Jenkins Reflects On First Season
Oskaloosa Head Football Coach Jake Jenkins recaps their successful season.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – At the start of the 2016 high school sports season, excitement was high as Jake Jenkins took over as head coach of the Oskaloosa High School football team, looking to build off of a 2-7 2015 season. After a hard fought season, the Indians ended up 7-3, as well as a play offs birth. In an interview on the Wyndall Campbell State Farm Agency Football Update, Jenkins said the season had gone by fast and had been very exciting for the team.
“It’s kind of been a whirlwind,” Jenkins said. “It was a lot of fun,” he added.
In their first game of the season, the Indians took on defending state champions and school rival Pella, playing at Pella. The final score of that game was 13-37 in favor of the Dutch however, the score did not reflect the effort put in by the Indians, Jenkins said. He said that during the game, he realized how strong of a team the Indians had become.
“If we can play with these guys, we can beat anybody in the state,” Jenkins said, reflecting on what was going through his head as the game continued.
Oskaloosa then won the next three games against Grinnell, Fort Madison, and Mount Pleasant, all by wide margins. Jenkins said that he saw his team growing as the season went on.
“We just continued to grow. It was just a lot of fun to watch our team grow and develop and move into the team that we would become at the end of the season,” he said. “The belief that they have in our coaching staff… and their own team ,it just happened quicker,” he also said.
Jenkins said that one of the signature moments of the season was Oskaloosa’s 28-27 win over Washington in Oskaloosa. The Indians narrow victory over the Demons secured their playoff birth. Jenkins noted that despite several hiccups during the game, including several turnovers, the Indians never gave up.
“They just kept playing and they stayed together,” he said.
Oskaloosa’s season came to an end at the hands of the Pella Dutch in a hard fought first round playoff game. The Dutch bested the Indians at Pella 34-14, ending a magical season for the Indians.
Jenkins said that preparations have already begun for the 2017 season, as Oskaloosa loses several seniors.
“They’re getting ready for next year already,” Jenkins said.
He noted that there are going to be several empty spots to fill, due to graduation of several seniors. He said that those who are working the hardest will be fighting to fill those spots. Jenkins also reflected on the senior class, noting that over the past few years since he came to Oskaloosa, he had watched many of the seniors on the team grow up from middle school students, to varsity football players.
“It’s going to hurt seeing those guys leave,” Jenkins said of the seniors on the team. “I’m just happy to see them get the recognition they deserve,” he added.
Reflecting on the season, Jenkins noted that several records had been broken. He said that Ethan Arnold broke the single game passing record twice. He also said that the single game touchdowns and the field goal distance records had been broken during the season.
Jenkins said that prospects for the next season look strong.
“It’s another great group coming up,” Jenkins said of the returning players. He also stated his belief that the Indians will be able to be competitive in the district.
“It is a tough district but we feel like we’re going to fit in,” Jenkins said.
To sum up his first season, Jenkins said that there was a lot of excitement as well as some higher expectations looking towards the next season.
“I’m unbelievably proud,” he said.
