Warren County's Williams, a Louisburg College signee, selected for East-West game

Apr. 28—WARRENTON — Warren County football standout Leslie Williams had more than one reason to celebrate earlier this month when he signed to play for Louisburg College.

In addition to making his commitment to the Hurricanes official, Williams has also been selected to participate in the football portion of the annual East-West All-Star Games July in Greensboro. He's the first Warren County player to be selected for the prestigious football showcase since Shauntae Hunt made it in 2002 before going on to a successful playing career for East Carolina.

Like Hunt, Williams is a defensive lineman, measuring in at 6-4, 295 pounds.

"I get excited but I know I've still got work to do," said Williams, an all-conference selection on offense and defense last fall that also played in a select "919 vs. 252" all-star game December in Greenville. "I don't let it go to my head too much."

"This is the best of the best of North Carolina," Warren County coach V.J. Hunt said of the East-West game. "Now people are singing the praises of Warren County because of kids like Leslie."

Williams' chip-on-the-shoulder mentality will be crucial, Williams and V.J. Hunt agreed, when representing 1A Warren County in the East-West game against some of the best players in the state, from some of the biggest high schools.

The mindset will also need to translate to the junior college level at Louisburg College, where Quinderra Spellman was named head coach in March after 12 seasons on the N.C. Wesleyan coaching staff.

Fitting for Williams, Spellman coached the defensive line at N.C. Wesleyan.

There's another defensive line connection with Louisburg College that might serve to motivate Williams, who hopes to transfer to a Division I school. Tennessee Titans defensive end Larrell Murchison suited up for the Hurricanes, earning JUCO All-American honors in 2016 before transferring to N.C. State. Murchison was later drafted by the Titans in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

V.J. Hunt, who started coaching Williams as a sophomore, only hopes to provide student-athletes at Warren County an opportunity for that kind of future. To help student-athletes like Williams get their shot.

Williams became the fourth Eagles football player to sign for a college in 2022, following the February signings of Jay Goode (Shaw University), Maceo Sellers (Elizabeth City State University) and Jah'quell Hendrick (The Apprentice School).

Williams was joined in the April signing day ceremony by Warren County baseball players Christian Bartholomew (Chowan University) and Jamel Moss (Mid-Atlantic Christian University).

"I think a lot of times people overlook the great things that are happening here," V.J. Hunt said. "And I feel like I have a responsibility as a football coach but also as an athletic director to provide as many opportunities as we possibly can. And it's not just me. We have a great group of coaches that work really well together."