Track season gave him explosiveness. Now this Peninsula junior is turning into a lockdown corner

When Peninsula High School junior Jude Endsley started playing cornerback in middle school, he didn’t see the field much.

“I was more that kid that stood in the back,” Endsley said. “I was the sideline rider.”

Those days are over, though. Endsley has gone from sideline rider to an integral part of the Peninsula football team this season. When Endsley first started playing corner in middle school, he wasn’t the best athlete. He wasn’t the fastest, the biggest, the most explosive. Most of all, he didn’t take it very seriously.

As a sophomore last season, he saw the field sparingly. But his fortune started to change last spring, when Endsley had a big track season, winding up in the Class 3A state meet in the 300-meter hurdle finals, where he took fifth place, clocking in at 40.23 seconds. Track is where Endsley started to feel like a serious athlete.

“It’s definitely helped me so much in my game,” he said. “My speed has gone up drastically since I’ve been doing track. Just how much I want to compete has come from track. Mentally, just preparing for those situations that you don’t get anywhere else.”

The benefit of being a multi-sport athlete — which is something Peninsula football coach Ross Filkins staunchly advocates for his players — has paid dividends for Endsley.

“I think kids that are multi-sport athletes have a tremendous benefit from the crossover,” Filkins said. “Understanding how to get your body right, mentally prepare for competition. ... I think really, the benefit is kids that play multiple sports, they’re truly competitors.”

The evidence of Endsley’s growth at corner was evident last week in Peninsula’s loss to Yelm. Endsley recorded two interceptions for the Seahawks, and on offense, hauled in three catches for 60 yards and a touchdown.

“I’m not really focused on the stats,” Endsley said. “I’m more focused on the feeling of the game. The (loss) wasn’t what we expected. I’m focusing on improving every practice, taking it more seriously than when I first came out this season. My coaches have helped me improve my technique and get to that next level in the game.”

It’s still a work in progress. Endsley isn’t perfect at the position, but he has made strides since the beginning of the season.

“The coaches have been good teaching us how to be quick coming out of our breaks,” he said. “We made sure to note that we need to work on getting faster out of our breaks. I think it’s more of reading the receivers better instead of just continuing to drop back. I kind of used to fall into that bad habit, instinct to fall back. So I’m focusing on being aggressive, going for the ball.”

Filkins said it’s starting to come together for Endsley.

“You can see the natural ability, the athleticism,” Filkins said. “What’s happening now, his self-confidence is emerging. I think he’s starting to realize his true potential.”

Winning the turnover battle is a major emphasis for the Seahawks program. While Peninsula lost to Yelm, Endsley’s two interceptions came at good times: One, on Yelm’s first pass of the game, and the second, on the goal-line, denying the Tornados any points on the drive in the second quartrer.

“Our coaches preach it all the time,” Endsley said. “Turnovers get our offense on the field. That’s our goal.”

And on offense, Endsley has seen more time at receiver since No. 1 wideout Chase Wittmers has been out with injury the past two weeks.

With his speed, Endsley has given quarterback Burke Griffin an option to stretch the defense.

“He’s a strider and deceptively fast,” Filkins said. “The wide receiver position can be really challenging. It’s one of the positions that takes a lot of time to hone the route running, body position to become an elite level receiver. He’s making strides and improving each week there. We feel like he’s got some big games coming.”