As a varsity wrestler, Jim Hayes has always stood in the shadows. As the quarterback of the football team and a standout baseball player for Jordan-Elbridge, it wasn't a position Hayes was in during any other season. But when it came to wrestling, there usually seemed to be someone better. His name was mentioned as an afterthought behind Section III contenders Jim Strife, Jim Dexter and Tim Braun.
Not this year.
Since Strife, Dexter and Braun graduated last year, Hayes has taken the opportunity to grab the spotlight. His current record of 24-3 has him in position to finish as good or better than he did last year - fifth in Section III in the 145-pound weight class, and his role as a first-year captain has helped his teammates perform better around him.
“I'm used to someone else setting the tone in practice,” Hayes said. “Now it's on my shoulders. I'm in front of the pack now, but I've never worked this hard on a consistent basis.”
That's for sure. The three-time Liberty league champion has battled through numerous injuries this season, most recently a sprained ankle and a hyperextended elbow. The latter occurred against South Jefferson's Justin Lister (23-1) and the injury resulted in a loss by 10-second pin for Hayes. It was an eye-opening experience for him. Especially since his earlier two losses came against opponents with a combined 51-3 record - Mike Smith from Central Square and Mick Letcher from East Syracuse Minoa.
“It was disappointing,” Hayes said of the injury and loss to Lister. “I was so excited going in. I took a shot down on him because I was excited to show everyone how hard we've been working all season. It was depressing to go out there and get hurt and lose like that. It was mind blowing knowing that something like that, or worse, could happen at any time.”
Although painful, the hyperextend elbow hasn't caused Hayes to miss any time on the mats. That's because the senior has an important goal to accomplish. With just six more wins, Hayes will reach the century mark for his career. It is a mark that has been achieved by nearly every other great wrestler in Jordan-Elbridge's storied history. With his 100th career win vastly approaching - he and Eagles coach Mike Osborn hope for the milestone to come at the Section III, Class B meet on Feb. 10 - Hayes can't think of a better way to end his senior campaign.
“I've been trying to get to 100 since I was a freshman,” Hayes said. “There are a lot of nerves because you want to get it more than anything, and I don't want anything to go wrong because there is no next year for me.”
Osborn thinks Hayes has gotten this far because in part, of the three guys he wrestled with until this year, especially Strife and Dexter, who were right around his weight class (140).
“Working out with Braun, Dexter and Strife most of his career has helped him a lot,” Osborn said. “But he has worked so hard and is the hardest-working kid in practice and probably the fiercest competitor I have ever seen. His will to win is amazing. It doesn't matter how tired he is, he finds a way to pull out something when it seems like there is nothing left.”
Hayes' desire to win is evident by the two Most Outstanding Wrestler awards he's earned this season. He went 5-0 at the Southern Cayuga Holiday tournament on Dec. 16, to earn the award and earned another in a round of the Central Square Duals just 12 days later.
“He is the leader of this team now, but when he had to wrestle behind Strife, Dexter and Braun, all the glory went to the other three guys,” Osborn said. “This year is his year. Everyone is talking about him because he's the one in the spotlight and winning the MOW awards.”
It seems improbable for an athlete who originally picked up wrestling in the seventh grade as a way to stay active between football and baseball seasons to get to where he is now. Hayes began the sport significantly later in life than most high school wrestlers, but he made the varsity squad as a freshman and was undefeated for his first two years on the team.
“My freshman year, we had a lot of talent and that's what I grew up around,” Hayes said. “During that freshman year, I was thinking about senior year and that I had the chance to get 90 or more wins. Now that it's almost 100. I want it so much.”
It's not only his own personal accomplishments Hayes is concerned with. He takes his role as captain as seriously as any struggle on the mats. The effect his hard work and effort has on his younger teammates is comparable to the effect Strife, Braun and Dexter had on him.
“We have a lot of different guys coming up on the team that I hadn't wrestled with before,” Hayes said. “It's great to see us working hard and we've got a good team. As far as being captain goes, I'm more of an emotional vocal type of leader. We'll be doing our workouts in practice and I'll be vocal with them and tell them we need to kick it up or else we'll have to start all over again. I'm not the type to rip them apart and yell at them, I would rather pick them up and get us together as a team.”
Watching Hayes on the mats, it's almost inconceivable that his love of the sport started as a way to pass the time. Now, when he leaves the mats for the final time this season, his accomplishments in wrestling will likely outnumber those gained in football and baseball.
“Wrestling is so intense that you can't imagine,” Hayes said. “It's so intense and physical, but everyone usually sees the physical part of it instead of the mental part that is so huge. I love the whole thing - to get a guy one-on-one on the mats and you both want nothing more than to tear each other apart. When I started wrestling to keep in shape I had no expectations, but getting 100 wins would be the perfect way to round out my career.”
Since Strife, Dexter and Braun graduated last year, Hayes has taken the opportunity to grab the spotlight. His current record of 24-3 has him in position to finish as good or better than he did last year - fifth in Section III in the 145-pound weight class, and his role as a first-year captain has helped his teammates perform better around him.
“I'm used to someone else setting the tone in practice,” Hayes said. “Now it's on my shoulders. I'm in front of the pack now, but I've never worked this hard on a consistent basis.”
That's for sure. The three-time Liberty league champion has battled through numerous injuries this season, most recently a sprained ankle and a hyperextended elbow. The latter occurred against South Jefferson's Justin Lister (23-1) and the injury resulted in a loss by 10-second pin for Hayes. It was an eye-opening experience for him. Especially since his earlier two losses came against opponents with a combined 51-3 record - Mike Smith from Central Square and Mick Letcher from East Syracuse Minoa.
“It was disappointing,” Hayes said of the injury and loss to Lister. “I was so excited going in. I took a shot down on him because I was excited to show everyone how hard we've been working all season. It was depressing to go out there and get hurt and lose like that. It was mind blowing knowing that something like that, or worse, could happen at any time.”
Although painful, the hyperextend elbow hasn't caused Hayes to miss any time on the mats. That's because the senior has an important goal to accomplish. With just six more wins, Hayes will reach the century mark for his career. It is a mark that has been achieved by nearly every other great wrestler in Jordan-Elbridge's storied history. With his 100th career win vastly approaching - he and Eagles coach Mike Osborn hope for the milestone to come at the Section III, Class B meet on Feb. 10 - Hayes can't think of a better way to end his senior campaign.
“I've been trying to get to 100 since I was a freshman,” Hayes said. “There are a lot of nerves because you want to get it more than anything, and I don't want anything to go wrong because there is no next year for me.”
Osborn thinks Hayes has gotten this far because in part, of the three guys he wrestled with until this year, especially Strife and Dexter, who were right around his weight class (140).
“Working out with Braun, Dexter and Strife most of his career has helped him a lot,” Osborn said. “But he has worked so hard and is the hardest-working kid in practice and probably the fiercest competitor I have ever seen. His will to win is amazing. It doesn't matter how tired he is, he finds a way to pull out something when it seems like there is nothing left.”
Hayes' desire to win is evident by the two Most Outstanding Wrestler awards he's earned this season. He went 5-0 at the Southern Cayuga Holiday tournament on Dec. 16, to earn the award and earned another in a round of the Central Square Duals just 12 days later.
“He is the leader of this team now, but when he had to wrestle behind Strife, Dexter and Braun, all the glory went to the other three guys,” Osborn said. “This year is his year. Everyone is talking about him because he's the one in the spotlight and winning the MOW awards.”
It seems improbable for an athlete who originally picked up wrestling in the seventh grade as a way to stay active between football and baseball seasons to get to where he is now. Hayes began the sport significantly later in life than most high school wrestlers, but he made the varsity squad as a freshman and was undefeated for his first two years on the team.
“My freshman year, we had a lot of talent and that's what I grew up around,” Hayes said. “During that freshman year, I was thinking about senior year and that I had the chance to get 90 or more wins. Now that it's almost 100. I want it so much.”
It's not only his own personal accomplishments Hayes is concerned with. He takes his role as captain as seriously as any struggle on the mats. The effect his hard work and effort has on his younger teammates is comparable to the effect Strife, Braun and Dexter had on him.
“We have a lot of different guys coming up on the team that I hadn't wrestled with before,” Hayes said. “It's great to see us working hard and we've got a good team. As far as being captain goes, I'm more of an emotional vocal type of leader. We'll be doing our workouts in practice and I'll be vocal with them and tell them we need to kick it up or else we'll have to start all over again. I'm not the type to rip them apart and yell at them, I would rather pick them up and get us together as a team.”
Watching Hayes on the mats, it's almost inconceivable that his love of the sport started as a way to pass the time. Now, when he leaves the mats for the final time this season, his accomplishments in wrestling will likely outnumber those gained in football and baseball.
“Wrestling is so intense that you can't imagine,” Hayes said. “It's so intense and physical, but everyone usually sees the physical part of it instead of the mental part that is so huge. I love the whole thing - to get a guy one-on-one on the mats and you both want nothing more than to tear each other apart. When I started wrestling to keep in shape I had no expectations, but getting 100 wins would be the perfect way to round out my career.”
The Citizens' Say
There are No comments posted.