BE's Albano is in the football, and baseball, spotlight

Like most promising and talented high school students, Leo Albano is studying all his options. But it’s a different type of option, one that a quarterback runs on the football field, that puts Albano in the spotlight – and headlines. The Bishop England super sophomore is considering a career in football and baseball. At this stage, he prefers baseball. But he wouldn’t be the first teenager in history to change his mind if he opts for football. “I was sort of hoping it would be football,” said Bishop England coach John Cantey, whose team picked up its first victory of the season with a dramatic 39-38 victory over rival Porter-Gaud. “With his academics, he has the talent to go to a school like Wofford, play – and excel.” Albano’s options against Porter-Gaud were awesome. The Bishops scored on a kickoff return, but Albano scored the first TD from scrimmage on a 65-yard option run. He also closed out the scoring with a short TD run. He then scored the decisive two-point conversion to give the Bishops their first victory in three games. “I just wanted to get behind the center and score,” Albano said. “That’s all I could think about.” Albano, a lefty who pitches for Mike Darnell’s Baseball Bishops, finished the game with 5 completions in 10 attempts and carried 21 times for 168 yards and three scores. The 168 rushing yards matched hit total output for the 2014 season when he started as a freshman. For the season, Albano has carried 51 times for 337 yards and five scores while completing 14 of 43 passing for 145 yards. “He does a much better job of reading the option,” Cantey said when asked about Albano’s improvement from last year. “He brings a lot of leadership and ability. We are primarily a running team, but there are times when we call a pass and the play breaks down. He does a good job of making something out of nothing.” Albano likes baseball better than football, perhaps because he has played the sport longer. He also has a big role on the baseball team, playing the outfield as well as giving Darnell a quality lefty in the pitching rotation. He proved his value last May in a playoff elimination game against Aynor. He held Aynor scoreless in the top of the seventh and the added a two-run single in the bottom of the inning for a walk-off victory to keep the season alive. “My goal is to win a state championship in football,” Albano said. “All we have to do is stay healthy and execute.” The Bishops lost only four players from last year’s baseball team and should be a contender in 2016. The Bishops should be favored to win their first state title since ’11. Could he win two state titles? “It’s very possible,” said Albano who also shines in the class room with a schedule loaded with honors classes. “If you put in the work and give it your best, it’s always possible.”

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