The look of a winner

The physical resemblance between father and son was striking. When Lakeside-Nine Mile Falls wrestler Levi Jones and his coach/father Scott stood face-to-face deep in discussion at last weekend’s Pacific Northwest Classic tournament at University, it was like watching someone see his image in a mirror.

“A lot of people are saying that more and more,” said Scott Jones of the uncanny similarity in appearance between the two as Levi has matured.

“You should see pictures of him compared to me at the same age as a kid. If you didn’t know what was going on, you wouldn’t tell the difference.”

The younger Jones has not only taken on his father’s features, but also his passion for wrestling and is carving his own niche while carrying on Lakeside’s legacy of success.

Last Saturday’s tourney title was Levi’s third this year for a 19-0 record at 125 pounds. Earlier, he had won at the prestigious Tri-State Tournament in Coeur d’Alene and the Rock Tournament in Vashon Island.

Saturday a last-ditch overhook and throw for four points gave him a 5-3 victory over last year’s third-place State 4A finishing Nate Powell of Lewis and Clark in the PNW.

“I could never go six minutes if I didn’t wrestle for a program like Lakeside’s or have the partners I do,” Levi said. “Whether it’s the first 20 seconds or last 20 seconds of a match, I know I can score.”

A junior, Levi finished seventh at 103 pounds for the Eagles’ state champions in 2003 and reached the state finals for the fourth-placing school last year at 112.

But if being part of a state title team, finishing second at state as a sophomore, placing in national summer freestyle and Greco-Roman competitions, or winning over a larger-school opponent last weekend seems thrilling, none is his biggest.

“I think my biggest win was at the Tri-State finals,” Jones said on Saturday. “It was exactly like this match. It was close, came down to the end and I hit a big throw. I think that was my most exciting moment. It’s one of my favorite wins.”

Scott Jones built Lakeside’s wrestling program from scratch. Since 1993, when the Eagles had their first individual state champion, they have finished no lower than ninth as a team.

Included are three state titles and three second-place finishes among eight top-four trophy efforts. So it was logical that Levi, even though he liked basketball as a youngster, would become a part of it.

“I traveled with the team and was around the mat,” he said. “I set my goals by watching the older guys become state champs.”

Scott Jones planted the seed when his son was a toddler and had him begin competition in kindergarten, but didn’t get serious until Levi was in eighth grade, with travel and competitions. This past summer they became serious with weight lifting and the increase in strength is noticeable on the mat.

“He got more serious the older he got, when it becomes not just your goal, but a dream for him, too,” Scott said.

Having dad as a coach has both its drawbacks and strengths, but overall, Levi said he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Scott admitted being tougher on Levi than with his other wrestlers and for a time stepped away from his son’s corner.

“It brings out a lot more emotion from me in matches and I have to ask coaches to keep me in check,” said Scott. “I’m already known for being fairly emotional, anyway.”

But when he distanced himself from a couple of matches and let others coach, Levi missed his presence.

“Just having him in my corner helps me a lot,” Levi said. “His voice is noticeable to me. It helps to hear moves yelled out. He makes me want to go out and fight for him, even though I’m fighting for Lakeside and myself.”

Levi also said people tell him all the time that he and dad are look-alikes (although Scott wrestled at 148 and 168 pounds his last two years in high school).

“He’s noticeably bigger, but I’m starting to grow into his body build, too,” Levi said. “We have the same looks and act the same. We’re pretty similar.”

If Levi Jones wins an individual state title, something his dad never accomplished, that’s the one thing that will set son and father apart.