William was a star athlete in two sports, football and track, earning All-High and AII-WNY in both sports. In football, William excelled at the unlikely combination of tailback on offense and defensive end. His quickness off the ball made him unstoppable in getting into the opponents’ backfield. William led the Harvard Cup co-champion 1985 squad to an undefeated season. William was selected to the Lions Club all-star football game following his senior season, and was chosen MVP of the game in 1987.
In track, William was an all-high sprinter. The Tigers went undefeated in all four years of William’s tenure, winning four “Scalp & Blade” trophies. The legendary Section VI champion Bennett 4×1 00 meter relay team that William ran on set an All-High and AII-WNY record of 42.35 seconds. That record still stands to this day as the fastest ever run in WNY.
William followed up his high school career by enrolling at Louisville University. There, William accomplished the rare feat of going out for football as a “walkon” and later getting a full athletic scholarship. As a CB, William was chosen conference “Defensive Player of the Year” in 1989. William was also cited as a preseason All-American CB prior to his senior season.
William still resides in Louisville, KY today, and now is Rev. William Blackford.