varsity.roanoke.com

Looking at his ever-increasing numbers, David Williams might have thought he had a chance to rush for 2,000 yards by the end of the season.

But, nobody expects to rush for 2,000 yards in eight games.

Williams made it look easy Friday night, carrying 39 times for a career-high 367 yards in Hidden Valley's 35-14 victory over visiting Pulaski County.

Williams has 2,071 yards with two regular-season games remaining.

"You've just got one heck of a running back right there," Pulaski County coach Jack Turner said. "He's a throwback running back; he runs hard, [with] pad level low.

"Everybody I talk to says, 'Don't pay attention to the film because he's better in person than he is on film.' I agree with them 100 percent."

Hidden Valley (6-2 overall, 3-0 River Ridge District) goes to Salem next week with a chance to take sole possession of the district lead, but the Titans weren't thinking that way when Pulaski County grabbed a 14-7 lead on Luke Watson's 47-yard pass to Tyler Matusevich with 10:05 remaining in the third quarter.

Hidden Valley had squandered a prime scoring chance late in the first half when the Cougars' Robert Cobbs intercepted a Michael Simonic pass in the end zone with 1:22 left in the second quarter.

"I should have called a run," Hidden Valley coach Scott Weaver said.

It was a long time before the Titans would pass again.

Trailing when they got the ball for the first time in the second half, the Titans gave the ball to Williams on 17 straight plays.

Williams carried seven times on a 65-yard drive that made it 14-14 with 7:27 left in the third quarter, then carried seven times for 43 yards on the drive that put Hidden Valley ahead 21-14 with 2:15 remaining in the period.

He rushed for 163 yards in the third quarter alone.

"The kind of numbers he's putting up, it's hard not to give it to him," Weaver said. "It's a credit to him that he can take that kind of workload and still be that effective in the third and fourth quarters."

Williams, listed at 5 foot 10 and 178 pounds, was coming off a 45-carry night at Christiansburg. His longest run Friday night, a 38-yarder, came on his 39th carry.

"I had no idea what would happen tonight," Williams said. "Pulaski had played Cave Spring and Christiansburg close. We had to pull a couple of things together when we got down 14-7."

Pulaski County (2-6, 0-3) won its first 12 games before losing in the Group AA Division 4 finals last year, "but they all graduated and we just started over," Cougars' coach Jack Turner said." We just ain't got the personnel this year."

Moreover, Pulaski County was without one of its top returnees, running back and linebacker Tahrick Peak, who has committed to Virginia Tech. Peak was in street clothes on the Cougars' sideline.

"There's something wrong with his knee," Turner said. "I'm not for sure. He hurt his knee down here last week against Cave Spring."

Turner would like to think Peak would have made a difference "but I don't know if anybody could make a difference against that No. 8 [Williams], to be honest with you," he said.

The Cougars knew what was coming and still couldn't do anything about it.

Weaver was curious as to Peak's status before the game, "but," he said, "I don't think we would have changed a thing."

Pulaski County 0 7 7 0 -- 14

Hidden Valley 0 7 14 14--35

HV -- Williams 14 run (Draudt kick)

PC -- Ramel Cobbs 2 run (Songer kick)

PC -- Matusevich 47 pass from Watson (Songer kick)

HV -- Williams 3 run (Draudt kick)

HV -- Williams 2 run (Draudt kick)

HV -- Williams 6 run (Draudt kick)

HV -- Kite 7 run (Draudt kick)

PC HV

First downs 12 24

Yards rushing 124 447

Passes C-A-I 7-11-0 2-6-1

Yards passing 167 18

Penalties-yards 2-8 2-10

Fumbles-lost 2-2 1-0

Punts-average 3-42 1-32

Individual statistics

RUSHING -- Pulaski County, Ram. Cobbs 13-61, Watson 7-25, Long 5-18, Martin 3-13, Smith 6-5, Ri. Cobbs 1-2, Hidden Valley, Williams 39-367, Simonic 10-42, Johnson 1-24, Kite 5-16, Horton 1-1, Team 1-(minus 3).

PASSING -- Pulaski County, Watson 7-11-0-167. Hidden Valley, Simonic 2-6-1-18.

RECEIVING -- Pulaski County, Martin 3-70, Matusevich 2-75, Ro. Cobbs 1-16, Akers 1-6. Hidden Valley, Patterson 1-12, Kite 1-6.