The summer’s winding down for the McKenzie, but the Tigers are sprinting in the final stretch with a series of 7-on-7 tournaments.

The team traveled to Goshen on July 14 to face the hosting Eagles, as well as Straughn, and McKenzie head coach Tony Norris said that his team looked much improved from their past outing in Georgiana.

“I saw kids competing a little bit better,” Norris said.

“I saw quarterbacks throwing the ball out of their breaks like we’re supposed to.  And our defensive secondary looked much improved.”

The 2015 graduating class left the McKenzie Tigers with a few vacancies in some key spots, but the team has adapted to fit the current personnel.  One quarterback contender who has risen above the crop is William Brown, a junior who saw a number of snaps during the 2014 season.

Much of the summer has focused on transitioning Brown from the wide receiver position, where he served ably during his sophomore year, to quarterback.

Fortunately, the team itself won’t undergo much of a transition, which Norris considers one of the Tigers’ strengths in the coming season.

“The good thing behind me and Coach Coghlan being there last year is that there’s not really a big change in what we do,” Norris said.

“The kids seem to understand and believe in it.    We’re going to get out there, line up and do what we do, and see what happens.”