Do not tell Chad McKenzie that he is undersized. The senior cornerback and wide receiver for the Todd Beamer Titans does not believe that description holds any truth.
“I can compete with anybody on the field,” says McKenzie. “I don’t listen to what they say. I just know what I’m capable of and do what I can.”
McKenzie stands at around 5 feet 8 inches and 150 pounds, but that has not stopped him from making big plays for the Titans this year.
Against Mount Rainier in their fourth game of the season, McKenzie intercepted the first pass of the game. He would intercept another before the half, and early in the fourth quarter he would catch Beamer’s first touchdown of the night. They would go on to win 24-0.
“He’s a tough kid,” says Beamer head coach Darren McKay. “His teammates respect him even though he’s a little guy because he’s as tough as anyone else.”
Last year McKenzie began earning playing time on special teams and defense. By the end of the season he was being inserted as a nickel back on defense.
McKenzie is now one of the team captains that Beamer rotates in and McKay believes he has easily earned that role.
“He’s a smart kid too,” says McKay. “You usually don’t have to tell him things more than once. He’s also a film study guy. He’s always one of the first ones here during our film sessions.”
McKenzie, who had four interceptions through the first four games of the season, believes that the film study has helped him tremendously this year.
“I study all of the receivers I’m covering, so I know what route they’re running when they get to the line,” says McKenzie.
Beamer was projected as a playoff team before the season by many. So far they have met those expectations with their 4-1 record. It is the best start in school history.
Before the season began, McKay told his players to not focus on what the media was saying about the team. McKenzie quoted his coach saying, “Publicity is poison.”
McKenzie and his teammates have played at a high level since their opening week loss to Rogers. In their four consecutive wins, they have held their opponents to eight points or less. Two of the wins were shutouts.
“We’re playing completely different than probably 90 percent of the teams in our league,” says McKay. “Some of the games in our league look like basketball scores. We’re trying to shut opponents down and we’re not afraid to run the ball and run the clock.”
Beamer will now finish off its conference schedule against the three other schools in the Federal Way school district. McKay calls these the money games.
“Our goals are to finish strong,” says McKenzie. “We have to go out there and play the way we can, win the last three games, have momentum in the playoffs and keep it rolling.”
If Beamer does keep things rolling, their week eight matchup against Federal Way may be for the top seed in the SPSL Northwest.
