HOLTON – Chase Albright may be the most pumped-up high school football player in the state this week.
After missing most of last season due to a broken collarbone, then practicing hard for weeks this summer without knowing for sure if Holton would even have a team, Albright is itching to hit the field.
The Red Devils did not have enough players showing up for summer workouts to field a varsity squad, and there was a lot of concern. Luckily more guys turned out when mandatory practices began in August, and the season was given the green light.
That news was music to Albright’s ears.
[1]“It was great,” Albright said. “Now I feel like I can actually prove myself this season and be a team leader.”
One impressive thing about Albright is that he kept working extra hard in practice, even during the weeks of uncertainly. Having no varsity team would have meant no football for Albright, because seniors cannot play junior varsity.
“I tried not to think about it,” he said. “I was just trying to get better and stronger. But it was definitely in the back of my mind.”
First-year Red Devils head coach Tommy Moore quickly caught on to the work ethic and leadership his running back displayed throughout the summer, and especially during the worrisome weeks.
“Even when we had questions about if we would have a season, he was showing up every morning and lifting hard to prepare,” Moore said. “He wanted to be prepared, no matter what.
[2]“He’s not a vocal leader, he does everything by doing it the correct way. He’s a great kid with a great attitude. In every rep he does, he gives everything he has. He doesn’t take a day off and he really sets the example in practice. He’s a coach’s dream.”
Albright’s eagerness to play football again is certainly understandable, because he didn’t get the chance to play very much last season. He broke his collarbone in the first game against Hart, on the 13th play of the season.
He didn’t return until the last regular season game against Newaygo.
“It more hurt mentally than physically,” Albright said. “I was difficult. I watched my team and saw how much fun they were having. I tried to do the most I could on the sideline to help them.”
[3]When Albright did return in Week 9, he was a little bit skittish, mostly because he was playing outside linebacker and he knew he had to make some hits.
“It was actually getting back to tackling people,” Albright said, when asked about the physical challenges of returning from his injury. “It was a big mental struggle because I was skittish and uncomfortable the whole time, but I played through it.”
Albright is definitely not skittish this season, and that’s a good thing, because he will be starting on both sides of the ball and will rarely get a breather.
On offense, Albright and his teammates at the skill positions have lofty goals.
“We want 2,000 yards,” he said about the collective rushing goal. “It’s a good goal that we can get. We also have to at least beat Hesperia in the last game. That’s a main goal because it’s our rivalry game.”
[4]At the strong safety position on defense, Albright is comfortable and ready to make a difference in the back end.
“I just want to fill the hole and not let anyone behind me in pass coverage,” he said. “I’ll be a leader by helping to tell our defense what coverage we’re in.”
Albright will have to be even more of a leader than he was planning to be in Holton’s opening game on Thursday against Manistee.
That’s because Holton’s starting quarterback, Gavin Wheeler, hurt his ankle in a scrimmage and will miss the game, so Albright will be under center calling the signals. That’s a tall challenge for a kid who has never played the position in a live game before.
But Albright says he’s not nervous. He’s just happy to be playing again.
“I’m comfortable with it,” he said about playing QB. “I’ve got the footwork down.”
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