But even a 5-5 season would be the best in 20 years. Consider that Meadowcreek was 5-125 in the 13 seasons before hiring Carrera in 2015.
Carrera had been the quarterbacks coach at Stockbridge. A Forest Park graduate, Carrera did not coach for 20 years out of college (Chattanooga) before joining Henry County’s staff in 2004. He also has coached at Eagle’s Landing Christian, where he was offensive coordinator for a time, and Flint River Academy, where he was 15-8 as head coach (2012-13).
It helps to have a standout player such as Williams. In the opener, he rushed for 208 yards and four touchdowns in 31 carries against Alcovy. His season totals through two games are 50 carries for 538 yards and seven touchdowns and three catches for 83 yards and a touchdown.
‘’Chauncey has shown tremendous effort and work in the weight room and in the class room and it has carried over onto the field,’’ Carrera said. ‘’Chauncey has stayed very humble though these first two weeks and continues to be a great leader on and off the field. We realize games only get tougher in this region and focus week to week is important.’’
