Mark McKenzie was not supposed to be here. Not yet, at least. The 19-year old center back with blazing speed and a cultured passing touch looked set to follow the path of fellow homegrown defender Auston Trusty: A bit of seasoning in USL before making the leap to the big stage.
But Mark McKenzie lives by one of his father’s sayings: If you stay ready, you won’t have to get ready.
So when the call came down the bench in April, McKenzie was ready. He stepped into the breach, took his knocks, and grew into a key member of the Union’s back line as the club climbed back into the playoff hunt after a slow start to the season.