Jake Marlin
Creston
Creston’s 15-year-old freshman phenom is 20-3 this season and the second-ranked wrestler in Class 2-A’s 130-pound division behind Columbus Junction senior Jake Keller, according to wrestling publication The Predicament. His only loss in Iowa competition was a 14-10 decision in Creston’s first dual against Interstate 35 junior Dallas Houchins, who was the top-ranked wrestler at 140 in Class 1-A at the time. In November, Marlin won the Tulsa National Tournament and finished fifth in the NHSCA Preseason National Championships.
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Q: How did it feel to find out that, at 130 pounds, you could hang with one of the state’s top wrestlers in the 140-pound division?
A: I knew I could. I’ve got some friends up that way, and I’ve wrestled with him a couple times. I knew he wasn’t really a world-beater. I knew I could hang with him if I just gave it my all.
Q: Coach Darrell Frain says you’re a 12-months-a-year type of wrestler. What kind of wrestling and training did you do this offseason to prepare yourself for your freshman year?
A: I went to (the J Robinson wrestling camp in Upper Iowa) in the summer, which is supposed to be the toughest camp in the nation for wrestling. It really got me ready for the mindset and got me physically prepared for high school wrestling.
Q: What are your team and individual goals for your freshman season at Creston?
A: Obviously my goal is to win state this year — I think I’ve got a pretty good shot. I think it’d be awesome to be a four-timer, and if I can take my team to state as well that’d be great.
Q: What do you want to do after high school?
A: I want to go wrestle in college. Even later on after that, I’d like to wrestle in the Olympics and wrestle internationally.
Q: Do you have any colleges in mind?
A: I’ve been thinking about Iowa. I like Iowa a lot — they’re tough, they’ve got a lot of good wrestlers. And Oklahoma State I think kind of fits my style.
Q: What’s your style?
A: I’m really a wild wrestler. I like to scramble a lot — I don’t really like box-style wrestling. I don’t really know how to describe it, it’s almost crazy.
Q: You’re looking up only at Columbus Junction’s Jake Keller in the 130-pound division this season. What do you know about him?
A: I don’t know a whole lot about him, but I’m wrestling him this weekend. I know he got third at state (at 125 pounds) last year. He’s a pretty tough wrestler, so it’ll be a good match and hopefully I’ll come out on top.
Q: What have you enjoyed so far about being a part of Creston wrestling?
A: Our coaches our great. We’ve got Mario Galanakis, who wrestled for Iowa, and Matt Long — (Iowa State wrestler) Andrew Long’s dad — and they know just a ton about the sport. And Darrell’s a great coach as well — he knows exactly what he’s talking about.
Q: Even with your success up to this point, do you still get razzed by your teammates for being a freshman?
A: Yeah, actually I do. It kind of makes me mad, but I guess that’s how it is. I’m still at the bottom of the totem pole.
Q: Coach Frain said you haven’t even scratched the surface of your potential yet, and that you have the work ethic to get better and better. What do you think of that praise from your coach?
A: It’s nice to hear that. It’s nice to know that I’m working hard, and I just hope to get better and better and better.