Where Are They Now: Williamson a High Caliber Leader & Two-Sport All-Star
Aug 25, 2015 11:19AM ● By Kenneth Hamwey
written by KEN HAMWEY, Bulletin Sports Editor
Pat Williamson didn’t compile ultra-prolific statistics in baseball and hockey, but he did provide both those Bellingham High programs with dynamic leadership that helped the baseball contingent qualify for tourney play three consecutive years and sparked the hockey squad to some impressive victories over top-notch opponents.
The 22-year-old Williamson, who graduated in 2012, played right wing and center in hockey and was primarily a shortstop for the Blackhawks in baseball. His best season in hockey came when, as a senior, he scored 11 goals and assisted on 18 others. A superb fielder, he enjoyed his top campaign on the diamond during his senior season, when he hit .300.
In hockey, he was a second-team Tri Valley League all-star and also was selected for the circuit’s sportsmanship award. The awards continued to pile up in baseball as he won the Defensive Player of the Year Award as a junior and captured second-team all-star honors as a senior.
Now a senior at Boston University majoring in engineering, Williamson is a dean’s list student and the president of the Boston University Club Baseball team. He plays shortstop for the squad and, as the leading executive board member, is responsible for coordinating functions like scheduling, assigning officials, transportation and fund-raising.
“There’s no doubt that Bellingham High helped prepare me for the challenge of academics at the college level,’’ Williamson said, “and there’s no question that playing sports made me a better person and taught me good life lessons.’’
Small at 5-foot-6 and 160 pounds, Williamson could skate effectively in pursuit of a puck and also had excellent range and a strong arm to handle the challenges at shortstop.
“My top thrill in baseball was being a captain my senior year with players like Tyler Colacchio, Chris Dagg and Jeff Dunn,’’ Williamson said. “We got beaten in the tourney as juniors in the first round with 11 seniors on that team. We vowed we’d bounce back the next year with lots of underclassmen and do a better job. We finished 17-3 and got to the South Sectional semifinals, losing to East Bridgewater. All four of the captains were able to focus on different leadership aspects. We felt we helped the team jell.’’
A singles and doubles hitter, Williamson had 21 singles and one double when he hit .300. “My best game came against Ashland when I doubled to left-center and drove in two runs for the victory,’’ he said.
Calling coach T.J. Chiappone the best coach he ever played for, Williamson admired his mentor’s style. “T.J. has had success for two decades,’’ Williamson noted. “What he gets for players he turns into a fundamentally sound team. He’s a tremendous motivator.’’
On the ice, Williamson and his teammates failed to get into tourney play all four years. They came close, however, in his freshman year, going 8-9-3 and missing the playoffs by a point. “That was disappointing, but we did post a big win over Westwood my freshman year and we beat Medway when I was a senior,’’ he recalled. “Those were quality teams.’’
A forward who preferred to dig the puck out of the corners and pass consistently to open teammates with better scoring opportunities, Williamson scored mostly on rebounds because of his scrappy style.
“I didn’t play much as a freshman, but I scored my first goal as a sophomore against Medfield,’’ Williamson said. “I eluded one defenseman, shot over another and beat their goalie over the shoulder. Another memorable game came against Holliston my senior year. I assisted on three goals and we managed to tie them, 7-7.’’
An assistant captain as a junior, Williamson was co-captain in his senior season. “Colacchio was our main scoring threat,’’ Williamson emphasized. “He had a nose for the net. Mark Sullivan was a solid defenseman who often prohibited our opponents from scoring, and Ryan Wilson was a very athletic goaltender who made spectacular saves.’’
After graduation from Boston University, Williamson hopes to enter the research field, working to develop medical equipment that will be beneficial in surgical situations. Before getting his diploma, he has one more season of club baseball. “It’s been enjoyable playing and managing the team,’’ he said. “We play schools like Boston College, Northeastern and UMass. In the past, we’ve traveled to places like New York and Florida.’’
A high-caliber student-athlete while at Bellingham, Williamson demonstrated a strong desire to excel both in the classroom and in the athletic arena. He was a National Honor Society student as a junior and senior and worked diligently in sports to become a TVL all-star in two sports.
Although Pat Williamson wasn’t a flashy, high-profile hitter in baseball or a high-scorer in hockey, his leadership qualities made him part of a breed apart.
Pat Williamson didn’t compile ultra-prolific statistics in baseball and hockey, but he did provide both those Bellingham High programs with dynamic leadership that helped the baseball contingent qualify for tourney play three consecutive years and sparked the hockey squad to some impressive victories over top-notch opponents.
The 22-year-old Williamson, who graduated in 2012, played right wing and center in hockey and was primarily a shortstop for the Blackhawks in baseball. His best season in hockey came when, as a senior, he scored 11 goals and assisted on 18 others. A superb fielder, he enjoyed his top campaign on the diamond during his senior season, when he hit .300.
In hockey, he was a second-team Tri Valley League all-star and also was selected for the circuit’s sportsmanship award. The awards continued to pile up in baseball as he won the Defensive Player of the Year Award as a junior and captured second-team all-star honors as a senior.
Now a senior at Boston University majoring in engineering, Williamson is a dean’s list student and the president of the Boston University Club Baseball team. He plays shortstop for the squad and, as the leading executive board member, is responsible for coordinating functions like scheduling, assigning officials, transportation and fund-raising.
“There’s no doubt that Bellingham High helped prepare me for the challenge of academics at the college level,’’ Williamson said, “and there’s no question that playing sports made me a better person and taught me good life lessons.’’
Small at 5-foot-6 and 160 pounds, Williamson could skate effectively in pursuit of a puck and also had excellent range and a strong arm to handle the challenges at shortstop.
“My top thrill in baseball was being a captain my senior year with players like Tyler Colacchio, Chris Dagg and Jeff Dunn,’’ Williamson said. “We got beaten in the tourney as juniors in the first round with 11 seniors on that team. We vowed we’d bounce back the next year with lots of underclassmen and do a better job. We finished 17-3 and got to the South Sectional semifinals, losing to East Bridgewater. All four of the captains were able to focus on different leadership aspects. We felt we helped the team jell.’’
A singles and doubles hitter, Williamson had 21 singles and one double when he hit .300. “My best game came against Ashland when I doubled to left-center and drove in two runs for the victory,’’ he said.
Calling coach T.J. Chiappone the best coach he ever played for, Williamson admired his mentor’s style. “T.J. has had success for two decades,’’ Williamson noted. “What he gets for players he turns into a fundamentally sound team. He’s a tremendous motivator.’’
On the ice, Williamson and his teammates failed to get into tourney play all four years. They came close, however, in his freshman year, going 8-9-3 and missing the playoffs by a point. “That was disappointing, but we did post a big win over Westwood my freshman year and we beat Medway when I was a senior,’’ he recalled. “Those were quality teams.’’
A forward who preferred to dig the puck out of the corners and pass consistently to open teammates with better scoring opportunities, Williamson scored mostly on rebounds because of his scrappy style.
“I didn’t play much as a freshman, but I scored my first goal as a sophomore against Medfield,’’ Williamson said. “I eluded one defenseman, shot over another and beat their goalie over the shoulder. Another memorable game came against Holliston my senior year. I assisted on three goals and we managed to tie them, 7-7.’’
An assistant captain as a junior, Williamson was co-captain in his senior season. “Colacchio was our main scoring threat,’’ Williamson emphasized. “He had a nose for the net. Mark Sullivan was a solid defenseman who often prohibited our opponents from scoring, and Ryan Wilson was a very athletic goaltender who made spectacular saves.’’
After graduation from Boston University, Williamson hopes to enter the research field, working to develop medical equipment that will be beneficial in surgical situations. Before getting his diploma, he has one more season of club baseball. “It’s been enjoyable playing and managing the team,’’ he said. “We play schools like Boston College, Northeastern and UMass. In the past, we’ve traveled to places like New York and Florida.’’
A high-caliber student-athlete while at Bellingham, Williamson demonstrated a strong desire to excel both in the classroom and in the athletic arena. He was a National Honor Society student as a junior and senior and worked diligently in sports to become a TVL all-star in two sports.
Although Pat Williamson wasn’t a flashy, high-profile hitter in baseball or a high-scorer in hockey, his leadership qualities made him part of a breed apart.
