Ene an all-star on offense and defense

Was there anything Isaiah Ene couldn't do on the football field? Based on playing time, there wasn't, as the Granite Bay High School senior started on offense and defense and played special teams. The 5-foot-10, 210-pound running back and safety's greatest asset this past season was scoring 30 touchdowns and one two-point conversion for 182 total points. Only 12 players in California scored more. Ene helped lead the Grizzlies to a 9-4 record and a trip to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship game and for these reasons was named the Gold Mountain California News Media's first Large School Player of the Year. Ene scored at least one touchdown in all 13 games. He rushed for 100 yards in all but four games and picked up more than 200 yards in three games, gaining a season-high 215 yards against Vista del Lago. He rushed for 1,795 yards with an average of 7.6 yards per carry. He also caught 11 passes for 121 yards and a score, and he even threw two touchdown passes. On defense, Ene was second on the team in tackles with 72. He also had two fumble recoveries, one which he returned for a touchdown, and had one sack and two interceptions. "What's really special about Isaiah is everything," Granite Bay head coach Joe Cattolico said. "He's a really good runner and pass receiver. He's also the best blocker on the team. I always joked that our best play would be to have Isaiah blocking for Isaiah. "Defensively, he's tied for first place in school history with 12 interceptions. He can cover guys and he's our best tackler. "In a lot of ways, he's a throwback because in this age of specialization, Isaiah can do everything. He even threw a couple of touchdown passes this year and last year he punted for us. I don't know if there's anything he can't do on the football field and he does it all at a high level." There's more than just stats to describe Ene. All the yards and touchdowns he had this past season, and that's not even his favorite part of playing the game. "What I like best about football is the team building that comes from it," Ene said. "Every year you create a lot of new relationships. A lot of my best friends I've met through football and I think it's cool how in high school you've got a new team and meet new teammates every year. These relationships last forever, and that's my favorite part of football." Ask him what he does best on the field and the answer isn't running the ball or making tackles, it's being a leader. "I can bring a team together," Ene said. "I feel like when we get down or behind or we're doing something worse than what we could be, I feel like I hold the team to a higher standard so I feel I do pretty good as a leader." His coach agrees. "As good as Isaiah is as a player, he's a better person," Cattolico said. "He's a special young man; very mature for his age. He makes everyone in the room feel better about themselves and you don't always get that out of your best players. Whatever the setting is, he lifts people up. He's genuinely a really nice kid. He's really personable and kind of quiet but he's got a smile on his face all the time." Ask Ene what he's best asset is on the field and he doesn't answer with speed, quickness, power. "I think my trait is my mentality," Ene said. "I feel like it's hard to break me down on the football field. There could be a lot of adversity but I feel I keep my head up most of the game. The mentality sets the standard for all those other things like using my speed, power, strength." Ene loves playing football. While many players like being the main offensive guys, Ene said he enjoys playing defense a little bit more. "Maybe it's because I play safety, but I like defense a little bit more because I've got more free roam," Ene said. "On defense, you can play more instinctively. Of course, I like running the ball, but I also like blocking. When I have a chance to make a block that allows my teammate to score, that's a good feeling." Ene is a rarity in high school football, as he was a four-year starter at running back and safety. Not only did he start his freshman year, he was calling plays for the defense. "I remember freshman year," Ene recalled. "I had to get on track quickly because I had rarely played safety before getting here to Granite Bay, but they started me there and gave me a quick rundown. I ended up picking it up a lot faster than I thought I could." Cattolico added, "Isaiah did that as a 14-year-old freshman. He hadn't even started high school yet and he's making calls for us. That speaks for itself and his impact as a leader was even greater. Four-year starters don't come around all that often." As his career at Granite Bay came to a close in December - he graduated early - Ene said he loved his time at the school. "I needed Granite Bay," Ene said. "I learned so much, not just about football, but as a person. Coach Cat is a life coach; he tries to make the picture bigger than football. At the end of the day, football can only take you so far. I'm really grateful and thankful for what I had at Granite Bay and I wouldn't trade it for anything." Cattolico loved coaching Ene for the last four years. "When your best guys are really hard workers, your team has a chance to be really good," Cattolico said. "Isaiah was that type of player and helped make us a good team." Next up for Ene is Sacramento State, where he will study Kinesiology when the spring semester begins. He's also looking forward to hitting the football field. Sacramento State recruited Ene to play running back. "I had nine other offers but talking to Sac State felt like family," Ene said. "I loved the atmosphere there, the campus, the football team, the community. Obviously, it being close to home and being able to have my family and friends come watch me play … that ended up being a bigger part of it than I thought." Editor's note: For the purposes of this award, "large school" refers to programs competing in CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Divisions I through III. All-Gold Mountain California News Media Large School Football Team Player of the Year: Isaiah Ene, Granite Bay Coach of the Year: Kyle Stowers, Woodcreek OFFENSE Quarterbacks: Ryder Lyons, Folsom Reeve Slone, Rocklin Joey Melendez, Woodcreek Running backs: Isaiah Ene, Granite Bay Brock Sherman, Del Oro Jack Cromwell, Vista del Lago Wide receivers: Jameson Powell, Folsom Trace Murchison, Woodcreek Rob Larson, Folsom Kyle Cromwell, Vista del Lago Connor Bow, Rocklin Tight end: Landen Parry, Del Oro Offensive line: Marcus Mauck, Woodcreek Finn Burth, Del Oro JT Fales, Granite Bay Vlad Dyakonov, Folsom Jasper Liggins, Woodcreek Zach Ramirez, Folsom Jon Brooks, West Park Troy Fleming, Oak Ridge DEFENSE Defensive line: Blake Meggers, Oak Ridge Dominic Coelho, Rocklin Liam Forsyth, West Park Asher Runnion, Rocklin CJ Ledell, Granite Bay Daniel Morton, Woodcreek Linebackers: Ben Rivas, Oak Ridge Victor Suarez, Del Oro Nick Pajcin, West Park EJ Coleman, Folsom Nick Wegner, Folsom Billy Heinselman, Granite Bay Defensive backs: Ashton Greenhalgh, Del Oro Tanner McSweeney, West Park Jason Hill, Folsom Matsen Wurm, Folsom Special teams: Kyle Boeker, Oak Ridge Casey Hegna, Granite Bay Utility Cash Stevens, Whitney Darnell Turner, Granite Bay Damien Panteloglow, Rocklin Braelyn Frost, Rocklin Ethan Keim, Woodcreek Jasen Womack, Oak Ridge Carson Floyd, Whitney