Also took second in freestyle division.
By Mike Miazga
Correspondent
Willowbrook senior-to-be Jack Jessen was on a mission recently.
Jessen, a standout three-time state qualifying wrestler for the Warriors, had just placed second at the freestyle nationals held in Fargo, N.D.
He still had the Greco-Roman nationals to go in Fargo. “Oh yeah, the second-place really fueled me,” Jessen said. “It motivated me to leave it all out there in Greco.”
And leave it all out there he did. Jessen, after taking fourth in both disciplines last summer in Fargo, won the Greco-Roman national title with a perfect 4-0 mark.
“I was focused on going out there and putting on a show,” he said. “I had been training so hard for that tournament. I trusted all my training and let it go on the mat.”
In the Greco-Roman finale, Jessen, out of the Izzy Style Wrestling Club, defeated fellow Illinois wrestler Cameron Caffey (Carbondale Wrestling Club) via pinfall in only 32 seconds to secure the national title.
“I had wrestled him earlier at Greco state and lost in a close match,” said Jessen, who has verbally committed to continue his wrestling career at Northwestern University in Evanston. “It meant everything to beat him at nationals in that tournament and on that stage. It was amazing. I had trained with him a little with Team Illinois. Beating an Illinois kid in the finals always is good.”
Jessen said he didn’t mess around in the final. “I went out there with the mindset that I was going to dictate and not let him dictate moves or position,” he said. “I made my mind up I was going to be in position and be in total control of the match the whole time.”
Jessen, a Class 3A state runner-up last season for Willowbrook, lost to Iowa wrestler and Purdue recruit Max Lyon in the freestyle 182 final.
“He beat me by seven points,” Jessen noted. “I was up 3-0 at the beginning of the match and he got a good shot off and got four points off it and kept the lead the rest of the match.”
Overall, Jessen was pleased with how things unfolded in Fargo.
“I love that tournament,” he said. “It’s my favorite tournament of the whole season. Every match there you could win or lose because every kid is so good. Winning that tournament is a big accomplishment and that’s why it is so special for me.”
Before he gets to his senior season at Willowbrook, Jessen has business to tend to on the football field. Jessen was a huge contributor as a junior running back last year to a Willowbrook team that made a deep run in the state playoffs. The Warriors reached the Class 7A quarterfinals.
“We just got back from team camp at Lake Forest College,” said Jessen late last week. “I’m really looking forward to the football season. Last year definitely puts a lot of motivation on the team, the players coming back, the young players and the school. The energy around school is very good and all the players are pushing themselves in the weight room and on the field.”
Jessen admits he also can’t wait for the high-school wrestling season to get started. And he has one major individual goal in particular on his mind.
“The state championship,” he said.
Jessen is 153-8 in his career at Willowbrook and has three top-3 state medals to his credit.
