And he made Hughes a promise, while assuming that position.

“When Zion got hurt, I told him I’m going to carry on your legacy,” Williams said. “I told him, ‘I’m going to go out and be great for you.'”

Williams is a man of his word. His teammates also keep offering Hughes, a team captain, a powerful tribute. Hughes remains a presence at practices and games, Williams and the Millionaires continue developing and Williamsport remains undefeated.

Williams totaled 193 yards and three touchdowns, Trey Damschroder put on a second quarter show and the defense dominated as Williamsport blanked Central Mountain, 42-0 Friday at Millionaire Stadium. Williams ran for 100 yards and two scores, Damschroder scored twice on plays which totaled 127 yards and a young team featuring just seven seniors continued jelling as Williamsport started 3-0 for a second straight year.

Tevin Williamsport of Williamsport runs for a first quarter touchdown against Central Mountain at Williamsport High School. Williamsport won 42-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“We have a lot of young kids but they focus and work hard at practice and take to instruction. Everyone has bought in and they’re getting the message now,” said Williamsport offensive coordinator Reese Holmes after head coach Mike Pearson had to leave shortly after the game, so he could watch his son play football at Navy Saturday. “It’s been fantastic. The kids have really stepped up and done what we’ve asked of them.”

That continued Friday as Williamsport built off its first two games and played its most complete one yet. The defense made three big stops after Central Mountain (0-3) moved into scoring territory, the offense produced big plays, Giovanni White (112 yards, 2 touchdowns) broke 100 yards for a second straight week and Williamsport turned a close contest into a rout, scoring 29 second quarter points while building a 35-0 halftime lead.

Central Mountain showed promise despite not scoring its first points this season, but it was small mistakes which created a seismic shift in how the game transpired. That included two turnovers in the first half’s final 65 seconds which included a Damschroder 80-yard interception touchdown, as well as a fumble on the ensuing onside kick. Instead of potentially trailing by two scores at halftime, Central Mountain faced an Everest-like climb, staring at a 35-0 hole.

“The kids don’t get the reference, but it’s ‘Groundhog Day.’ It’s that same thing over and over. We played really well and then a couple plays where we’re undisciplined or we have one person not do their job and teams are able to execute on us and make a big play,” Central Mountain coach Travis Thompson said. “We have to stay focused all the time. If we can play 100 % all the time, we’re capable of beating anybody. We’re hanging with every team we play, it’s just fixing those little things.”

Williams is mastering those little things as he settles in at quarterback and builds off the ability and leadership Hughes displayed all offseason. The 6-foot-3 quarterback possesses tremendous athletic ability, displaying that last winter on the basketball court. And while that talent shined through again Friday, it was Williams’ mind which stood out even more.

Tevin Williamsport of Williamsport runs with the ball in the first quarter against Central Mountain at Williamsport High School. Williamsport won 42-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

He only attempted nine passes, but Williams completed five for 93 yards and found Damschroder for a 45-yard touchdown which made it, 21-0. Equally important, Williams put the ball where only his receivers could make plays, made good reads and was especially strong at recognizing defenses.

That included in the run game. After ripping off a 36-yard run on Williamsport’s second play, Williams gave the Millionaires a 6-0 lead late in the first when he faked the defense outside on a read option, before cutting up the middle of an 11-yard touchdown.

“I think I’m seeing the game a lot better, I’m seeing the defense a lot better,” Williams said. “Before games, I’m doing pre-snap reads and it’s getting easier for me.”

Williams continued keeping Central Mountain off-balance with his decision making as he and White averaged 13 yards per carry.

Williams then helped Williamsport impose the mercy rule before halftime when the Millionaires perfectly executed a screen play and Lucas Naughton turned a sideline pass into a 45-yard gain. White scored from eight yards out a play later.

Davahjei Dymeck of Williamsport tries to block the pass by Kyle Everett of Central Mountain at Williamsport High School. Williamsport won 42-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“Tevin has things that you can’t really coach. He has great athleticism, he’s great to be around, he brings the team energy up but every week he’s becoming a better quarterback,” Holmes said. “Quarterback play is a lot more than being able to throw the ball really far and hand it off. You have to pay attention to defenses and details and every week he’s becoming a better quarterback. He’s always been a football player. Now, he’s also growing into that leadership role; getting more confident.”

That showed on his final play. Williams dropped back to pass before rolling left and noticing the defense was flowing the other way. Williams turned on the jets, followed some super downfield blocking by Cordoza Minor, faked out a defender near the 20, broke a tackle at the 10 and completed a 53-yard touchdown run.

It was mind and body all coming together and it put an exclamation point on Williamsport’s performance.

“I saw my whole team flow to the right and just saw grass open to the left, so I took off,” Williams said. “Cordoza stayed with me, blocked down the field the whole way and we scored. It felt good.”

Minor is part of a young offensive line which features no seniors but which is progressing each week. He, Kamar Stroud, Owen Newcomer, Jaxson Thompson and Kaiden Flook helped the starters score on their final five series. Kicker Brayden Ungard helped both the offense and defense by booming four touchbacks and landing six of seven kickoffs inside the 5-yard line. That flipped field position and Williamsport started four scoring drives in Central Mountain territory.

Giovanni White of Williamsport runs for a touchdown against Central Mountain in the first quarter at Williamsport High School. Williamsport won 42-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

The final drive, however, was the Williamsport offense at its best as it moved 98 yards on nine plays with Williams capping the scoring following his 53-yard run.

While the offense opened up, the defense constricted and allowed its fewest yards (198) this season. Equally impressive was the team’s ability to make plays at crucial times, something it has consistently done throughout the first three weeks. That included Damschroder picking off a fourth down pass at the 20 before busting down the sideline for his 80-yard, game-breaking Pick 6.

The Millionaires made another big stand to open the fourth quarter. Central Mountain put together its best drive this season and had a first-and-goal at the 7-yard line. Naughton, who topped 10 tackles again, made a stop for no gain on first down before Josef Walker limited Ricky Rohrbach to one yard on a short pass and Ulmer deflected a pass at the line.

Williamsport defenders than swarmed Dalton McDermott on fourth down, stopping him at the 2. That also made it six straight quarters that a defense with nine underclassmen did not allow a point.

“It (the shutout) was really important to us. We heard a lot before the game from them and we wanted to show them that we have a solid defense and we weren’t going to let them get those first points on us this year,” Ungard said after making five tackles, including one for loss. “We trust our coaching. We fulfill our assignments. We try and stop everything we can. We try and play every down like it’s our last.”

Trey Damschroder of Williamsport pulls in a pass and runs the ball in for a touchdown against Central Mountain at Williamsport High School. Williamsport won 42-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

That mentality permeates all three layers and Williamsport limited Central Mountain to 79 yards on 10 completions. Minor, Davahjei Dymeck, Robert Davis and Landon Long were particularly strong up front, Naughton repeatedly made stops near or behind the line of scrimmage and Williamsport improved its turnovers forced total to eight.

“Tonight was a great showing defensively. (Defensive) Coach Jesse (Walker) and I are working together for a fourth year and we trust each other and I know he’s going to put a good quality unit on the field,” Holmes said. “We’ve always has been a good defense and they’re coming around for sure.”

The scoreboard might not show it, but Central Mountain could be as well. The Wildcats reached season-highs in yards and first downs. McDermott ran hard and gained a career-high 84 yards on 24 carries, while sophomore Kyle Everett, outside of the interception, was sharp.

And it was not necessarily Williamsport piling up yards on sustained drives as much as it was on a big play here and there. It was a similar story a week ago against Bloomsburg.

It’s not where Central Mountain wants to be, but it also can see a light at the end of the tunnel. There are peaks of light and now it’s a matter of turning a few good plays into consistent ones for four quarters. Do that and they could feel the warm glow of victory.

Friday’s game looked like a step forward. Put it all together and Central Mountain could potentially take some giant ones as the season continues.

“It’s one of those games where we did things we wanted to do, but we weren’t able to finish,” Thompson said. “We had plenty of (pass) protection, and we had no sacks which is awesome for our offensive line. We’re moving in the right direction, it’s just tough. We don’t have an easy schedule, so we just have to string together a good game.”

Ricky Rohrbach of Central Mountain runs the ball against Williamsport in the third quarter at Williamsport High School. Williamsport won 42-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Dalton McDermott of Central Mountain tries to escape the grasp of Jacob Evelhair (20) of Williamsport at Williamsport High School. Williamsport won 42-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Ricky Rohrbach of Central Mountain looks for a way through the defense of Williamsport at Williamsport High School. Williamsport won 42-0. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette