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Competitive Heritage: Jones Family Tests Its Wrestling Legacy When Sapulpa Entertains Broken Arrow

Posted on: Thursday, 26 January 2006, 15:00 CST

By Matt Doyle, Tulsa World, Okla.

Jan. 26--From a personal standpoint, this week has already shaped up to be a strenuous one for Sapulpa High School wrestling coach Biff Jones. Jones eagerly awaits Saturday, the day he and his family move into their new house in Kiefer. His wife, Andrea, is set to deliver twins "any day now." From a professional standpoint, the week is not as hectic. Jones maintains his usual load of teaching social studies and coaching the Chieftains wrestling team. However, the week does provide a unique situation for the Sapulpa coach. Friday night, the Chieftains can earn a berth to the Class 5A dual state championships for the first time since 1997. First, they must conquer a program that is well versed in dual state appearances. Sapulpa's opponent is Broken Arrow, which has won 16 consecutive district titles to qualify for dual state. What makes the task tougher is who Jones will see across the mat as his coaching counterpart. The Tigers are guided by Shawn Jones, Biff Jones' older brother. Shawn Jones was Sapulpa's head coach the previous seven years and was responsible for cultivating and growing the talent in the program Biff Jones inherited this year. One of Shawn Jones' assistant coaches is the youngest of the three Jones boys, Rodney. To quote a favorite saying of their father, Ernie Jones, Biff Jones said, "The Lord works in mysterious ways." In reality, though, it should be no mystery that Shawn, Biff and Rodney Jones are working as educators and wrestling coaches. All three had the perfect example in their father. Ernie Jones has been a long time fixture on the Tulsa high school wrestling scene. He built championship programs at Booker T. Washington in the 1970s before building Webster into a championship program in the early 1990s. He retired from coaching after leading the Warriors to back-to-back state titles in 1993 and 1994. He was coaxed out of retirement seven years ago to build Cascia Hall into a championship contender. Throughout his tenure at Washington and Webster, Ernie Jones' three sons were an integral part of his life. He watched them grow up as wrestlers, and all three wrestled for him at Webster. He also coached them in youth football and baseball. "He was the perfect role model," said Rodney Jones, who was the only one of the three brothers to win an individual state title under dad's tutelage. "He gave us opportunities to be ourselves. He was always quick to tell us if something was not right and would help straighten us out." Said Biff Jones: "Wrestling is a big part of our lives, but it was not something we did 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He allowed us to enjoy it, and it was not something we had to do." All three were successful wrestlers in varying degrees. Shawn Jones admits he was not as talented as his two younger brothers. Yet, he capped his mat career going undefeated and earning All-America honors as a senior at the University of Mary in North Dakota. Biff and Rodney Jones both earned All-America recognition at Oklahoma. Their father recognized the unique traits of his sons. For the last few years, Ernie Jones has written an emotional, personalized message in his sons' Christmas cards. The message is sprinkled with a word or saying that describes his sons, such as motivator, determined, dedicated and competitive. "All three of us have different personalities, but all three are passionate about what we do," Shawn Jones said. "We're all competitive, whether it was play ing video games, battling over control of the TV or playing backyard football and baseball. "We got that from him." Sapulpa is 7-2 in duals, while Broken Arrow is 7-5 as they enter the Friday dual at Sapulpa's Chieftain Center. "Sapulpa is wrestling at a great level right now under Biff," Shawn Jones said. "We're young, but we're making progress." Said Biff Jones: "There are mixed feelings because Shawn is in the tougher situation. These are kids that I'm coaching now that he's had for a long time. It will be heated, and it will be interesting. But, we're not going to be mad at each other.""We don't look at wrestling as simply an after-school activity," Ernie Jones said. "It is a big part of life. It is a part of our classrooms where we can touch people's lives and make a difference. The boys have all done that. "Of course, I'm just another proud father." ------------ Matt Doyle 581-8316 matt.doyle@tulsaworld.com

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Source: Tulsa World

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