Dierre Hill Jr. gave his mom a little advice right before he stepped onto the football field for the first time.
An outgoing third grader at the time, the Althoff senior running back told Whitney Williams to relax prior to that initial contest.
“He said to me, ‘Don’t worry when I get hit, don’t you cry, I’ll be fine,’ “ Williams recalled.
Never have a set of words been so prophetic.
Mom remained calm, cool and collected as little Dierre ran for six touchdowns in leading the Centralia (Illinois) Red Devils grade school team to a resounding victory.
That performance even surprised Williams, a former basketball standout at Centralia High and Kaskaskia College.
“I knew he was athletic,” she said. “But that was something else.”
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That was the first in a long series of eye-popping efforts from Hill that culminated with a record-smashing performance in the Class 1A state championship game late last month.
The 6-foot, 190-pounder scored a title game record seven touchdowns and rushed for 438 yards to help the Belleville-based Catholic school to a 57-14 win over Lena-Winslow in the contest at Illinois State University.
It was a fitting climax to an outstanding high school career. Hill, the Post-Dispatch All-Metro football offensive player of the year, has signed to continue his upward path at University of Oregon next fall.
Hill received over 25 scholarship offers from NCAA Division I Power Four Conference schools. He narrowed his choices to Oregon, Mizzou, Illinois, Ohio State and Mississippi before deciding to head west to the Big Ten Conference institution located in Eugene.
Althoff senior Dierre Hill Jr. (10) runs with the ball during the Class 1A football championship game at Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal, Ill. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The tough-to-stop Hill is not physical imposing, yet he runs with a certain confidence that makes him hard to bring down.
Hill rushed for 2,588 yards and scored 51 touchdowns this season, both area highs.
Even though Althoff is in the smallest class in the state, he was selected as the Illinois Gatorade player of the year for the second season in a row.
Hill posted those impressive numbers despite missing six quarters due to a mild shoulder injury late in the campaign.
Plus, he rarely played after the first series of the third quarter. The Crusaders outscored their opponents 694-184 and won 14 games by an average of 36.4 points per contest.
Hill’s talents were hardly needed in the second half of any game this season, which makes his totals even more impressive.
And Hill’s prowess stretches beyond the field.
“As athletically gifted as he is, he only matches that with the kind person that he is,” Althoff coach Austin Frazier said. “During a game, he’s so tenacious. Then after the game, you watch him interact with little kids and teachers alike.
“He’s just a special kid.”
Hill’s football career all started in Centralia with a promise to Mom that he would not get hurt. Actually, no one could catch him in that third-grade game. So the worried were unfounded.
“When I run, I’m focused,” Hill said. “Not thinking about anything else except what I’ve got to do to get the team a win.”
Althoff senior Dierre Hill Jr smiles during signing day on December 4, 2024 at Althoff Catholic High School in Belleville, Ill. Paul Halfacre, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Hill rushed for 1,788 yards and scored 24 touchdowns as a junior during his first year at Althoff. He transferred after two years at Vashon High of the St. Louis Public High League. Hill helped the Vashon basketball team to a Class 4 state title as a point guard during his sophomore campaign.
Last season, he began to dominate on the football field.
In two seasons at Althoff, he accounted for 496 points. He averaged 15.7 yards every time he touched the ball from scrimmage.
Williams had a feeling her son was on his way to stardom even before that first appearance on the gridiron.
She bought him a miniature basketball rim-and-backboard set for his second birthday.
“Soon as he got it out, he’s doing 360 and windmill dunks,” Williams said.
Hill’s accomplishments go far beyond his out-of-this-world statistical totals. He sports a 3.05 grade point average and enjoys volunteering for church groups and other charitable endeavors.
Most importantly, he has become a great ambassador for the sport and his school.
Hill realizes the responsibilities that come from being one of the top players in the country. After games, he will sit and talk with children and adults alike, sometimes taking as much as 45 minutes to make sure all photo requests are granted.
After a win at his former hometown of Centralia last season, Hill calmly soaked in the adoration of more than 100 supporters.
“Probably could have been more, but we had to get on the bus and get back home,” Frazier said.
Hill runs with a passion that is unparalleled. He also wears his emotions on his sleeves, at least after games. He went to one knee sobbing at the end of the state championship game as his teammates were jumping up and down in celebration mode.
“I was more happy for everyone else than I was for myself,” Hill said. “I just wanted a little (quiet) time before it got too crazy.”
Hill’s ultimate goal is to play on Sundays.
Frazier said that is not unrealistic.
“He’s the type of person no matter what kind of good things he does in his life, you can’t be surprised,” Frazier said.
