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March 2, 2013

West's Jakes ends career with 3rd-place finish

By Jim Rueda Free Press Sports Editor

ST.PAUL — 

Shortly after winning his third-place bout at the Class AA state wrestling 
tournament inside the Xcel Energy Center, Mankato West senior Tyler Jakes walked to a 
corner underneath the stands and took a few minutes to compose himself.

Jakes, the state's fifth-ranked 195-pounder, was defeated 21-5 in the semifinals by 
eventual champion Lance Benick of Totino-Grace. He then dropped down to capture a 
wrestleback match and finished off by decisioning Carson Hagen of Worthington 2-1 in the 
bronze-medal bout.

The West senior ends his career as the all-time wins leader at West with a record of 
174-59. After his solitary respite, he talked about the emotion of the moment.

"It's been a long journey," he said slowly. "I wrestled six years on 
varsity and I started in youth wrestling at about 3 years old.

"My grandfather was a wrestler, my dad was a wrestler, it just been in the family a 
long time. It's sad to think it's over."

There's a chance Jakes will wrestle in college but he says he has yet to make any 
definitive decisions.

"I honestly don't know what I'll do. I might go to a smaller school and try to play 
football and wrestle, or I might go to a bigger school and just do one.

"But it has to be about academics first. I might not do any sports in college."

Jakes finishes the year with a 37-2 record. His only losses were to Benick and to state 
entrant Dylan Connor from St. Peter.

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