Senior pitcher Julian Williams also is a long and triple jumper as well as a pitcher (Amanda Scurlock/L.A. Sentinel)

Early May was a crucial time for Dorsey senior pitcher Julian Williams. While he was preparing to take his AP Government and English exams, he led the Dons baseball team to the playoffs and competed in track and field.

With Williams’ help, the baseball team earned the ninth seed in the Division I playoffs and a 10-0 Coliseum League record. In track and field, he was a member of the 4×100 relay team that came in third at the City Section preliminaries. He also came in fourth in the triple jump and sixth in the long jump.

AP Government is Williams’ favorite class, he recalls learning about the Watergate Scandal and other court cases. He noted how the teacher of the class encourages the students and provides a laid-back atmosphere in the classroom.

“The class is rigorous, but it’s worth it,” he said. “I’m a political science type of guy, I like that type of stuff.”

Williams has a strong interest in political science and noted how taking AP English has taken a lot of time out of his schedule, he usually hits the books after taking a quick nap upon coming home.

“If I got home at around three-something, I would start studying about five and then just be done around nine,” Williams said. “When you get home from practice, you still got to write maybe two or three-page essays and then, the next day, you got to do it again.”

Williams is co-captain of the baseball team, one thing he learned from teammates in previous years is to separate his baseball obligations from is friendships.

“They might not want to listen to you because you’re just looked at like one of their brothers,” he said. “You got to tell them because you’re the guy who’s in charge so they got to take orders.”

Being a multi-sport athlete causes him to miss classes. Yet, the adults around Williams help him keep up with his school work.

“It’s not hard prioritizing what I need to do,” he said. “If I’m falling off track, I’ll have my teachers that will help me out and also my mom is always on my back about whatever I’m doing.”

One of Williams’ fondest moments this season was when he hit two homeruns to help defeat the Bosco Tech Tigers 13-0.

“The first one was a lead off homerun and the second one was a three-run home run,” he said. “I was just trying to keep going on from there, not so much as worrying about hitting more homeruns, just seeing the ball through and making good solid contact.”

Williams aspires to play professional baseball as well as attend law school.

“Also, I was going to major in criminal justice,” he said. “That’s always been my options and plans and goals.”

The pitcher mentioned how he will miss the family oriented environment at Dorsey.

“Everybody looks out for each other,” he said. “The teachers here, they all look out for you if you’re one of those students that want the help.”

The best word of advice Williams received from Dorsey baseball head coach Peter Dobson is to not worry about things he can’t control.

“I’ve always stuck with that every year,” Williams said. “If I’m having a bad day, just think about it, relax, calm down, take a breather and just go back to what I’m doing.”