All-Calhoun County boys soccer: Williamson helped Donoho finish regular season undefeated
Jun. 24—Donoho boys soccer found its way back atop the Calhoun County scene, and Drew Williamson kicked himself into the spotlight.
For his part in helping the Falcons to a 15-1-2 finish, including an undefeated regular season, Williamson is The Anniston Star's Calhoun County player of the year for boys soccer.
The junior striker delivered 31 goals and 15 assists and finished as Calhoun County tournament most valuable player, leading the Falcons to their first county title since 2017.
He joined teammates Grant Steed and Logan Melton on the 1A-3A all-state team, picked by state coaches.
A multi-sport athlete, Williamson took time out from summer workouts to participate in The Star's player-of-the-year Q&A:
Question: What was it like to go undefeated for 15 matches?
Answer: When I first started in seventh grade, our strategy was play really defensive and hope we don't give up a goal and hope to maybe get a goal. To go from that to, we expect to win every game by two or three goals, it's a huge change. It was so good to go undefeated, because it's not too often that we have great teams like that. When we do, we've got to capitalize, and we did, and it felt great.
Q: What about winning the first county title since 2017?
A: That was just incredible. We just, going into county, how last year went, losing to Oxford 3-1. We knew if we got the chance to face them again, we would do everything in our power for it to not be like that. Easily my favorite moment of the year was winning county.
Q: The fact that you scored as many goals as you did, does that underscore how much more of an offensively capable team Donoho became?
A: Our defense was the complete same from last year, and we knew they were going to be solid, but our game was based on how our offense was playing. I had great people surrounding me in the midfield. It made my life a lot easier up top.
Q: Who were the people who made it easier?
A: Grant for sure, but Logan Melton definitely, up top with me a couple of times. He's always aggressive. Samuel Johnson helped outside. Even Riley Thompson, he didn't always play up, but he was so solid at defensive mid to get the ball forward to Grant or someone to start our offense.
Q: Individually, what had you worked on in the offseason, and how did you feel like you did against those goals?
A: The main thing from last year that I wanted to improve on this year was a hundred percent my accuracy, my shooting. I knew my speed and quickness would still be a little bit there. Basketball and soccer are not the same, by any means, but I knew that I wouldn't be that off because I played basketball. My whole goal this year was to improve my accuracy and to be on target more. In 10th grade, I was a lot of just shooting the ball over and just not accurate at all. I felt like this year, I was a lot more accurate and scored a whole lot more.
Q: Word is you're a prospect to play on the next level, so how is recruiting going?
A: It's looking good. ...I will say that Benji Turley has been a great help in that, in finding me different opportunities and different ways to improve and play at that next level. I went to a camp in Birmingham, and I talked to a bunch of different coaches there, coaches from UAB, Birmingham Southern, even Clemson. Getting to talk to all of those coaches, they explained how the recruiting process really works, and it really helped me, for sure.
Sports Writer Joe Medley: 256-235-3576. On Twitter: @jmedley_star.
