Three seconds… Jacob Campbell is down by one point. Two… If he loses this, he will be knocked out of the state wrestling competition. One… He is stuck and unable to come back. Zero. Campbell loses. His junior season is over, but his journey continues on.

Jacob Campbell, currently a senior at PLHS, kept everyone on their toes throughout his high school wrestling career. He placed sixth in the state of Nebraska his sophomore year and set an even higher bar for his junior year. Although, after an unexpected loss that knocked him out of the 2022 State Wrestling Competition, he fell short of his expectations.

“I felt heartbroken after losing my junior year,” Campbell said. “But it’s not just about how you lose. You gotta get back up and keep moving forward.”

While Campbell was devastated as his junior season came to an end, he didn’t let his failure stop him. 

Other people in Campbell’s life knew him and knew he wasn’t going to be dragged down by this. Wrestling coach Chris Curry coached Campbell throughout the four years of high school wrestling. He knew how Campbell functioned inside and out.

“I’ve got three words to describe Jacob,” Curry said. “Competitor, calculated, and powerful.”

After going through such an impactful loss, Campbell flipped a switch. He came back pushing himself harder than ever before.

“My mentality changed,” Campbell said. “I wrestled nonstop, quit soccer, started working out, and got into Greco wrestling.”

Campbell put in the dirty work and hoped to get good results. But even with the increased skill and a long for vengeance, nothing came easy.

“He was wrestling at a weight class where every single guy is bigger than him,” Curry said. 

Eventually, Campbell’s senior season came to its peak and it was time to display his newly acquired skills. 

Campbell pinned his first two state opponents with pins. These wins ensured him a state placement, already better than his previous season. He went on to place fifth overall in the state.

“It felt really good to place this season,” Campbell said. “The first thing I said to my dad after my first two matches was ‘I’m back.’”