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When a high school student gives one of his coaches a bloody nose, it would generally make for a salacious story in the local news. But, as The Denver Post points out, when it happened to Ponderosa High School wrestling coach Corey McNellis, it was considered a good thing. That’s because the student was Jake Snider, the school’s quiet-but-dominant senior wrestler, who will attempt to become Colorado’s 16th four-time state wrestling champion today at the Pepsi Center.
McNellis says he’s never seen a high school kid who hates to lose as much as Snider, who plans to wrestle at CSU-Pueblo this fall and is 37-1 this season against his high school peers. His one loss came when he made a mistake against his opponent at a national tournament in Minnesota.
McNellis thinks Snider doesn’t get the attention of other wrestlers because he’s so technically proficient and smooth that he doesn’t go for flashy wins. Snider says it might feel good to show off when he’s handily beating an opponent, but it’s easy to open yourself up to defeat when you try to showboat.
It’s no surprise around Ponderosa that Snider is so good. He’s been winning since he came to the school, and the walls of the wrestling gym feature pictures of his older brothers, Buster and Jesse, who were also accomplished wrestlers for the Parker-area high school. Over his career, Snider’s put up some great statistics: 151 wins with just 15 losses; four state matches won via decision, and four won by pin; only one overtime decision; and just two state matches won via technical fall.