Bitter loss fueled Eitzen's resolve

Swan dive at state as a sophomore paved way to title

By Scott Stocker, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 30, 2008 at 10:53 p.m.

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Estes Park's Jake Eitzen says he learned an important lesson the hard way. As he heads into his senior season, though, the defending Class 3A state wrestling champion at 119 pounds wouldn't have it any other way.

Eitzen finished second at state at 103 as a freshman and believed a state title was likely as his sophomore campaign developed. Instead, he placed sixth while losing to two wrestlers he had beaten during the regular season and one he had defeated in a previous round in the tournament.

"I was wrestling in the semifinals and beating Ross Leyba at the time," Eitzen said. "But he turned and pinned me. It emotionally crushed me and I lost my next match. I wrestled Kaylen Keys of Centauri, and he beat me for fifth. The bad thing for me here is that I beat him by a technical fall in the quarterfinals."

Estes Park coach Don Patterson knew that Eitzen was emotionally down after the loss. But what he didn't want to see was his young ace carry his feelings through the summer and into his junior season.

"He put so much emphasis on being a state champion that he was emotionally crushed," said Patterson, who has coached Eitzen throughout the boy's youth. "But he is one of the most dedicated kids I've coached, just one of those kids with the right attitude and work ethic.

"Jake was apologetic to everyone. They have to come to grips with what happened and be able to rebound. But we had to sit down and have some serious conversations on how he had to face his particular situation."

Eitzen certainly did rebound, winning the championship at 119 last season with a glittering 41-1 record, 30 by pins. His only loss was to Class 5A state runner-up Chris Wessel of Legacy.

"I really learned a lesson in life," said Eitzen, who takes a career 118-10 record into the season. "I want to be the toughest in my weight, regardless of class, and I will train like crazy to do it."

This summer, Eitzen won state titles in freestyle and Greco-Roman. In fact, he already is a three- time state champion in Greco-Roman and earned 2008 Academic All-America honors with his weighted 3.7 grade-point average.

Eitzen got some good looks at the Fargo (N.D.) Nationals this summer, especially when he pinned nationally ranked Tom Kelliher, of Apple Valley, Wis., who has a full ride to Wisconsin.

Eitzen later was injured and had to withdraw, but he got good reviews from the University of Wyoming and has signed to wrestle for the Cowboys.

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