Thanks Guy: Williams a steady presence for Nashua South football

Note: Thanks Guy is a feature we like to do at Thanksgiving to recognize players from the Nashua North and South football teams who were unsung heroes during their senior season.

Zavier Williams has seen it all during his time with the Nashua High School South football team.

There was the good. As a sophomore, Williams got time on the varsity at wide receiver, as the Panthers went 9-2 and finished first during the regular season in the Division I West Conference.

There was the mediocre last season, when South went 5-5 and Williams served as more a blocker out on the edge in an offense that ran the ball more often than not.

And there was the not-so-good this season, as Williams stepped up to be one of the Panthers' top receiving threats, but South was just 2-8. Despite that, the senior wideout felt like the year was a success in other ways.

"We didn't get the results we wanted, but we've worked hard," Williams said. "We were pretty young and inexperienced and we all knew that. When we hit the field, against some good teams, even though we had scores we didn't want, we still worked hard until the clock hit zero."

As much as South coach Scott Knight liked having a player with Williams' ability, Knight liked the way he practiced the same when things were going great and when they weren't

"I think he's shown the way just by ... it hasn't been a great year for our seniors and they've stayed the course," the coach said. "They're here every day, they work hard and they maintain a good attitude. It's been really important. Zaiver was there when we were 9-2 and he's been here when we're 2-8 and I'd say he's the same. He comes to practice every day and it's important for the kids to see that."

During that sophomore year, Williams got to play along side former quarterback Trevor Knight, and learned what it took to be a varsity football player and to appreciate the time he had left to be one.

"I remember one day my sophomore year, Trevor told me it will end in a blink of an eye," Williams said. "That's what I try to tell the sophomores now, it will end like that. It has."

Williams, who also plays basketball and runs track, began playing football in sixth grade, but stepped away in eighth grade. Before his freshman year, another former South quarterback, Malik Langa, talked him into coming back.

This year, with sophomore Sean Holland taking over at quarterback, Williams tried to provide not only leadership on offense, but also be a consistent option when the Panthers want to throw the ball.

"It's important to have for any quarterback, to have guys who attack the ball and make plays," Knight said. "Sometimes, he'll make you look good, and sometimes, you need him to make a great catch. He's done that this year. He's made a lot of big plays.

"And not just that, we ask our receivers to block. Our wideouts, it's just like playing tight end because we have a perimeter run game. They're involved. Half the time they're blocking, and if you can't block for us, you can't play. He's been steady this year and he's a really good kid."