Marian's Ephraim Lee on top of his game senior season

Marian Central football coach Ed Brucker offered some important news to running back Ephraim Lee as he walked to practice one day last week.

"We're going to redshirt you and have you play another year," Brucker said.

Lee smiled, knowing he likely will be carrying the ball for some NCAA Division I school next year, with his high school eligibility exhausted.

Age-wise, however, it would work. Lee celebrated his 17th birthday on Sunday, meaning there are juniors at Marian days and months older than him. It's no wonder Brucker wants to hang on to Lee, a speedy 6-foot-2, 195-pounder who is second in the area with 1,119 yards rushing.

No. 9-seeded Marian (8-2) hosts No. 1 Montini (10-0) at 6 p.m. Saturday at George Harding Field in an Class 5A second-round playoff game.

"He's taken more or a leadership role this season and he's going both ways [offense and defense] now," Brucker said. "His running has really improved too, he's cutting better. He's seeing the holes and getting downhill."

Lee's mother, Linnel Allen, sent her son to school early, which makes him a young senior.

"One school tried to hold me back because I was too young for first grade, so my mom sent me to a different school," Lee said.

Lee has handled things well physically and in the classroom. He rushed for 1,323 yards and 15 touchdowns last season on Marian's 11-1 team. He also carries a 3.7 GPA and scored 28 on the ACT.

Lee averages 6.8 yards a carry and has 20 touchdowns for the Hurricanes. He scored on a 67-yard run on Marian's first play in last week's 42-8 victory at Bremen.

"It's been really good [this season]," Lee said. "The offense has always managed to put up points for our team. We've been able to execute and run our plays, our line has been doing amazing. I feel like our offense has done really well and our team has done really well."

Brucker refrained from using Lee on defense until Week 6 against St. Francis. Now, Lee also plays safety.

"We tried [to not play him on defense]. That's why we went with what we did in the beginning," Brucker said. "We just decided we couldn't do it. We have a number of skill position kids going both ways now."

Lee was fine with becoming a two-way player.

"Whatever the coaches want me to play, that's what I'll play," Lee said. "Whatever helps us get the win. I actually kind of like it a lot, being able to hit some guys instead of always being hit."

Marian's players appreciate what Lee brings to the team, especially without star quarterback Chris Streveler, who is at Minnesota.

"He's more of a leader this year," offensive tackle Nate Patterson said. "Last year, Strev was the glue and everything. Ephraim's stepped up a lot, not only in the way he's running, but being a vocal leader."

Lee plans on majoring in engineering in college and has Harvard, Yale and Holy Cross at the top of his list. He is compiling a highlight video and will send that to more coaches sometime soon.

First, he will try to lead the Hurricanes past their nemesis the last four years in the postseason. Marian lost at Montini, 40-35, in Week 7.

"We knew it was going to happen," Lee said. "We have to prepare as always. Montini's the four-time state champion. I feel like it's going to be a good game, it always is. And we're going to play our best and get a win."