Williams wins top honor at Elks All-Sports Banquet
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Best known for wreaking havoc in other teams' backfields for the Du Quoin Indians football program the past four years, future-SIU Saluki Brandon Williams was picked as the recipient of the DHS Outstanding Senior Athlete of the Year Award at Wednesday night's 65th Elks Boys All-Sports Banquet held at Lodge No. 884 in St. Johns.
The son of Karen Williams and Ronnie Williams, Brandon was a three-time All-SIRR selection in football for the Indians in addition to receiving All-South honors his junior and senior seasons, and All-State Honorable Mention for 2011 as a defensive end. DHS's team MVP on the football field had seven sacks in addition to scoring nine touchdowns as a tight end and fullback on offense during his final football campaign with Du Quoin.
"It means a lot," Williams said, "it's a list of good names (that have won this award), I feel honored to be with that group of people."
Williams's size was also a key component of the Indians' basketball team, where he played as the team's primary center, and he is an accomplished track star in both the shot put and discus events. The 18-year old will join brother Dalton Morgan on the Southern Illinois University football squad after graduation.
"I go down June 11," Williams said, adding "I'm just excited to get to keep playing."
Williams' selection makes six Athlete of the Year award winners since 2003 that have continued their college careers at Southern Illinois University ('03 Nick Hill, '06 Tyler Bullock, '08 Cody Doerflein, '09 A.J. Hill, '11 J.C. Davis).
Headlining the banquet as principal speaker was newly-named head coach of the SIU mens' basketball team, Barry Hinson. Hinson most recently worked under Bill Self at Kansas, but most probably remember him from his nine years at Missouri State in the Missouri Valley Conference. He will become the Salukis' 13th head coach in the past 99 years of basketball after replacing Chris Lowery.
Introduced by MVC Hall-of-Famer Fred Huff as "one of the finest speakers in the country," Hinson was both charming and humorous, starting off his presentation with some roasting - even taking a friendly jab at Williams for a fumble at the podium.
"Brandon, on behalf of the SIU football team, I am so happy that you're a defensive end," Hinson said, "because I'd hate to see you handle a pass the way you handled that microphone."
Hinson, whose teams at Missouri State beat SIU more than any other opponent while he was there, later preached three points of emphasis to those in attendance.
"We have to get back to communicating," Hinson said. "I'm sick and tired of emails, I'm sick and tired of faxes, and I'm really sick and tired of text messages - I want to talk to you."
"I want you to start engaging people," he added. "I like to engage, I like to meet people."
"When we get on airplanes, we've got people that immediately put on their headphones, their earplugs, or go to their phone or iPad, because they want to be disconnected. I'm telling you, we're going to pay the price for that."
Hinson's third point dealt with simply being "an American."
"I want you to believe in what this country stands for," he said. "If you want to have a voice, have a voice. If you don't vote, I don't think you have a voice."
The coach closed with congratulations to all the athletes who were honored before light-heartedly addressing the basketball situation he inherits at SIU-C.
"I hope you come see us play," Hinson said, grinning as he uttered "we've got a mess."
"We had a personal record last week - one of our players only missed two classes."
The awards portion of the evening started with the reading of names of each male athlete who earned a varsity letter this season, including 27 seniors, 30 juniors, 16 sophomores and 22 freshmen.
After that, the Joe E. Weber "Outstanding Fan" Award, named the for long-time committee member and Indians fan, was presented to Du Quoin broadcaster and journalist Jeff Profitt, who was given a thirty-second ovation by the packed house in attendance. Before suffering a stroke in the fall of 2010, Profitt called DHS games alongside banquet emcee Steve Marek on WDQN and was the sports editor at the Du Quoin Evening Call newspaper.
Football letterman Tim Mabrey was the next winner at the podium, taking home the Whitey Miller Award for the most spirited lineman. His brief and to-the-point thank you would later earn him the nickname "Pastor Tim" from Hinson.
The William G. Theobald Memorial Award, named for the person perhaps most instrumental in developing the Elks banquet, was given to John Galik. Galik earned letters in basketball and football as a senior at DHS in addition to excelling in the classroom.
Jon Boss received the Carroll L. Doerner Memorial Award and scholarship, which since 1998 has been given to a graduating senior who earned a letter in football. Boss also earned letters in basketball and baseball. Doerner's family, along with DHS coaches, collaborate on the selection.
The Darrell Keith Anders Memorial Scholarship went to Cayle Diggins, who became the tenth winner of the award named for the late Du Quoin basketball star. Diggins was a standout in both football and basketball for the Indians.
Seniors earning varsity letters for the 2011-12 athletic season were Williams, Mabrey, Diggins, Galik, Boss, Alex Angleton, Dillon Beltz, Quivon Bledsoe, Zach Cavitt, Sam Gossett, Nathan Harris, Caleb Harsy, Howard Kelly, Caseton Luthy, Quinton Mathis, Jesse McDicken, Jared Morgan, Brice Nelson, Dylan Pyron, Jordan Ragland, Kegan Robbins, Josh Sanders, Logan Spain, T.J. Thorpe, Joel Vancil, Dakota Wheatley and Nathan Zoller.
An autographed Nick Hill Green Bay Packers jersey up for raffle went to Larry Stevens of Du Quoin.
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