Football: Josh Williams, Downers South rolls by Brother Rice

Updated: November 4, 2011 10:11PM

Two scores from Downers South running back Josh Williams led the Mustangs to a 41-14 win over Brother Rice in a Class 8A second-round playoff game in Downers Grove.

Williams opened the scoring by scooting 47 yards on quarterback A.J. Simoncelli’s shovel pass. Williams, who is 5-foot-9, but stood much taller in the estimation of the 1,500 Mustangs fans on hand, has 2,238 yards rushing in 11 games this season, including 107 against Brother Rice (7-4).

“When you execute and do what you’re supposed to do, then a good outcome will (happen),” Williams said. “This is a really big win for us. I expected it to be a tough game. They’re a hard team in a tough conference.”

Brother Rice coach Steve Nye put it succinctly.

“We dug ourselves too deep a hole to fill,” Nye said. “We picked a bad time to have a bad game.”

It didn’t matter that Martez Walker, who ran for 154 yards on 18 carries, ended his high school career as the leading rusher in Brother Rice history, or that backfield mate Andrew Walker, who scored both Rice touchdowns and finished with 131 yards, closes as the No. 2 Crusader career runner.

In fact, Downers Grove South (10-1) scored 17 points on three straight short-field drives in the first half, starting on the Rice 37, 13 and 21, which is why the Mustangs (10-1) had a 27-0 lead at the half.

Two of those scores were rushing touchdowns by running back Josh Williams.

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