College Update: Williams helps Washington State football cap historic season
The following are updates on local athletes at the collegiate level.
James Williams (Burbank High, 2015) Washington State redshirt junior: Williams and Washington State ended their historic campaign Friday in grand fashion deep in the heart of Texas. It also came with Williams and the Cougars setting some conference and school records.
Williams, a dual threat at running back, caught a team-high seven passes for 53 yards and rushed for 11 yards in three carries to help 13th-ranked Washington State earn a 28-26 win against No. 24 Iowa State in the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas.
Williams helped Washington State (11-2) set a school record for most wins in a season. In addition, Williams finished the season with 83 catches, setting the PAC-12 Conference record for most receptions by a running back. He eclipsed the mark of 78, set by Brad Muster of Stanford in 1985.
The former All-Pacific League, All-Area and All-CIF Southern Section selection now has 202 career receptions with the Cougars. Williams, who received all-conference honorable mention, is tied for first in career receptions at Washington State with Jamal Morrow. He’s tied for third with Morrow in all-time career receptions.
On the season, Williams rushed for 560 yards and 12 touchdowns in 122 carries. He caught 83 passes for 613 yards and four touchdowns to help Washington State win seven of its last eight contests..
The Cougars, who finished tied for first in the conference’s North Division with rival Washington, improved to 8-7 all-time in bowl games and captured the Alamo Bowl for the second time. Washington State posted a 10-3 win against Baylor in 1994 in the team’s only other Alamo Bowl appearance.
Chance Bell (Burroughs High, 2016) San Diego State redshirt freshman: Bell took positive steps in his first season with the Aztecs.
Though Bell didn’t participate in San Diego State’s final game of the season — a 27-0 loss against Ohio in the DXL Frisco Bowl in Frisco, Texas, on Dec. 19 — he proved he could handle playing at the collegiate level.
Bell, a former All-Area honoree and the 2016-2017 Burbank Leader All-Area Boys’ Athlete of the Year, served as San Diego State’s No. 3 runner while partaking in five games.
Bell, Burroughs’ all-time rushing record with 4,525 yards, finished with 189 yards rushing in 40 carries this season. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry.
San Diego State went 7-6, 4-4 in the Mountain West Conference. It took fourth in the conference’s West Division.
Jesse Chamberlain (Burroughs 2017) San Jose State football freshman: It turned out to be a difficult season for San Jose State. The Spartans finished 1-11, 1-7 in the Mountain West Conference. San Jose placed last in the conference’s West Division.
Chamberlain, a former All-Area first-team pick and Pacific League Lineman of the Year, competed in six games as a center. Chamberlain, a redshirt last season, played against UC Davis, Hawaii, Colorado State, Army, San Diego State and UNLV.
The Spartans’ only victory came against UNLV on Oct. 27 when the Spartans recorded a 50-37 conference home win.
San Jose State’s season finished Nov. 24 with a 31-13 conference road loss against Fresno State, which won the Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 15.
Maddie Riggs (Burroughs High, 2017) UC Irvine women’s golf sophomore: Riggs, a former All-Area selection, and the Anteaters concluded the fall season in late October with a ninth-place finish at the 10-team UC Irvine Invitational at Santa Ana Country Club in Santa Ana.
Riggs finished with a three-round score of 15-over-par 231 (79, 73 and 79) to tie for 52nd on the par-72 venue.
The Anteaters had a three-round score of 913 (306-302-305). Cal Poly San Luis Obispo won the team crown by registering a five-under par 859 (282-280-297).
Riggs was one of four Anteaters to participate in all 11 matches during the fall. She finished with an average of 76.63.
UC Irvine will begin the spring campaign Jan. 27 when it participates in the Mission Hills Invitational in Palm Springs. The event will conclude Jan. 28.
Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich
