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By Brian Pitts

Enterprise Record

The story of the Williams brothers seems like it’s ripped from the pages of a book.

Spencer Williams, a sophomore thrower at UNC, was a four-time state champion for Davie track & field, winning the outdoor shot put in 2021, the indoor shot put in 2022, the outdoor shot put in 2022 and the discus in 2022 – and breaking numerous state records along the way.

Younger brother Cooper Williams, a Davie junior who captured the state indoor shot put title this winter, wrote a new chapter in the storybook of his already amazing high school career when Davie participated in a track meet at West Cabarrus on April 10.

Cooper broke Spencer’s junior state record in the shot put, and he did it in incredible fashion. He heaved it 63 feet, two inches, which was more than five feet past his previous personal record.

“Cooper has had good practices and he’s been throwing close to 60, but I did not have any illusions that he was going to unleash a PR by five feet,” coach Rob Raisbeck said. “I mean, that’s almost unheard of.”

The 6-2, 290-pounder’s explosion erased Spencer’s junior record toss of 61-11 set in 2021, when he eclipsed a mark that had stood since 1983. Cooper’s previous best was 58 feet from the indoor state meet in February.

“I was having a workout (at Davie) on the track with my distance crew and (Cooper’s mother) Diane sends me a text that says: ‘OMG. Cooper just threw 63 feet,’” Raisbeck said. “Which is just insane because his PR was 58.”

“We were thinking the meet was at 4:30, but by the time the buses got there, the meet was already rolling,” Cooper said. “I was a little nervous because I was worried I missed it. So the stress was really on, the pressure was on, and I think that kicked up my adrenaline and pushed me past my limit.”

And then: “Right after I heard the number, I called (Spencer) real quick and told him about it,” Cooper said. “He was really excited for me. He’s been nothing but incredibly supportive throughout my journey. It was like nothing I’ve ever felt before. That was the most excited I think I’ve ever been. After I threw it, it was unbelievable. I was jumping up and hugging my teammates.”

Cooper’s 63-2 ranks third overall in the state record books. Spencer still holds the overall record at 66-2.5, but Cooper, who is ranked sixth nationally in the shot in the junior class, has the rest of this season and next year to chase that magical mark.

“He’s still got a year to go,” Raisbeck said. “His trajectory is just astounding.”

“I’m just going to keep working, keep hoping and hope to hit that mark eventually,” Cooper said.