Jake Gelakoska sure has come a long way from the first time he stepped out on to the gridiron for the Jackson football team.
In his first game for the varsity team as a sophomore, Gelakoska was so nervous that he ended up throwing up on the field.
Last year, Jackson’s opponents were the ones whose stomachs were feeling queasy, as the first-team, all-Western Conference South Division quarterback passed for 1,938 yards and 17 touchdowns. Gelakoska also was a major threat on the ground. As the team’s second leading rusher he ran for 360 yards on 88 carries (4.1 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns.
Gelakoska again will be the focus for the Wolfpack offense and a player with an expanded leadership role.
It’s a role Gelakoska finally feels more comfortable with now that he is a senior.
“It’s coming along great,” Gelakoska said. “I’m having to step up.”
Gelakoska drew attention from a number of different Division I schools. This summer Gelakoska decided to verbally accept a scholarship to play football at Oregon State.
“The coaches are great and it is a really good situation down in Corvallis,” Gelakoska said. “I decided to commit.”
The earliest Gelakoska can formally sign an NCAA letter would be on Feb. 7, 2007.
Though he wasn’t a full-time defensive starter last year, Gelakoska ended up playing more and more, especially towards the latter part of the season.
The team needed him, so Gelakoska answered the call.
“You definitely have got to be in really good shape,” he said. “It does take a toll on the body. But the team needed it, so I got to do it.”
Gelakoska didn’t have much time to recover from football as he was a key reserve on the basketball team that advanced to the state tournament.
“We just hope to make it just as far as we did last year,” said Gelakoska, who noted that he is more of a role player on the basketball team.
In preparation for his senior year, Gelakoska kept busy during the summer with football camps. His main focus was working on his footwork and also getting the timing down with the receivers.
The Jackson receiving corps likely will be down a key member for most if not all of the season. Senior Kawika Emsley-Pai, a first-team, all-league wide receiver, is not expected to play this season due to a small stress fracture on the L5 vertebra in his lower back.
“I know we’ve got a couple of guys who have stepped in and are filling his shoes pretty well,” Gelakoska said.
Last year, the Jackson run game faltered at times and Gelakoska is looking to run an offense that is a little more balanced.
“It’s very important that the running game keep the defense honest,” Gelakoska said. “Our linemen have worked really hard. The run game should be there this year.”
Gelakoska leads a strong returning group of about 17 starters on both sides of the ball. The senior leadership definitely has made a difference, especially at practices.
“We’re coming together as a team really well,” Gelakoska said. “The team is awesome this year … I just want to get to the playoffs and help my team to be the best it can be.”
Everett Herald writer Mike Cane contributed to this story.
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