Deonte Williams: The E-Ticket

Elk Grove Pleasant Grove is more than Armond Armstead, as Deonte "Bling" Williams has been able to show this year, running for one of the best marks in the state...

Deonte Williams, is a 5-10, 174-pound senior running back.

He’s a transfer from Sacramento’s Valley High School to Pleasant Grove High School, in Elk Grove California. He’s known on the Pleasant grove High School campus as “Bling” because of the gold grill he sports in his mouth and the jewelry he wears.

Watching Deonte run is like being on the old roller coaster ride in Disney’s famed Space Mountain. You never knew which direction the roller coaster was going to turn and it was exciting. Deonte is much like that ride. He’s very exciting to watch and it’s hard to anticipate his moves on the field.

Watching him is like being on an “E ticket ride”. Since the 1950s, E-Ticket (or E ticket ride) was referred to an unusually thrilling, interesting, or most-interesting situation/ride. It derives from the tickets used at Disneyland and Walt Disney World theme parks until 1982. E tickets were the most expensive tickets, reserved for the newest, most popular rides and attractions. I hear it all the time from snowboarders. Deonte is a new edition to PGHS football and definitely one of the most popular attractions/additions to the football program.

He's currently Ranked 7th in the state and 69th in the country. Nobody, and I mean nobody runs like him. He’s got the same attributes as Tiki Barber and the potential to be just as successful.

The true challenge for Deonte, and Pleasant Grove High School, was last week’s game against northern California’s power house Jesuit H.S. in Carmichael. Deonte met that challenge. Pleasant Grove switched up their strategy a little for the Jesuit game and passed more than usual during the game. Deonte still managed to get 186 yards rushing and 2 touch owns.

He currently has 1,669 yards rushing and will most definitely break the 2,000 yards rushing mark. With Armond Armstead, a commit to USC, on the OL punching holes for Deonte, along with the other star players on the O-line, like Larry Bates, we’re talking playoffs. Deonte has been approached by a ton of D1 schools and has one confirmed offer so far.

Deonte Williams has big time written all over him. It goes to show you what happens when you have a talented O-line doing their job. They create the holes for Deonte to do his thing. But it goes beyond that. Deonte is so quick that the defense can’t react in time. He cuts one direction leaving a bunch of defenders doing the superman, trying to jump and grab him, and hitting the field empty handed.

Everyone from the opposing team’s coaches, opposing players, team mates, parents and fans are awed by his talent. He’s definitely worth the price of Admission – because you know you’re going to get that “ E ticket ride” just watching him play ball.