After a grueling third day at the University of Minnesota-Duluth football team camp in the summer of 2023, Senior tight end Lucas Williams jogged to midfield where he was met with a coach from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Unbeknownst to Williams that nearly nine months later he’d be committing to playing football for the next four years of his athletic and academic career.
But it wasn’t his first offer, accumulating over five offers to play football at colleges across the midwest Williams landed on UW-Stout.
Senior guard Braylon Lemieux’s recruiting process varied to Williams’ with LeMieux not receiving his first offer to play college football until seven days after his October 20th, coming from Northern Michigan. Then receiving the offer from the Blue Devils for nearly a month later.
Standing at an astounding 6 feet 7 ¾ inches and weighing 340 lbs, LeMieux was an intimidating force for the Spartans this fall. Given LeMieux’s unique combination of size and strength, Even Superior Head Coach Bob DeMeyer wondered why nobody pulled the trigger on LeMieux.
After his 18th season DeMeyer has seen his share of gifted and talented players who’ve ended up playing at all sorts of levels.
According to DeMeyer the duo’s friendship has impacted the way that they played and progressed over the years.
“They are both so motivated and disciplined, they push each other as well as their teammates,” DeMeyer stated. “Every day, everything they do, is always with their best effort. Both are very driven and they set the pace every day. They truly give all they have to reach their full potential and to help their teammates achieve success too,”
For Williams varsity football isn’t a new experience; he was sidelined his sophomore year due to a broken hand. Williams didn’t miss a beat in his junior season, tallying 343 total yards and a touchdown, and on the defensive side of the ball he totaled 44 tackles and two interceptions.
LeMieux was brand new to the varsity experience; over the offseason to secure his spot in the lineup he spent most of his free time in the weight room and on the field improving. LeMieux currently holds the second all time spot in the Bench Press lift of all Spartan weight lifters only sitting behind Spartan Alum and WWE Superstar Niko (Otis) Bogojevic with his record of 425 lbs.
“Braylon really pushed me this offseason if I was ever slacking off or anything he pushed my body to the max that it could go” Williams stated.
Williams and LeMieux’s passion in the weight room translated onto the field last fall with Williams earning all conference second team honors and LeMieux earning all conference first team honors in the Big Rivers Conference.
The duo are set to be the third and fourth players Superior has sent down to Menominee in the past 18 years. Williams and LeMieux joining the likes of Sam Urban and Carter Fonger, who is currently entering his senior year playing running back.
Williams and LeMieux both claimed a similar connection with Fonger dating back to their freshman season.
Fonger hasn’t played with LeMieux or Williams in three years but he recalls their work ethic as well as their camaraderie and teamwork.
“I remember both Braylon and Lucas being some of the hardest workers on the team. On top of that they were great teammates and friends to be around everyday. They will definitely fit in well here and it’ll be great to be around those two again.” Fonger explained.
Fonger was a key player in the 2019 state playoff semi finalist team, as well as a second team all conference running back his junior season with the Spartan’s and a first team all region linebacker his senior season.
“We’ve been recruiting those two for a really long time and it’ll be great to have some more Superior boys around for my final season.” Fonger concluded.
