Hemlock anticipates banner season from Esckilsen
John Raffel
Sports Scene
Hemlock’s Jake Esckilsen is set to have a memorable senior season as a lineman for the Huskies this fall.
It’s his third varsity season. He was a first-team all-conference and honorable mention selection a year ago
His coach, Adam Clark, said the keys behind Esckilsen’s successes are easy to explain.
“I think Jake really wants to be a good football player,” Clark said. “He’s worked very hard at it these past 2 ½ years or so.”
Esckilsen’s strengths as a lineman have been particularly impressive.
“Jake, coming into his freshman season, we all had to take notice of what a large kid he was,” Clark said. “He was a good football player, a highly aggressive football player at that stage in his development. We threw him in there and coached him as rapidly as we could. But there’s only so much a kid can take before overload sets in and he starts going the other way on you. There was some waiting.
“He started at left tackle his freshman year on the JV team. I’d say the final third of the season is when we really started to see some promise there. We brought him up as a sophomore to the varsity. He didn’t start the first couple of games. By week three, he was in the starting lineup as a guard and has really flourished ever since.”
Esckilsen does an extensive amount of work during the offseason.
“He does training at Hemlock, but is also involved in a few of these outside the building with trainers,” Clark said. “He’s put the effort in, no doubt. He’s participated in plenty of football camps. Part of his problem in regards to lack off offers in his point was he did not do the camp circuit. He had a medical crisis in his family with a family member fighting cancer. That was the center of priority a year ago.
“For someone of his stature not to receive an offer, it’s really it’s a matter of ‘let’s see a few of your senior game films and show us you’ve gotten better,’” Clark said. “That’s the situation he finds himself in. The first couple of games your senior year are vital. All these colleges have their wish list. They have their recruiting depth chart. I really believe he’s a MAC level offensive lineman. I feel that’s where he would fit in and would be greatly challenged.”
Esckilsen also participates in powerlifting, track and wrestling.