[11/21/02]If you look for Henry Williams on a football field on Friday night, odds are he’ll be hitting someone. Where he’s hitting them from takes a little more observation.

In the past, it was at tight end. This season, it’s primarily been at fullback. Occasionally, he’ll go into the game at linebacker. And then there’s his duties as a long snapper on punts and field goals.

Like some sort of costumed super hero who wears pads and a helmet rather than long underwear and a cape, wherever Williams is needed, he’ll be there.

“Every time I make a move with him, it’s nothing for him. He does it, and he does it with a smile,” Warren Central coach Robert Morgan said. “The quiet success of Henry Williams has been a lot of the reason for the success of our Vikings.”

Williams, a senior, has been a double threat out of the backfield for WC this season. He’s rushed for 530 yards and six touchdowns and also served as the lead blocker for tailback Richmond Fields, who has rushed for 1,328 yards and 13 TDs.

Williams has also caught eight passes for 141 yards and one touchdown.

“He helps me out a lot. I can’t do everything by myself. It’s a team thing,” Fields said. “Me and Henry are like brothers. The thing is getting along. If you get along with the fullback and tailback, everything falls into place.”

Williams’ play at fullback has gained the most attention this season, but it was a pair of defensive gems in last week’s 16-9 first-round playoff win over Starkville that helped the Vikings (9-3) earn Friday’s second-round home game against Southaven (9-3).

In the game as a linebacker, Williams jumped high in the air to intercept a pass from Starkville quarterback Will Sneed, then returned it 26 yards for a touchdown to put the Vikings ahead 13-9 early in the third quarter.

Then, on Starkville’s next offensive series, Williams recovered a fumble to set up Will Clark’s 50-yard field goal.

“He’s a heady football player. He’s got a good football demeanor,” Morgan said. “He’s good at any position. He could play any position and be an all-conference player. He can kickoff if we needed him to.”

Williams also has a good attitude about being shuffled around.

As a freshman, Williams played tailback. He was moved to tight end for his sophomore season, then to linebacker in 2001.

In between, he has played as a defensive back and on the line, and Morgan said he even considered Williams as a quarterback at one time.

While some players might struggle to learn a new position, or grumble about all of the switches, Williams said it wasn’t hard for him to figure things out wherever he ends up.

“I can fall into each position easily. It’s not hard at all,” said Williams, who has 22 tackles this season as a backup linebacker. “(Playing fullback) wasn’t difficult. It was just something that came around to me. Everything comes to me like it’s the same. I can learn to do anything easily.”

That includes long snapping, something Williams is in his third year of doing for the Vikings. Williams admitted it’s not his favorite thing to do, but never hesitated to play the position when asked.

“I didn’t know I could long snap, myself. I just knew I could throw, and (Morgan) asked me to long snap so I did,” Williams said. When asked whether he liked it, he added, “Not really, but whatever helps the team out.”

Usually, helping involves throwing a block. It’s something Williams takes pride in, and a skill that hasn’t gone unnoticed by his teammates.

“Henry, he’s there when you need him, he’s there when you don’t. He’ll do anything you need him to,” WC quarterback Jeremy Ferguson said. “He’s protected me a lot this year. He and Richmond both.”