Dynamic Zeke Ennis is St. Augustine's little big man
The first scholarship offer was from Wagner University. The second was from Lehigh University. But for Zeke Ennis, the 5-foot-7 (maybe), 150-pound (possibly) all-purpose dynamo for the St. Augustine Prep football team, the invitations this summer to play NCAA Division I football weren't validation as much as motivation.
The first scholarship offer was from Wagner University.
The second was from Lehigh University.
But for Zeke Ennis, the 5-foot-7 (maybe), 150-pound (possibly) all-purpose dynamo for the St. Augustine Prep football team, the invitations this summer to play NCAA Division I football weren't validation as much as motivation.
"It just made me want to work even harder," Ennis said. "It showed me that hard work pays off. But that's no time to let down."
Ennis is the Hermits' Little Big Man. The speedy senior might be one of the shortest, lightest two-way players in all of South Jersey.
But he is an impact player.
"Ezekiel Ennis is a dynamic player with the versatility and intelligence to play many different positions," St. Augustine coach Mark Reardon said. "Even more important than that, he is a tremendous human being who cares deeply about his family, teammates, and community."
In a recent scrimmage against Cherokee, Ennis displayed his versatility, enthusiasm, and knack for making big plays.
He intercepted a pass on defense. He took a swing pass about 30 yards on offense. He kept talking with teammates, opponents, referees, and anyone else within hearing distance.
"I have to play that way," Ennis said. "I have to show a lot of energy and emotion. That's the way I am."
Ennis, who lives in Millville, said he always looked up to his brother Rob, a former standout running back for Millville High School.
When Zeke Ennis was younger, he said, he used to play imaginary games in his backyard.
"I'd throw the ball up, catch, run for touchdowns," Ennis said. "I was always playing games with myself, always dreaming about being able to do this."
Ennis was a first-team all-Cape-Atlantic League American Division selection as a junior. On offense, he ran for 550 yards and eight touchdowns and caught 24 passes for 564 yards and four touchdowns.
On defense, he made 51 tackles and specialized in shutting down top receivers from his cornerback position.
St. Augustine finished last season as the No. 1 team in the Inquirer Top 25, with a 9-1 record, including a 9-0 mark against South Jersey foes.
The Hermits, who are No. 1 in the 2016 preseason rankings, open the season Friday night at home against Malvern Prep, the No. 5 team in The Inquirer's Southeastern Pa. rankings.
Ennis believes the Hermits, who also feature junior running back Kyle Dobbins and junior quarterback Josh Zamot, are capable of pushing the program to an even higher level in 2016.
"We can do great things," Ennis said. "We just have to keep the grind, keep after it every single day."
Ennis said he was thrilled to receive scholarship offers from two college programs. He knows he could generate even more during the season, especially if he continues to display his playmaking ability against the Hermits' caliber of competition.
Ennis can't say the scholarship offers were a dream come true, though.
When he thinks back to his days in the backyard, imagining a scholarship offer wasn't part of his routine.
"When I was 8 years old, I thought there was no shot," Ennis said. "It just goes to show what hard work can do."
@PhilAnastasia
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