NATCHEZ — When Natchez native D’Artist Williams moved across the country to Winfred, S.D., with his family, he understandably had some trouble adjusting to his new life.

But, he soon found solace in a sport that it turned out he was very good at.

“My step-father (Demeteric Bethley) had a job up here, and my mom (Angela Williams-Bethley) and I decided to come up here,” Williams said. “We came and made a place up here for us.”

It was a whole other world. I’m just a southern boy and coming way up here, it’s kind of a lot (to handle). I got used to it and it’s really good up here (now).”

Williams is now a track standout at Madison High School in Madison, S.D. He has already broken two school records and one meet record in his short career.

In his sophomore year, Williams finished fifth in the state in the 100-meter dash, and has just kept improving since.

This year, Williams broke the school record in the 100-meter dash and he and his teammates broke the record in the 4X100-meter relay. He also broke the meet record in the 100-meter dash at the Barker Relay in Madison.

“It felt real good (to break the records),” Williams said. “When I first went (to Madison High School) it was something I wanted to accomplish, and when I did it, it felt like a relief, like I could just relax a little bit.”

But Williams cannot get too comfortable because he still has some important meets ahead in his junior season.

Williams said that his team’s conference championship meet is coming up Monday and the state meet is the weekend of May 28.

“(Track is) pretty competitive, right now I have like five guys that are challenging for me to race and they are gaining on me. I am second in state right now, and the others are close behind.”

Williams started running track when he lived in Natchez, then me moved to Vidalia to live with his grandparents, Willie Carl and JoAnn Williams-Smith, and they did not have a track team, so he stopped running, he said.

“(When) I came up here I decided to run,” Williams said. “It was something I was good at. I was playing basketball and people said I was fast, and I had run track (before), so I just decided I should give it another try.”

Williams, 16, plays football as well as basketball and track and field. He said he hopes to try out powerlifting as well.

Williams said he credits much of his success to his track coaches as well as his strength coaches and medical staff at Madison High School.

He said he hopes to break the school record for the 4X200-meter relay this season and also to win state.

Williams is the son of Angela Williams-Bethley and Willie Ray Hutchins. He was born in Natchez.