THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 14, 1996 TAG: 9602140097
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: ATHLETES OF THE WEEK Final
SOURCE: BY REA FARMER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
Six times Mark Kelley had stepped on the mat to face Josh Raper. Six times he had lost.
But the Cape Henry sophomore wrestler had been waiting for this moment. With the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools 145-pound title on the line, Kelley felt his time had come.
``At first, I was kind of intimidated,'' Kelley said of his seventh appearance against Raper. ``Once the match started, I just kind of forgot about it. I was concentrating on what I was doing.''
Kelley finally beat Raper 7-5 last Wednesday to win the TCIS title. For his efforts, Kelley was selected as The Virginian-Pilot male Athlete of the Week.
``It was the best feeling,'' said Kelley, who ran his record to 25-6 with the win. ``I finally beat him when everybody thought he was unbeatable.''
Adding to the aura surrounding the match was Raper's dominance over Cape Henry wrestlers. The Norfolk Academy junior was shooting for a record fifth TCIS title. All had been won at the expense of Dolphins wrestlers.
Nick Gomez. Brent Matson. Ed Calle. Mark Kelley. All Raper victims.
``We kind of developed a team rivalry against him,'' Kelley said. ``I wrestled him four times last year and each match was really close.''
Last year, Kelley and Raper clashed in the first round of the TCIS tournament. Kelley separated his shoulder during the match.
``That made it personal,'' he said.
In preseason training, Kelley, one of three brothers wrestling for Cape Henry, had one thought - avenging the Dolphins.
Kelley and Raper met twice in the Portsmouth Christian Invitational and Kelley lost each time. But he was closing in.
``Every match he just kind of squeaked by,'' Kelley said. ``We've worked on facing him in practice the past couple of weeks. Then I just went out there and beat him.''
The two may see each other again at the Virginia Independent Schools state meet next weekend. Kelley could well face him again next season. But it won't be the same. For Kelley, the legend of Raper and the Dolphins has ended.
``Yeah, I look at him differently because I beat him,'' Kelley said. ``Now it's not so impossible. That's the difference. I know I can do it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Mark Kelley
by CNB