Captain Smith says Denbigh ready for ‘something special’

Denbigh High School football captain Kenardo Smith is leading their giant-killing charge in rural ISSA schoolboy football.

Smith has been a standout performer at central defence, helping the Clarendon-based school punch above their weight this season despite entering the competitions as an unseeded team.

After spending the past four years playing in midfield, 17-year-old Smith has embraced his new role at the heart of the defence, where his ability to read the game and organise his teammates has made him a key figure in Denbigh’s impressive campaign.

“I am enjoying my role in defence, despite playing in midfield for the past four years. In defence, I am able to see what my teammates are doing wrong, so I can instruct them,” Smith said.

His leadership has been instrumental in Denbigh’s remarkable run in the Ben Francis KO, where they established themselves as one of the competition’s surprise packages.

Denbigh crushed Yallahs 5-0 at home before stunning defending daCosta Cup champions St Elizabeth Technical 2-1, edging Porus High 1-0 and defeating Munro 2-1, all away from home, to reach the semi-finals.

They came agonisingly close to advancing to the final but lost 4-3 on penalties to defending champions Clarendon College following a goalless draw.

Smith, who was named Man of the Match, missed his team’s final penalty in the shoot-out.

However, rather than allowing the disappointment to undermine his confidence, Smith has used the experience as motivation.

“My coach told me that a penalty is a 50-50 thing, and missing that penalty has made me much stronger and motivated me going forward in the competition,” he said.

Smith believes Denbigh’s willingness to learn and work together has been central to their success.

“Not being a seeded team coming into the competition did not unsettle us, because we have a very young group of players who are willing to learn and help the team to do well,” he explained.

The giant-killers have continued to impress in the second round of the daCosta Cup, defeating Knox College 2-1 before drawing 1-1 with fellow Clarendon school Garvey Maceo High.

With Denbigh also advancing to the Champions Cup quarter-finals, Smith is determined to help his teammates make the most of their opportunities and reward the supporters who have backed them throughout the season.

“We are definitely going to make our fans and the school community proud, as I think the team is ready for something special,” he said.