Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week: Lee Central's Albert runs wild against Marion

Kenneth Albert has been at the heart of Lee Central's football team this season, and that continued when the Stallions faced Marion on Friday night.

While Lee Central lost in the final seconds, Albert had a spectacular performance rushing for nearly 150 yards. That showing was enough for the burly running back to win Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week.

"It feels good to have the support of the community," Albert said. "We're just trying to play and stick together for them."

Albert needed just 10 carries to rush for 141 yards for the Stallions. He felt like things began to open up for him early in the ballgame.

"When I ran in the first half for like 43 yards, I just felt the rhythm then," Albert said.

Lee Central head coach Justin Danner has been able to rely on Albert all season long. Having a dependable back who is able to set an example for the younger players is crucial to the Stallions' success.

"He's a big-time player for us offensively and defensively. We count on him a lot, and he came through for us with a big game," Danner said. "A year ago when we had to sit, it was always Kenneth Albert asking when we'd get a chance to play. Once we got going, he was one of the first guys back in the weight room, putting the work in to get our team going.

"It's rewarding as a coach to see a kid put in the work and see it paying off for him."

Albert said he takes great pride in setting an example for the younger players as one of the senior leaders on the team.

"It's important so they can follow when we leave and see how we did things," Albert said.

In a back-and-forth game, Lee Central was forced to punt with the game tied at 12 with 14 seconds left on the clock. They Stallions had a good punt, but Marion was able to find a lane and return the kick for the game-winning score. Albert said he and his teammates want to put the loss behind them and prepare to come away with a win on Friday against Andrews.

"We were just trying to stay focused. It was a big game, and we've got a lot of guys that have never played in a type of game like that," Albert said. "It was good (to play well individually), but we've got to work hard this week so we can get the win on Friday."