Reaching potential

Scott Jones has banked a fortune in memories as Lakeside High’s only wrestling coach.

But his latest state championship team, the Eagles’ fifth since 1997, will always have special value in the treasury.

Last weekend, Lakeside won its third 2A title in four years despite having only three returning state veterans. And the 151.5 points scored are the most ever by the Eagles.

Jones said he couldn’t tell his wrestlers they were the school’s toughest ever. Several of his past teams could call him out on that.

In 1998 Lakeside had 10 placers when it finished second to Toppenish 183.5-150.5, one more placer than this year’s team. The 1999 champions had five finalists, compared to this year’s three.

But, said Jones, “I did tell them that I’ve never had a team wrestle to its potential like this team did from the regional tournament on.”

Lakeside had a nearly new lineup. Injuries cost the Eagles a couple athletes expected to fill weights this year, and another, Bellingham fourth-place 3A finisher Reid Chivers, moved away.

Yet all 10 of Lakeside’s state qualifiers, only three of them seniors, scored in the tournament, and the nine placers finished fifth or higher.

Seniors Levi Jones, Scott’s son, and Jon Millard, members of the last three state team titlists, ended their careers with individual state titles. It was Millard’s second straight.

Sophomore Kyle Johnson finished second for the second straight year.

“Potentially he could become our all-time best,” said Jones.

Fourth-placers Kyle Cartwright, in overtime, and Jason Thompson, by two points lost in the semis, and Wes McAdam, though pinned in his semifinal, was technically the more sound wrestler.

“Wes was thrown in a goofy head and arm against a kid he knew he could beat,” said Jones. “If it had been a perfect day, they would have all won.”

It was a far cry from his first season as a coach when, with only freshmen and sophomores Lakeside lost 13 dual matches. Within a couple years the school had its first individual state champion and in six years its first team title.

“The philosophy of our program is finding ways to get better,” said Jones. “Sometimes those are painful.”

When his son and Millard were asked to fix things, the whole team took notice and followed suit.

“Our message every day is about getting better and growing in the sport,” said Jones.

During the season, Jones and his assistants, Brian Dunn, Tim Cruger, and former Mead state champion Troy Hughes, critique the wrestlers’ individual plans.

“Three times in a season we sit down and list five great things and three fixes for each,” said Jones. “These young athletes completely believe and trust in the system.”

The result was more improvement from start to finish than any of Jones’ titlists. After briefly savoring their latest success, the wrestlers had a sleepover in the school gym and began preparing for next year.

Of all his titles, said Jones, this was his favorite. In part it was because of the emotional aftermath when his son won his first title after finishing second the previous two years. In part it was because of the makeup of this year’s group.

“If your truck broke down on the side of the road, these would be the guys who pull you out of the ditch even if they don’t even know you,” said Jones. “They’re just really good kids.

The first Lakeside state championship came when it was a 1A school. Next year the Eagles drop back into the 1A classification.

In all likelihood it will be Jones’ last as head coach for a while, what with Levi soon to be wrestling at Boise State.

“It started with a championship in 1A,” said Jones. “It would be nice to end with one in 1A.”