Saucon Valley’s Jones nears unique milestone
An opposing coach asked Saucon Valley’s Chad Shirk about his 189-pounder Jake Jones.
“‘Is that kid any good?’” Shirk recalled. “I said that he’s not bad.”
After Jones disposed of the opposing coach’s wrestler, the coach told Shirk, ‘Holy cow! I never would have known.’
Jones’ look may not intimidate many, but his skills on the mat will take down most opponents.
“He looks non-threatening,” Shirk said. “He’s not flamboyant. He keeps to himself. I asked him before the district final if he was ready. He just said, ‘Yeah’ and just stood there.”
Jones won his second district title and is the top overall seed at 189 pounds this weekend at the Class 2A Southeast Regional tournament at Freedom’s Joseph J. McIntyre Memorial Gymnasium.
The senior is not likely to catch brothers Jason (164) and Josh (154) on the Saucon Valley career wins list. The Panther has 146.
There is a better chance, however, that Jones does something neither his brothers nor almost all other wrestlers in Pennsylvania have done. He is three pins shy of 100 for his career.
Mount Pleasant’s Dayton Pitzer was the most recent to join the short list of PIAA wrestlers who have reached that milestone. He picked up his 100th fall in last year’s 2A state final.
Norristown’s Brett Harner, son of Bethlehem Catholic assistant coach Steve Harner, is among the those who have hit triple figures. Others include Upper Perkiomen’s Chris Sheetz and Mark Smith; Brandywine Heights’ Matt and Nick Yocco; Southern Columbia’s Jaret Lane (now at Lehigh), Downingtown East’s Wade Cummings, Canon-McMillan’s Gerrit
Nijenhuis, Norristown’s Mike Springer, Abington Heights’ Evan Craig, Northern Lebanon’s Luke Funck and Bishop McDevitt’s Riley Robell.
“Jake is freakishly strong,” Shirk said. “You look at him, scout him. You know what’s coming but you don’t think or understand what it feels like when he grabs a hold of you, not until they lock up with him.”
Jones, who needs one win to tie Bryan Israel for fourth on Saucon Valley’s career wins list and six to tie Ray O’Donnell (152) for third, has evolved into more than just a one-move wrestler.
He had success at an early age in Greco and Freestyle disciplines. He’s brought home national medals. The four-time District 11 finalist and threetime state qualifier used the experience and confidence from that success to expand his repertoire.
Jones started his high school career as a 138 pounder. He has adjusted as he’s grown.
“It’s pretty impressive as a whole,” Shirk said, “because it’s not the same style of wrestling as the lower weight classes. The upper weights are bigger and stronger. We were wondering if he was going to be able to have the same success.
“He’s beaten some really good kids this year. He’s getting better on top.”
Jones knows he needs to. He watched his brother, Josh, struggle as a junior in the top position. When he figured that part out, he reached the state final before losing 2-0 to fourtime state champion Gavin Teasdale of Jefferson-Morgan.
Josh Jones won a state title the next season.
Jake Jones found ways to score on his feet other than getting those underhooks in and throwing opponents into submission. He also improved at turning foes … and sometimes getting a pin.
“You can’t just rely on just one thing,” Shirk said. “Sometimes, it appears he does but he does try to score in other ways. He wants to have success. He’s seen what his brothers have done before him.
“This is his last go-around. There are some great kids in the state, including this weekend at regionals. He’s got to continue to improve, work on different technique, open up to try new things.”
Jones plans to wrestle in college, then have a career in film. He has worked hard at both crafts. He remains quiet and humble despite his accomplishments.
The 100 pins would be a bonus, but there is only one short-term goal.
“The overall goal is to be a state champ this year,” Jones said.
It won’t be easy. He will have to go through two-time state champion Rune Lawrence of Frazier, who beat Jones in last year’s 172-pound PIAA final. They are ranked 1-2 in 2A, but it will take a monumental effort to take down Lawrence, who has won his last 19 matches by pin.
Lawrence is 104-7 in his career. None of his losses have to come to a PIAA 2A wrestler.
The moment won’t be too big for Jones should he face Lawrence again with state gold on the line. He’s been going to Hershey since his first year wrestling at Saucon Valley as a kindergartner.
It would be an emotional moment for Jones, who won a Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling state title as an eighth grader and wrestled in Finland ahead of his freshman season.
He matured from a tense varsity newcomer to one who has enjoyed the ride thanks to a simple philosophy.
“I like competing,” he said. “I have fun with it.” AT A GLANCE
(Records entering regionals; weight; last week’s ranking)
1. So. Kollin Rath, Bethlehem Catholic (31-1, 139, 1): Has beaten nine state champions this season
2. Jr. Sean Kinney, Nazareth (28-0, 285, 2): Pinned 24 of 28 foes this year
3. So. Nate Desmond, Bethlehem Catholic (34-1, 114, 3): District 11 Class 3A outstanding wrestler award winner
4. Sr. Sonny Sasso, Nazareth (20-0, 215, 4): Four pins in District 11 3A tournament
5. Fr. Adam Waters, Faith Christian (36-1, 172, 5): Top overall seed at 2A Southeast Regional
6. Fr. Keanu Dillard, Bethlehem Catholic (16-0, 107, 6): Showdown with state No. 2 Luke Sirianni lurks at 3A Northeast Regional
7. So. Collin Gaj, Quakertown (41-0, 145, 7): Top overall seed at 3A Southeast Regional
8. Sr. Jake Jones, Saucon Valley (41-4, 189, HM): Closing in on a milestone that is almost as unusual as four-time state champions
9. So. Tahir Parkins, Nazareth (21-2, 127): Has been dominant since return from knee injury
10. Jr. Ayden Smith, Notre Dame-GP (40-3, 114, 9): Handled Saucon Valley’s Cole Hubert for third D-11 2A title Dropped out: So. Gauge Botero, Faith Christian (36-2, 121, 8); Sr. Holden Garcia, Notre Dame-GP (36-6, 172, 10) Others under consideration (in alphabetical order): So. Vince Bouzakis, Notre Dame-GP (38-7, 145); Sr. Dagen Condomitti, Northampton (29-5, 152); Sr. Adrian Gacek, Parkland (34-2, 189); Sr. Andrew Harmon, Bethlehem Catholic (36-6, 160); Sr. C.J. Horvath, Freedom (31-3, 121); Jr. Calvin Lachman, Quakertown (37-4, 215); Sr. Cael McIntyre, Bethlehem Catholic (30-7, 133); Fr. Cael Weidemoyer, Faith Christian (28-3, 152); Jr. Mason Ziegler, Quakertown (38-4, 121)