Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Brought to you by Harlan County Sports.

Almost two years after she died, Harlan star running back Darius Akal was able to keep a promise to his mother, Katina, last week with his decision to continue his football career on the next level at Eastern Kentucky University.

“My mom wanted me to go there, and once it got time to commit to a school I knew I could call EKU my home,” Akal said Wednesday, one day after announcing he had committed to Eastern.

Akal said he didn’t consider any other schools, remembering his mom’s request.

“After my mom passed, I knew for sure that was where I wanted to go,” he said. “I just love the coaches and how they care about their players.”

Akal will likely pass the 2,000-yard rushing mark in his Harlan career as a senior this fall. He led the team in 2023 with 960 yards and 10 touchdowns on 186 carries. He was tied for sixth on the team in tackles with 16.

As a junior, Akal rushed 664 yards and eight touchdowns on 101 carries as the Dragons finished 8-4 and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. He added 13 tackles.

Akal was primarily a receiver in both of his freshman seasons (due to the extra year allowed because of covid) with 12 catches for 166 yards in 2021 and seven catches for 70 yards in 2020.

“He’s a tremendous young man off and on the field that has a tremendous drive to be successful,” said Harlan coach Brian Williams, who is in his first season with the Green Dragons.

Several members of Akal’s family have preceded him with success in athletics. His great uncle, Richard Brown, was a standout basketball player at Lynch in the 1960s, earning honorable mention all-state honors. His uncle, Derrick, starred at Cumberland in the 1980s and went on to play at Tennessee Wesleyan before beginning a coaching career. He led the Harlan Lady Dragons to two regional championships and the boys team to four straight 13th Region All “A” Classic titles from 2020 to 2023. His cousin, Jordan, was an all-state selection in basketball at Harlan and went on to play at King College in Bristol, Tenn. Akal’s brother, Derek, was a football standout at Harlan County High School.

Darius Akal is also a track standout, qualifying for the state meet in several events last spring. He teamed with Tayquan Vick, Noah Sharp and Kyler McLendon to place seventh in the 4 x 200-meter relay. Vick, Akal, Sharp and McLendon were 10th in the 4 x 100-meter relay. Akal was 19th in the 100-meter dash.