Raised in a home with three black siblings and two white parentshasn’t presented any challenges for Good Counsel running back Caleb Porzel. The way he see it, he has a rare insight on race. Better yet, he fits in everywhere.
“It’s never been a big issue,” said Porzel. “Yeah, it’s different. But it can be an advantage too. I’ve never felt odd or out of place.”
Another place Porzel has fit in is the Good Counsel backfield. Last week, the junior rushed 15 times for 107 yards and a touchdown, helping the Falcons to a surprisingly easy victory over Dunbar, 38-12. Tonight, he and the Falcons host another D.C. public school squad, H.D. Woodson.
Porzel is putting to use the speed he flashed last season as a sophomore reserve, rushing for 416 yards and seven touchdowns. Last spring, he ran track for the first time and placed third in the 100 (10.6) at the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference meet.
Speed has long been Porzel’s forte, says his mother, Judith Porzel, a retired mental health specialist. She and husband, Phillip, a retired teacher, adopted Caleb when he was six days old, bringing him to Silver Spring from a hospital in Salisbury, Md.
Via adoption, the Porzels added three more children. The family now includes girls Rachel, 14, and Santia, 12, and another boy, D’quan, 8.
“When people see our children and then see us, they go beyond the race issue,” said Judith Porzel. “I think we’ve been fortunate to live in an area with a lot of racial diversity. We’ve always been accepted.”
When he was young, Caleb’s circle of friends were mostly white. But as Porzel has established himself as a football and track athlete at Good Counsel, he’s found himself around more blacks. Either way is fine with the 5-foot-8, 180-pounder.
“He’s a great kid – wonderful attitude, well-mannered,” said Good Counsel coach Bob Milloy. “His circumstances are different. That’s for sure. But give his parents credit. They’re all over Caleb. They’re very concerned with his academics. He’s got to do well or they’ll pull him off the team.”
THE NEED FOR SPEED
» Porzel runs the 40 in 4.32.
» Good Counsel’s all junior backfield includes QB Tyler Campbell and FB Jelani Jenkins.
» Porzel played for a national champion Pop Warner team that included current high school stars Dominique Budd (Sherwood), Steven Gamble (Sherwood), Xavier Johnson (Magruder), Thomas Addison (Quince Orchard) and Travis Hawkins (QO).
