Tumwater's road to the Dome: OLB David Durden, from JV in 2011 to team-leading 133 tackles in first year on varsity

TUMWATER -- David Durden doesn’t play a winter sport at Tumwater High School, but if he did, perhaps he would be pick it up just as quickly as he’s done in football and track and field.

First, last spring, Durden was a first-time hurdler and within two months, broke the school record in the 300 hurdles and placed fifth at the Class 2A state track and field meet.

Then, this fall, the 6-foot-2, 170-pound senior has emerged as Tumwater’s top linebacker with a team-leading 133 tackles and four forced fumbles.

So, given the number of big-time plays and on-field production through 13 games going into Saturday’s 2A state title game against Lynden, where was Durden this time last year? On the JV team.

"I was saving it all up for my senior year," Durden said with a laugh.

In fact, Durden and senior middle linebacker Joe Brueske are first-time varsity players, and are the team’s top two tacklers. Durden with a team-high 133 tackles (70 solo, 63 assists) and Brueske right behind him at 110 (62 solo, 48 assists).

Durden was an understudy behind Riley Prentice, an all-state linebacker, in 2011. He saw spot time on varsity in five games well after the game was in hand. But the transition from junior-varsity to varsity has been a quick one.

“I figured out how to step up and now let my size effect me,” Durden said. “I have the height, but don’t have the weight on me.”

Reporter's note: Read the rest of Meg Wochnick's feature story on David Durden in Friday's Olympian.

Class 2A state title game
NO. 2 LYNDEN (12-1) vs. NO. 4 TUMWATER (12-1)
1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, Tacoma Dome