Wrestling: Martinez Departs Thursday for Iowa’S Waldorf University by Todd Forrest to Them
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PageAugust 3B THE 19, NORTH 2020 THEGEORGIA NORTH NEWS GEORGIA August NEWS 19, 2020 Page 3B Wrestling: Martinez departs Thursday for Iowa’s Waldorf University By Todd Forrest to them. Sports Editor “I also want to thank [email protected] my family, my friends and my teammates. They helped make this decision a lot easier with The proverb “all things all of their support and encour- come to those that wait” per- agement.” fectly describes the wrestling Before getting contacted career of recent Union County by Waldorf, the only school graduate Cristian Martinez. Martinez considered was Bene- With his college plans dictine College in Kansas. still up in the air as recently as “I was planning on going a month ago, Martinez never to Benedictine for the spring lost faith. Finally, in early July semester but everything worked he got the news he was hoping out and Waldorf was just a better for when Waldorf University in opportunity.” Forest City, Iowa made an offer Martinez is scheduled to he couldn’t refuse. leave for Iowa on Thursday. And “They sent a letter to let despite not having much time me know they wanted me to to contemplate his decision, wrestle for them,” Martinez said he immediately bonded with during an interview last week. the head coach, Murie Tomke, “So I’ve only been committed which helped expedite his col- for about a month.” lege decision. Patience has been a virtue “I’ve frequently been in for Martinez ever since he hit the contact with the coach and he’s mat five years ago. just an all-around amazing guy,” While other kids began Martinez said. “He’s helped me grappling at a younger age, Mar- out with everything, answered tinez wasn’t drawn to the sport L-R: Union County’s Cristian Martinez as a junior during the 2018-19 season and as a senior at last December’s Senior Night. Photos/Todd Forrest all my questions and is just an until eighth grade. And after the next level.” physically to be a college wres- and puts him among the upper- but he’s a leader and one of the awesome guy.” three years of cutting his teeth, According to Union tler, but he has the work ethic echelon of wrestlers.” best young men that I’ve ever One drawback to the late things finally started to click. County wrestling coach Justin that you need at that level.” During his senior year, had the pleasure of coaching. I offer was the inability to visit As a junior, the 182- Byers, he looks back at Marti- Coach Byers was also Martinez suffered an upset know he’s going to go on and do the campus. However, Martinez pounder had an epiphany - real- nez’s 11th grade year as when quick to acknowledge that his loss during the State Sectionals great things.” has seen pictures and was im- izing he’d found his calling and he turned the corner. physicality and a nose-to-the- to a wrestler he had defeated Martinez also had plenty mediately drawn to Waldorf’s that it could potentially be his “We had high expecta- grindstone approach aren’t the earlier in the season. But how of praise for his coaches, who small campus. ticket to higher education. tions for him during his junior only qualities Martinez brings he responded to the setback help mold him from an inex- “I don’t mind that at all,” “I definitely remember year,” he said. “But we always to the mat. confirmed Byers’ faith in Mar- perienced eighth grader into a he said. “I actually prefer a when that happened,” Martinez knew he had potential because “He’s a very methodical tinez and his readiness for the college athlete. smaller learning environment. said. “It was during my junior of his impeccable work ethic. competitor,” Byers added. “It next level. “Coach Byers and Coach It’s also just a beautiful campus year and I had a lot of influ- He would get up and run 4-5 often seemed like he was play- “It was a heartbreaking (Michael) Smith-Foot taught me right in the middle of town.” ence from my coaches. They miles everyday. He was always ing a chess match with his op- defeat and I was worried,” By- pretty much everything I know,” The North Georgia News believed in me and told me that in the weight room and anytime ponents. He was always aware ers said. “But he bounced back he said. “They were right there would like to congratulate Cris- I need to keep this up and make we rolled out the mats he was of the points and the clock, espe- and that’s very important as a with me on my journey and tian and wish him all the best in (wrestling) a priority because I constantly there working. Not cially if he was ahead. I believe college wrestler. He might not helped me become a better the future. was good enough to take it to only does he have what it takes that is what really separates him be a vocal, rah-rah type of guy wrestler. All of the credit goes Union County Softball Stats NASCAR 2020 By Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter Elliott Gets Daytona Road Course Win DAYTONA BEACH, FL - Chase Elliott held off Denny Ham- lin for his third road course win in a row. It was his eighth career Cup Series victory and the second of this season. He led 3 times for 34 of the 65 lap Inaugural Daytona Road Course, and crossed the fin- ish line .202-seconds in front of Hamlin. Elliott, who also won Stage 1, had a lead of 9 or more seconds for much of the final 18 laps. A late race caution caused by Kyle Busch set up the three lap shootout. “I don’t think I did anything special today,” Elliott said. “I had a phenomenal car. I have to thank my crew and all the fans. Really fortunate from that standpoint. Had a good week of preparation and came out and really executed on the race. “Any win at Daytona is spe- cial. (Crew chief) Alan (Gustafson) and I were joking that we had to Elliott Gets Daytona Road Course Win change it to a road course to win at Cindric-830, 2. Briscoe-782, 3. tor. Daytona. … Just a great day.” Gragson-740, 4. Chastain-709, 5. “I’ve probably been in the While the finish might H. Burton-645, 6. Haley-637, 7. simulator five or six hours prac- have looked close, Hamlin never Allgaier-633, 8. Annett-567, 9.B. ticing the Daytona road course,” reached a point where he could at- Jones-561, 10. Herbst-462. Custer said. “We’ve obviously had tempt a pass on Elliott in the last Here are the results of Sun- to sort through some stuff to get three laps. day’s Truck Series race at Day- it as realistic as we think we can. “I kept him honest there,” tona: 1. Sheldon Creed, 2. Brett From there, it’s trying to get me Hamlin said. “He had such good Moffitt, 3. Raphael Lessard, 4. better and there’s a lot of stuff to drive off the corners, I couldn’t do Matt Crafton, 5. Austin Hill, 6. work through because we haven’t anything with him.” Tyler Ankrum, 7. Grant Enfinger, been there in these Cup cars. We’re Martin Truex Jr. finished 8. Parker Kligerman, 9. Scott La- trying to make sure we are close on third, while Jimmie Johnson was gasse Jr. 10. Stewart Friesen. the car, and making sure I’m driv- fourth and Chris Buescher fifth. Top 10 points leaders: 1. ing it how I need to. There’s a lot of Clint Bowyer, Kaz Grala, William Hill-476, 2. Moffitt-422, 3. Smith- stuff to be done since we are going Byron, Joey Logano, and Michael 417, 4. Rhodes-413, 5. Eckes-412, to a brand new track layout and we McDowell rounded out the top 6. Creed-399, 7. Crafton-375, 8. need to make sure we’ve hit every- 10. Enfinger-366, 9. Ankrum-343, 10. thing so we are 100 percent when Austin Dillon had tested Gilliland-340. we show up.” positive for the coronavirus and MCDOWELL IMPROVING There are three races left was replaced in the No. 3 Richard HIS PERFORMANCE in the regular season before the Childress Chevrolet by Kaz Grala, Michael McDowell, driver playoffs start Sept. 6 at Darlington Georgia High School Association Football update who finished seventh. of the No. 34 Front Row Motor- (S.C.) Raceway, and Custer’s win Points leader and polesitter sports Ford has shown a lot of im- at Kentucky earned him one of the By Todd Forrest Kevin Harvick had two spin outs. provement over the month of July. coveted 16 playoff spots. Sports Editor The first one came during lap 37 “It’s one thing to run up His teammate Kevin Har- [email protected] and several other cars were in- front, then kinda fall off the map vick also owns a playoff spot after volved. The second one was on lap again, and be kinda stuck in the six wins this season. Thomaston - A week 44. He lost one lap, but was able to mid-20s,” said McDowell. “But Racing Joke: Alex was at- after canceling all high school get a 17th place finish. I just feel like now we’re consis- tending a cocktail party when a football scrimmage games, the Kyle Busch had a rough tently in the teens every race.