"Play for Jake" at La Porte high school remembers Jake West, holds pregame ceremony

LA PORTE, Ind. -- It's been 13 years since La Porte high school 17-year-old Jake West went into a sudden cardiac arrest during football practice and tragically died.  

Two days later, la Porte was scheduled to take on Merrillville, and the game bringing chants of “play for jake” throughout the stadium.  

On September 25, 13 years removed from the tragedy, the same exact matchup took place along with a remembrance for West.  

It was a day carrying extra emotion for those with any affiliation with La Porte high school, especially for head football coach Austin Epple.  

“What I tell the boys is Jake was just like them,” Epple says. “He was a fun-loving kid – loved to come out, loved to play football, and he was an athlete. More importantly, he was a great human being.”  

A ceremony before the game saw each La Porte athlete place a carnation on the 26 yard-line for Jake West’s number 26.     

It was a day which past, present, and future members of the Slicer football organization will know as “play for jake”.