Jadyn Jones ready to carve out championship path for Wilson
The lead dog on a sled is the strongest, fastest and most tenacious.
It sets the tone for the grueling race ahead.
It was no surprise that when the Wilson football coaches instituted their Lead Dog award during the troubling days of COVID winter workouts that rising senior Jadyn Jones was the first to hold it.
He’s a workout warrior, no matter the conditions.
Gyms weren’t open throughout much of the early offseason months of December, January and February; Jones had no access to a weight room. He improvised, not wanting to fall behind.
“Somebody’s always out there working to get better,” the 5-11, 210-pound running back figures, “so I work 10 times harder. I was trying to stay in the best shape I could with the stuff I had.”
When restrictions eased he found his way to Garage Strength, where he works with Dane Miller, often five times a week.
He navigated his way to Manheim to work with trainer Darryl Daniels on weekends.
All of this after completing his regular summer morning workouts with his Bulldogs teammates.
That determination to reach the next level paid off. The coaching staff at the U.S. Naval Academy noticed. In June they offered him a spot on their roster.
“That was definitely was a shocker, coming from a school like that,” Jones said.
The offer hit home. Jadyn’s father, Jeremy, did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan with the Marines. He understands what sacrifice is all about.
“That kind of hit him, and it hit me, too,” Jones said of the offer from a service academy. “It was a blessing, and an opportunity for me to get to the next level. They definitely love me up there, and I love what they have to provide.”
Navy runs out of the Flexbone, a run-oriented offense that requires a tough fullback who can bang between the tackles.
Jones fits the bill.
“I love running the ball, and that’s all they do,” he said, “so you can’t complain about that.”
Anyone who saw Jones bang away at Manheim Township last season understands the ways he can impact a game.
With the Bulldogs short-handed — they were without their top quarterback, tailback and wide receiver — Jones shouldered the load in what became a season-defining win.
He broke off a 65-yard touchdown run on the first snap from scrimmage and finished off the Blue Streaks with a stirring 15-yard scoring run that saw him hit at least five times, go almost horizontal to the ground, bounce back up, take another hit, then rumble into the end zone for a 10-point lead in the final quarter.
“That last carry he had for a touchdown,” said Wilson coach Doug Dahms, ” you can send that (video) out to anybody (in the country).”
Jones finished with a career-best 237 yards on 29 carries and cleared the path for what became a 31-28 win and the Bulldogs’ 27th Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 championship.
“That was a highlight reel right there,” Dahms said of Jones’ game-long performance.
“No better feeling than to walk away from a game like that, knowing everything was on the line,” said Jones. “(We were) coming off a loss to Mifflin, and obviously with the short season the playoffs were in the hands of that game. Coming off that game victorious… there was not a better feeling than you could have.”
Given the circumstances — on the road, down three two-way starters, league title on the line — it goes down as one of the Bulldogs’ greatest L-L victories. Many counted them out before it began.
“There was some pressure on my shoulders, but I didn’t let that affect me,” he said. “I had to go out and play my game. Thirty carries, 10 carries, doesn’t matter: My team needed me to perform and do my best, and I did that.”
Jones will be the centerpiece of another strong Wilson team when things kick off Aug. 27 against Central Dauphin.
He’ll start at both running back and linebacker and opponents will feel his an impact on both sides of the line.
“He’s got that physicality to make a big difference,” Dahms said.
“He’s violent, explosive and extremely competitive,” said Bulldogs defensive coordinator Ernie Wolber.
Jones was a first-team all-league running back a year ago; he figures to play at an even higher level this season, given his intense offseason workload.
“Even though I weigh the same (as last August), I feel smoother,” Jones said. “I’m more flexible, so I’m able to do more things.”
When he looks around the gym and sees others working hard, he is motivated to do even more.
He draws inspiration from his younger brother Cam, an all-league defensive back as a sophomore and another key piece to the Bulldogs’ defense this season.
“My brother pushes me the hardest, to make sure I’m on my right path,” Jones said. “If I see him working, I make sure I’m working, too. We always push each other to get better.”