Golden touch: Williams assumes scoring load for Notre Dame

~ Bulldogs' senior Ty Williams enjoys second straight 20-goal season.

Ty Williams uses every body part to blast shots past opposing goalies.

He used his head to rocket the ball into the goal during the district title game against De Soto.

The Notre Dame senior again went to his noggin in the state quarterfinals against Clayton.

During the season, he relied on his gold cleats to find the back of the net.

Notre Dame's Ty Williams has scored 23 goals this season. (Fred Lynch)

"Over the years, I've been able to score," he said. "I guess I just played on some really good teams. But I've always played forward. I usually play with some other really good players who have been able to get me the ball up there. I've been able to score on most teams I played on."

He's being modest. Williams leads the Bulldogs with 23 goals this season, 12 more than any other Notre Dame player. Williams posted 20 goals last season.

"Ty is our first player that had 20-plus goals in back-to-back season," Notre Dame coach Brad Wittenborn said. "That just speaks volumes. We've had some great players and we've never had anybody put 20 up two years in a row."

Williams has scored in three of his team's four Class 2 playoff games this year. He's helped lead the Bulldogs back to the state final four, where they'll face Duchesne today at 5 p.m. at the Anheuser-Busch Center in Fenton, Mo.

Notre Dame goalkeeper Ryan Bass appreciates Williams' knack for finding the back of the goal because it helps their teammates relax and settle into the game.

Notre Dame's Ty Williams ran past Central's goalie. (Fred Lynch)

"I think Ty does a real good job of throwing the flow of the game into our favor," Bass said.

Midfielder John Unterreiner, who fed Williams the ball on his header against De Soto, credits Williams' work ethic for his ability to score so often.

"He's always working on his shot at practice and after practice," Unterreiner said. "That's been a big help for him, being confident and being able to rip some shots from pretty far out. He just gets in there and he body's up and he just fights through some defenders. A lot of time he's in good position and he knows how to finish when he does get it. Rarely does he let a chance go by."

There's been more pressure on Williams to score this season. He was part of a three-headed scoring machine for the Bulldogs last year, teaming with Jack Wedemeier and Abe Dirnberger to wreak havoc on the opposition. Wedemeier led the team with 30 goals. But Wedemeier and Dirnberger graduated and played at Quincy University this fall. That meant it was up to Williams to generate chances on offense.

"They're not there this year, so it's definitely a lot harder to score," Williams said. "I guess there's a little added pressure because you feel like every time you have to come out and put in as many goals as you can. But Brock [Dirnberger] is up there with me now and he's a good player too. We haven't scored as many goals this year as we did last, but with our defense as good as it is, we usually only need one or two."

Part of the reason it's harder for Williams to score this season is because the opposition drapes defenders on him. When defenders glue themselves to Williams, he said the key is to remain patient.

"I try to stay positive out there," he said. "I try to do my best out there, not take any plays off. Sooner or later it will come."

Wittenborn said it doesn't matter if defenders are hanging all over Williams, he'll still find a way to get off a shot.

"He is constantly working on his foot skills and he has tremendous balance," Wittenborn said. "He's very quick with the ball, but is able to do that with a guy leaning on him or pushing on him because he has such good balance."

Matt Kiblinger and Williams are friends, and since Kiblinger plays stopper, he should know the key to shutting down Williams, right? Hardly, Kiblinger admits.

"He's so quick with the ball and he has moves and everything," Kiblinger said. "You have to give him a little room so he doesn't blow right by you. You just try to contain him."

Then Kiblinger offered another solution to stopping Williams.

"If it comes down to it, you bring another defender over and double-team him," Kiblinger said. "You can't really stick him, so you just try to contain him so he doesn't get by you."

Williams has had some conversations with college coaches about playing next year, but he isn't sure if he wants to play basketball or soccer. He plans to wait and weigh his options later. In the meantime, he's looking forward to spending the weekend trying to repeat as state champions with his friends.

"This is what you wait all year for, for it to get here," he said. "Now you go after it."