David Eneberg

By Aaron Coe

Herald Writer

MUKILTEO — Sure, David Eneberg’s statistics are gaudy.

The Kamiak High School linebacker made 150 tackles during the Knights’ run to the state playoffs.

Numbers, however, don’t tell the full story of Eneberg’s play as an inside linebacker. He always seems to know where the offensive play is headed, and he stops it.

He is an opponent’s pest. He’s also The Herald’s 2001 All-Area Defensive Player of the Year.

"There are some things in this world you can count on," Kamiak coach Dan Mack said. "The sun is going to come up the next day. Taxes. And David Eneberg is going to bring it every single play. This is a kid that has a motor that doesn’t stop running."

Related stories:

2001 Offensive Player of the Year

2001 Coach of the Year

2001 All-Area Teams

Eneberg is as much brain as he is brute. At 6 feet, 1 inch and 200 pounds, he may not be the biggest linebacker in the area, but this year he was the best.

The actual tackle is the last item on the list of things one must do to make a stop.

Countless hours in the gym prepare Eneberg’s body to do damage.

He steps into the brain of the competition’s offensive coordinator by watching countless hours of film. That allows him to know what’s coming.

When the play begins, his instincts seem to tell him where the ball carrier is going before the runner knows himself.

His speed (4.55 seconds in the 40-yard dash) allows him to get where he needs to be.

A no-fear attitude makes him punish the ball carrier in a way that won’t soon be forgotten.

That’s what Eneberg did 150 times this season, including seven times behind the line of scrimmage.

"Just in the right place at the right time," said Eneberg, who carries a 3.6 grade point average.

Just lucky? His teammates think not.

"He’s everywhere," said fellow linebacker Justin Washington, who has played with Eneberg since their Pee-Wee football days. "He’s got a lot of heart. He’s dedicated. He never gives up."

And he rarely loses.

Eneberg, a three-year starter on defense, was part of a senior class that finished with a 30-5 record over three years. The Knights went to the state playoffs all three years, including a semifinal appearance in 2000 and a 9-2 record this season.

Eneberg, who was a defensive end as a sophomore, made 334 tackles during his prep career, including 21 behind the line of scrimmage.

He is the latest of what is becoming an annual strong position at Kamiak. Matt Mulica was won the All-Area honor last year and now plays for Air Force. Jerry Matson, now a linebacker at Oregon, nearly won the award after the 1999 season, when he had a year much like the one Eneberg had this year.

All three were undersized. All three were excellent students. All three loved to knock the sweat off people.

Eneberg is the fastest of the group, and the more accomplished offensive player. If not for the standout ability of Washington and Derrick Bradley at tailback — both will likely play Division I college football — Eneberg might have been one of the league’s best tailbacks.

Instead, he did the grunt work. He blocked and took advantage of the times he got to carry the ball.

Yes, Eneberg might have enjoyed being a 1,000-yard back, but not if it meant making fewer tackles. And certainly not if it meant losing even one more game.

"Defense is definitely my No. 1 side of the ball," said Eneberg, who averaged 10 yards per carry on offense. "I just like coming up and making the big hits in the game. You don’t get a lot of publicity or a lot of fame for it — all the running backs and people who score touchdowns get that — but I just like stopping people."

The Knights allowed just 14.6 points per game in 2001, a number similar to those from 1999 and 2000. Mack and his players give Eneberg considerable credit for how the team played. Eneberg was a team captain and was most recently voted "Most Inspirational" by his teammates at Kamiak’s end-of-the-year banquet.

College coaches have noticed Eneberg’s outstanding play. Nevada, Montana, Idaho and Portland State are among the schools interested in his services. He would likely play strong safety in college.

In addition to all the things that make Eneberg a sensational linebacker, the people around him say a positive attitude and determination are what make him a complete player and person.

"He’s been a pleasure to coach," Mack said. "He’s been a tremendous example for his teammates. He makes people around him better."

Eneberg credits his father, Douglas Eneberg, for such traits. David, brother Daniel (22 years old) and sister Mandy (21) lost their mother, Linda, to cancer when David was only 8.

"He’s always been pushing me to finish first," David Eneberg said of his father. "He did the very best he could raising me, my brother and my sister. (Losing a mother) was the worst thing that has ever happened in my life. It’s still sad when you think about it, but we don’t sit back and feel sorry for ourselves. We just do the best that we can."

According to those who play with Eneberg, he does the best he can on every single play. This year, his best was the best.

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