It was kind of the game Clair Altemus and the rest of the Pine-Richland coaches had been expecting to see from Jason Williams since he first joined the team as a freshman two years ago.

More importantly to Williams, a junior running back, it was the type of performance he wanted to prove to everyone -- including himself -- that he had in him.

Williams, 5 feet 9 and 175 pounds, rushed for 204 yards on 16 carries and scored three touchdowns in last Friday's 45-7 Pine-Richland win against visiting Highlands.

"[During the game] I walked up to him and said, 'That's what I've been waiting to see the last three years,'" Altemus said.

"It's definitely good and it's motivating to have a big game," Williams said. "It had kind of been rough the last couple weeks, so it was good to be able to do well because you know then that the next week you can do it again. It's something to build on as you look ahead.

"Confidence is a very big thing. It's always good to know the team is behind you and the coaches have your back. If they're putting me in the game during tough situations, it's good to know they feel like I can get the job done.

"I think it's just one of those things where you continue to get comfortable with the people you're playing with and how to use your blockers and get to the holes effectively."

Altemus has had faith that Williams could do some special things from the time he first coached him.

"When he moved up [to the varsity team] as a freshman, I gave him [jersey No.] 33. Back then, he had no idea why. I said, 'You remind me of Tony Dorsett.'

"The kid's a heck of a runner. He has 'jitterbug' moves with speed that can go to three levels. He has great speed, and he's able to shift gears. When you think you're drawing a bead on him, all of a sudden, he pops it into another gear and he's gone."

Williams is one of a small group of players over the years who dressed for the Rams varsity as a freshman under Altemus.

"We had big plans for him," Altemus said.

Last season, Williams was still behind experienced seniors Ian Hennessey and Mitch Elliott.

Finally this season, Williams could fill the role Altemus envisioned for him the past few years -- featured ball-carrier.

He was a factor in a 20-6 win against Montour in the season opener three weeks ago, accounting for more than half of Pine-Richland's receiving yards, and was one of the Rams' lone offensive bright spots during a 43-14 loss at Upper St. Clair in week two.

But the Highlands game last week showed everyone Williams has the potential to be the star that Altemus and the coaches saw in him when they first coached him.

Always blessed with the physical tools, sometimes all a player needs is the mental confidence that can come with a sterling performance such as Williams had last week.

"I'm hoping that's what it is," Altemus said. "I think [heading into the season] he was unsure of himself and with his role and what he was going to do and when he'd break loose.

"I think he always knew he'd have great speed, it was just getting to holes and making the right cuts. Now that he's done it and how it works for him, I'm hoping he'll see games like this one the rest of the season."

The rest of the season begins 7:30 p.m. Friday, when the Rams play host to neighboring Hampton in the final non-conference game of the season.

They will begin Northern Six Conference play next week with a visit to North Hills' Martorelli Stadium.

It is only those games that count when it comes to qualifying for the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs, which, if Pine-Richland qualifies, will extend its streak of doing so to 11 years.

The first nine came at the Class AAA level; the Rams moved to Class AAAA before last season. Just as Williams needed a big game to prove to himself he could excel at the varsity level, a young Pine-Richland team wants to show it is capable of competing for the Class AAAA crown.

"This [Hampton] game is just another step as we try to get better," Williams said. "We're getting ready for conference play, when we'll hopefully be at our peak."