Sports

Birmingham Groves' Ross Williams Up For Football Player of the Year

MLive.com selected the electrifying running back as a finalist following his super season.


Birmingham Groves High School 
running back Ross Williams is a big reason behind the return to relevance for the 2013 Falcons, who will see playoff action this Friday after a disappointing 2-7 campaign last year. And the senior is getting some widespread recognition for it. 

Williams on Monday was named one of 10 finalists for MLive.com's Michigan High School Football Player of the Year award. A panel of coaches and media from across the state narrowed the list from about 40 candidates over the season, and will now begin whittling down the field further over the next two weeks until four players are left. MLive.com will then ask readers to vote for a fifth finalist. 

Panelists will vote again among those candidates and announce the winner on Nov. 25.

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MLive.com will also profile each of the 10 finalists over the next two weeks, and will publish a story about Williams on Thursday, according to its website. Williams was not on MLive's initial watch list for the player of the year honors, but caught the attention of regional media and some scouts with stellar performances consistently throughout the season. 

That started during the 47-19 drubbing of Bloomfield Hills High School in the season opener, where Williams rushed for 245 yards and three touchdowns. In all, the 5-foot-10 inch, 165-pound senior averaged more than 140 yards rushing per game (1,261 rushing yards total) and finished the regular season with 16 scores. 

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Williams, who also doubles at defensive back for the Falcons and is a former state champion in track, is one of only three running backs on the list. He's also just one of the three players from Oakland County to earn the statewide designation.

Is Ross Williams the high school football player of the year? Tell us why with a comment. 


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