Mayo football standout Isaiah Beale's upbringing has him knocking on Division I doors

ROCHESTER There were many things Garrick Beale would make note of as he kept a close eye on his 11-year-old son Isaiah running through agility drills.

Sure, Isaiah was impressive, showing off a quickness and agility his father a former all-Conference defensive back and track athlete at Winona State University wishes he had back in his playing days.

ADVERTISEMENT "I could react and cut, but not like Isaiah," Garrick said with a smile.

Yet, what impressed Garrick the most as he watched the youngest of his three children was not those physical traits.

It was Isaiah's mental make-up.

Each drill, each rep, had to be perfect.

If he felt he didn't get it right, then he was going to run it until he did.

"He always wanted to get better," Garrick said.

"I would say, 'Hey, let's go work on some footwork,' and he was always critiquing himself.

He would say, 'I don't think I'm doing this right.' He was always hard on himself.

"...

I saw his full potential, and he always wanted to do good.

That's the thing.

I say to Isaiah, '(Of) the key attributes you have, No.

1 is the attitude.'" Like any father/son relationship there could be tension at times, but it was always out of love.

Isaiah wouldn't trade those days spent running ladders at Soldier's Memorial Field for anything.

"I loved doing it," Isaiah said.

"I knew I was getting better, and (my dad) was going to help me down the road in the future." ADVERTISEMENT That has proven to be the case.

Beale is knocking on the doors of Division I programs, with those hours upon hours of agility drills now translating to headaches for opposing defenses.

But what has truly made him more difficult to stop this year is not only can he leave defenders grasping at air as he skips past them, but he can now leave them gasping for air as he plows through them.

That's thanks to an off-season that saw him gain 20 pounds of muscle to bump him up to a heftier 185 pounds.

He made the weight room his second home.

The beach at Foster-Arend Park was his third.

That's where his AAU basketball coach, Cedric Harrell, worked with Beale, putting him through intense sand workouts.

"He's done a lot for me," Beale said.

"I would go work out at 5 a.m.

with him, do the sand workouts.

He helped me out a lot in life.

I appreciate him a lot, too." All of this was done to better combat life in Class 6A football.

Last season, in their first year in Minnesota's largest class after district realignment, the Spartans held their own, but quickly realized how much of a different level it truly is.

"(In 6A) they are a lot bigger, more physical and aggressive and all-around, just better," Beale said.

"I'd say a lot harder than 5A." ADVERTISEMENT With 874 yards and 12 touchdowns on 155 carries, Beale still put up numbers for a Mayo team that nearly reached the Class 6A state quarterfinals a year ago.

But he knew he had more to offer.

Turns out he was right.

This year, the senior has been flat out dominant, with opposing coaches like Lakeville South's Ben Burke calling him the "best running back (they) will see all year." The numbers certainly back that up as Beale is well on his way to outperforming his junior campaign.

Through five games he has tallied 675 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns on just 85 carries.

He continues to impress even his own teammates each game.

"It's amazing just executing a good block, and just seeing him run and flash by," left tackle Casey Kramer said.

"It's hard to keep up with him, but watching him run, it's amazing." "It's just insane," quarterback Isaac Peterson said.

"Hand him the ball and if it's supposed to be a 5-yard play, he can go get 100." Oh yeah, Beale is doing this while also playing defense.

He has 11 total tackles out of his linebacker spot in addition to averaging 18-20 touches on offense.

ADVERTISEMENT "The way he's turned it on this year to be able to do the things he's doing, all while playing defense, too," coach Donny Holcomb.

"He's doing it (while) being gassed.

He's a special player." College coaches are agreeing.

They seemed to all come calling after Beale torched Burnsville for 218 yards rushing and five touchdowns on 17 carries in Week 1.

He recently had a gameday visit to Division I FCS University of St.

Thomas and has heard from Division I FCS University of Dayton.

Beale's goal is to play at the highest level possible, but at the same time still enjoy his final high school season.

It's something his dad has been steadily reminding him to do.

"I told him don't worry about what might happen.

You want to have fun.

Enjoy yourself," Garrick said.

"You don't want to be thinking about what's going to happen tomorrow.

You don't want to get distracted.

I mean, you have the full visibility potential.

There are lots of schools out there looking." It's those types of lessons and reminders from Pops that have helped Isaiah both on and off the field.

ADVERTISEMENT "He has helped me with a lot in life," Isaiah said.

"Football, sports, mainly.

But as well as life in general." That's why whoever receives Isaiah's services will be better off in a number of ways.

In the meantime, he and the Spartans have some big aspirations.

"Last season we didn't expect it to be that hard, but it was," Isaiah said.

"We are ready this year.

We set our standards high, higher than last year, so we can do something special this year.".

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