THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 22, 1996 TAG: 9602200075
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
MARTIN'S THE NAME, wrestling's his game and Granby's the school where he's gaining acclaim.
So a lot of people don't even wonder whether Chris Martin's bloodlines can be traced to legendary coach Bill Martin Sr., the man who led the Comets to 21 wrestling state titles from 1949-1970.
How, they figure, could they have come from anywhere else?
``I get that everywhere I go,'' the Comets senior said with a laugh. ``People tell me that all the time. But I've checked everything. I know we're not related.''
Consider it a mere coincidence, then, that Chris Martin is thrusting the school back on the state map 26 years after the legendary coach Martin stopped working his magic on Granby Street.
The 1995-96 season has been a renaissance year for the Comets. Last month, they clinched their first district title since 1971. And next week, Martin will try to become the Comets' first individual state champion since 1979 (155-pounder William Almond).
``(A state title) is all I've been thinking about all year,'' said Martin, a 145-pounder who finished second in the state at 135 last season. ``It's a bad feeling walking off the mat after you've lost the state final. I've been wanting to get back there ever since.''
Based on his season to date, it would be an upset should Martin fail to secure a coveted state crown. He is undefeated this season, has won three tournaments and is ranked No. 1 in the area. His closest match was a 12-3 major decision victory over Great Bridge's Stacy Woodhouse, the area's second-ranked wrestler.
``He's definitely one of the elite wrestlers in the state, no question about it,'' Granby coach John Cerminara said. ``I don't want to take anything away from Carl Perry (the Great Bridge 130-pounder ranked first in the nation by one publication), but Chris is definitely in his class.''
Also working in Martin's favor this year is the absence of wrestling nemesis Eric Thompson of Hampton. Thompson is the man who beat Martin in the Eastern Region and state finals last year in a pair of tense, riveting duels that weren't decided until the final seconds.
``He's my type of wrestler,'' Thompson said. ``A scrapper, not afraid of anything. The type of guy who'd rather beat the tar out of you than look at you.''
Martin and Thompson, who have met eight times in their high school careers, developed a friendship over the summer. And when Thompson elected to wrestle at 140 this year, leaving 145 to Martin, the speculation was that the two had decided to stop butting heads and clear the way for each to claim a state title.
Not so, according to Martin.
``A lot of people told us we should be in different classes, but I was going to wrestle where I was going to wrestle,'' he said. ``I definitely wasn't running from him.''
That Martin is in position for a state title at all is even more remarkable given that unlike most of the area's top wrestlers, he didn't start in the sport until his freshman year. During his days at Northside Middle School, Martin's preferences were baseball, football and basketball.
``My dad (Mike Martin, who was recruited by Bill Martin Sr. to wrestle for Granby in the late 1960s but chose to work instead) thought I'd be good at wrestling, but I kind of gave him the cold shoulder,'' Martin said. ``I just wasn't interested.''
Upon arriving at Granby, however, Martin's father convinced him to try wrestling. It didn't take long before Martin was overcome by the sport's charms.
``I just loved it,'' Martin said. ``The physicalness, the one-on-one aspect, it was all great. I've got this mean streak, and wrestling is a great way to get it out.''
Nor did it take then-coach James Lee long to recognize Martin as a prodigy.
``He had that tenacity about him,'' Lee said. ``Just hated to lose. And he was a sponge when it came to learning skills. I just knew he was going to be a good one.''
A junior-varsity 103-pounder that season, Martin was called up to wrestle varsity at 112 when the starter got sick before the Eastern District tournament. He placed fourth, then got pounded by defending state champion Bryan Miller of Kempsville in the first round of the regional tournament.
Lee said it may have been the single most significant match in Martin's development.
``It taught him that wrestling at that level takes a year-round commitment,'' Lee said.
Martin became a fixture on the summer tournament scene, wrestling up to 13 tournaments in the offseason. Last year, at a national tournament, he came within one match of earning All-America status.
Martin will take another crack at national honors this summer, then move on to Virginia Tech, where he's made a verbal commitment. First, however, there's still the matter of a Group AAA state title to take care of. Not wanting to jinx himself, Martin will offer no predictions.
His buddy Thompson feels bound by no such superstition.
``He's going to win it,'' Thompson said. ``We both will. There's no doubt in my mind.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Granby's Chris Martin controls Lake Taylor's Richard Quales during
one of his many victories this season, which Martin hopes will end
with a state title.
by CNB