Record-setting Raider recognized

Jul. 27—There's an old adage, "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard." Throughout his high school career, Mount Ayr's Jaixen Frost has been a dominant force in three sports, and it's evident he was born with the talent, but also hones his craft daily.

His standout performance in football, basketball and baseball earned him the 2023 South Central Iowa Male Athlete of the Year title, selected by three area newspapers.

The honor was created in 2013 as a joint venture by the Creston News Advertiser and Osceola Sentinel Tribune. Since then a third Shaw Media newspaper, the Adair County Free Press, has joined in the collaborative effort to honor the region's outstanding graduating male and female senior athletes.

The other four finalists this year in a strong field of contenders from the class of 2023 are Isaac Grundman of Lenox, Boston DeVault of Nodaway Valley, Jaydon Knight of Mount Ayr and Keigan Kitzman of Lenox.

Frost is the third Mount Ayr male athlete to win the award after Jacob Sobotka in 2014 and John Shields in 2019.

Now at the University of Iowa, Frost is readying for his first season playing NCAA Division I baseball.

Basketball

"I think you can go through 20 plus years of coaching, and very rarely do you see a kid like Jaixen," basketball coach Bret Ruggles said. "He's a natural talent in so many sports. You'll see it for a single, but very rarely across the board."

His senior season, Frost had nearly one-third of the Raiders's points with 540. He also led the team in nearly all statistics including threes (48), free-throw percentage (83.9%), assists (112), rebounds (172) and steals (79).

"Besides his talent, it's just his demeanor," Ruggles said. "A lot of guys can have that success and talent, but he's also a very humble young man, very solid. What impressed me most coaching him was game knowledge. He's a young man understands the game of football, the game of basketball, the game of baseball."

His junior year, Frost tied the single-game scoring record with 38 points against Seymour. The record was set by Lance Brown in the 2005-2006 season against Clarinda Academy.

Almost one year to the date, Frost faced Seymour again. This time, he would come away with the school record.

"I knew bigger games were coming up, and I was trying to get our chemistry down as a team," Frost recalled. " I had been drilling a couple shots from the outside, trying to help out my teammates, and next thing you know I had 32 or 34 points."

The Raiders were in a great position, and knowing Frost was coming up on the end of his career, they wanted him to have a shot at the record.

"Coach (Jeff) Levine took him aside and said you've got about two minutes here and you need this much," Ruggles said. "You're that close."

In true Frost fashion, three of his four next possessions were assists to his teammates. Still, he found a way to put up 41 points to take the record and single-handedly outscore their opponents in the 84-37 victory.

"It is a great accomplishment and achievement," Frost said. "I wasn't shooting for any records, I was just playing basketball. I wanted to be a good role model. I was never chasing the records, if they came they came."

Only a month later, Frost earned the all-time scoring title for the Raiders. His 1,794 holds that record while he also holds the all-time free throws made record (297) and free throw percentage record (84%).

Though basketball wasn't the sport that captured his love, it's always been about family for him. "It's just a sport that me and my family bond over," Frost said. "My grandma played in Diagonal, and she holds records there. My mom played in Mount Ayr, and she holds records there." His mom went on to play at Graceland University.

His freshman season, Frost played with his cousin Dawson as they made it to the substate game. "I just really looked up to him," Frost said.

Football

"I tell you what, you would never know he is as talented as he is," football coach Ryan Victor said. "He's great to everybody."

Last season, Frost complete 94-153 passes for 1,425 yards and 15 touchdowns, throwing only five interceptions.

Though he finished his career as one of Mount Ayr's greats, his first varsity snap didn't go as planned.

"My freshman year, I was taking stats for the main quarterback when he came out with a hip injury," Frost said. "My first ever snap, I fumbled it off my shoulder pads. It didn't make it five feet. That was definitely my most embarrassing moment in my high school career."

From there, he turned things around, becoming the starting varsity quarterback his sophomore year.

"He's just your normal kid, but when you see him in athletics, you see what God blessed him with," Victor said. "He doesn't rely on it. He works on his craft. That's the reason he's in the position he's in today."

In Victor's first win as Mount Ayr's coach, Frost led the team on a game-winning drive with only seconds left against Central Decatur.

"His highlight film would be about a 35 minute tape," Victor said. "He's pretty special at that position, and I'm pretty grateful to coach a kid like that."

Baseball

There's no doubt Frost excels in all of his sports, but only one is his true passion.

"It's hard work for sure," Frost said. "There's days that I don't want to go hit balls, but at the same time you have to put it in to get it done."

Despite being walked 26 times, Frost still managed a .628 batting average when he was able to hit.

"All the people who walked him and pitched around him, for him to hold his composure and bat what he does stands out to me as the type of player he is and speaks to his mental toughness," baseball coach Colt Thompson said. "He's just a competitor. He wants to win, wants to have fun. He knows he's going to have to work hard."

Frost's 30 runs, six home runs and 17 stolen bases led the Raiders this year, but the highlight was against Bedford. After being intentionally walked four times, the bases were loaded in extra innings and Frost was at the plate.

"They chose to pitch to him," Thompson said. "I think it went 450 feet over the fence."

Primarily shortstop, Frost had seven assists and 49 put outs on 61 attempts. He also pitched, leading the team in strikeouts with 40.

"He's a tremendous baseball player, and an even better kid really," Thompson said. "He's done stuff for our youth. Just aside from his athletic ability, he's a tremendous person and great leader."

Iowa

Frost has been in touch with the Iowa baseball coach for years now, waiting for his chance to be on the team.

"We always grew up as Hawkeye fans, die hard black and gold," Frost said. "Quite a few schools that reached out, but it was Iowa all the way."

In talking with one of their baseball players, he received a piece of advice he's always held on to.

"He told me there's nothing like playing for your home state," Frost recalled. "This kid told me he could have played anywhere he wanted to, but he wanted to play for his home state."

Though he's played shortstop, pitcher and even catcher, he has no preference with the Hawkeyes.

"Honestly, I don't really care," he said. "If they need me on the bench for water, I'm OK with that. I'm glad to be there and happy to play."