PREP WRESTLING Rogers High's Turner aiming for three-peat

NWA Democrat-Gazette/FLIP PUTTHOFF Rogers High's Jake Turner (left) will try to claim his third consecutive state wrestling title today in the Class 6A state tournament at The Stephens Center in Little Rock.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/FLIP PUTTHOFF Rogers High's Jake Turner (left) will try to claim his third consecutive state wrestling title today in the Class 6A state tournament at The Stephens Center in Little Rock.

LITTLE ROCK -- Rogers High's Jake Turner has always been focused on winning, and he's surely done that, posting a record of 134-2 over the past three seasons and already winning two state wrestling titles.

He's also looking to enjoy the journey as well this season.

Profile

JAKE TURNER

SCHOOL Rogers High

HEIGHT 5-7

WEIGHT 145

CLASS Senior

NOTABLE Has a record of 134-2 over the past three seasons and two state wrestling titles. … Turner is 42-0 this season and is the top seed at 145 pounds in Class 6A. … Has verbally committed to be a part of Arkansas-Little Rock’s inaugural signing class.

11th annual Arkansas High School Wrestling Tournament

At Stephens Center, Little Rock

Team Scores (after day one)

Class 6A

1, Bentonville High 122.5. 2, Little Rock Central 89. 3, Bentonville West 84. 4, Springdale High 78.5. 5, Cabot 78. 6, Springdale Har-Ber 76. 7, Rogers High 75. 8, Little Rock Catholic 64.5. 9, Van Buren 62. 10, Fayetteville 61. 11, Rogers Heritage 57. 12, Bryant 39. 13, Fort Smith Northside, Fort Smith Southside (tie) 23. 15, Conway 19. 16, North Little Rock 16.

Class 5A

1, Hot Springs Lakeside 110. 2, Searcy 106.5. 3, Greenwood 105. 4, Russellville 81. 5, Greenbrier 64. 6, Little Rock Christian 46.5 7, Beebe 44. 8, Sylvan Hills 43.5. 9, Benton 39. 10, Sheridan 37. 11, Mountain Home 28. 12, Maumelle 25.5. 13, Lake Hamilton 22. 14, Jonesboro 20. 15, J.A. Fair 9. 16, Hot Springs 4.

Class 4A-1A

1 Berryville, Shiloh Christian (tie) 84. 3, Pulaski Academy 82. 4, Pulaski Robinson 80. 5, Gentry 59. 6, Arkadelphia 54. 7, Central Arkansas Christian 45. 8, Glen Rose 41. 9, Batesville Southside 38. 10, Batesville, Mountain View (tie) 31. 12, Maumelle Charter 29, 13, Valley View 26. 14, Little Rock McClellan 14. 15, Arkansas School for the Blind 10.5

"I'm having a different outlook," Turner said. "Not just trying to win, but have fun and be the best competitor. I've tried to hang out with my teammates and cherish that where in the past years I didn't. I mean I did, but I noticed it more this year."

"I've tried to be more of a leader and other stuff I never tried to do. Stuff I should have tried to do earlier."

Turner is dealing with another challenge this week, and that's the flu, but it didn't slow him down Friday.

Despite the illness, the senior cruised into today's semifinals with two easy wins on day one of the 11th annual Arkansas High School State Wrestling tournament at the Stephens Center on the campus of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock.

He seemingly toyed with his opening-round opponent, taking him down four times only to let him back up. But Turner got the takedown again, and this time turned him and got the pin late in the first period. His second-round match was more of the same, rolling up a 20-6 lead before finally pinning his opponent early in the second period.

"Strength-wise, I'm good. Conditioning-wise, I'm good," Turner said. "It's just like every time I breathe it's like a vibration. But I haven't gone to a third period yet."

Turner (42-0) is the top seed at 145 pounds in Class 6A and defending champion in that weight class.

Rogers High wrestling coach Ken Simmons said Turner was good last year, but he's even better now. Only four of Turner's matches have gone all three periods this year.

"He's more aggressive, more confident," Simmons said. "He's got a game plan, and he sticks to it. He's dynamic on his feet, all the freestyle and Greco things he did last summer have really paid off. He's dominated people. He's ready."

"Every once in a while I get him to lighten up. He's got good instinct on how to manage the match and what he wants to do -- tunnel vision -- I guess is the best way to describe it."

Turner has competed well on the national level, too, at the U.S. Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D., and then at the Super 32 tournament in the fall in North Carolina.

"Two years ago he made the top 16 on the front side at Fargo," Simmons said. "There were 27 state champions in his bracket at Super 32. He doesn't run from anybody. He welcomes the challenge."

Turner said just facing that high-caliber competition has made him better.

"I've grown a lot from the offseason stuff and competing in the national tournaments," Turner said.

He's tried to become more of a team leader as a senior, too, becoming more of an extrovert.

"When I'm cutting weight, I don't talk much at all," Turner said. "I'm trying to push my teammates in practice and before matches."

No matter what happens today, his wrestling career won't come to an end. Turner has verbally committed to be a part of Arkansas-Little Rock's inaugural signing class. It's especially exciting to be a part of something new, Turner said.

"I'm able to trail blaze, and it's good to represent that," Turner said. "And I think that will bring in a lot of good wrestling once it starts up."

Turner said there are no nerves heading into the final day of his high school wrestling career. He just wants to have fun and that includes winning another state title.

Sports on 02/23/2019

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