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Starlight' shines on wrestling mat

Steve Green - London Free Press ( February 19, 2004)

ST. THOMAS , Ontario, CANADA -- Translated from Welsh, Seren Martin's first name means "starlight.'' The 18-year-old Grade 12 student at Woodstock Huron Park was certainly shining on the mats yesterday, winning the female outstanding wrestler award as well as the girls' 67.5-kilogram class at the WOSSAA championships at Central Elgin. Her actual day barely lasted two minutes. She pinned Jessica Moore of Beal in 47 seconds in her opener, then took less than 100 seconds to gain a superior (10-point) decision over Erenia Hernandez of CCH in the final to advance to the OFSAA meet March 1-3 in Windsor.

An OFSAA silver medallist last year at 64 kilograms, Martin admitted having only four in her weight class yesterday wasn't the best scenario as it's easier to stay ready when there are more bouts. There is an upside, though. "With matches that aren't that competitive, I get to work on things I haven't had a chance to. But you still have to be mentally prepared for every bout.''

Martin, a talented singer, was also the outstanding female wrestler at the TVRAA East meet last week. And while the 64-kilo class is often considered to have the best combination of strength and speed, Martin doesn't feel she's losing anything moving up a division. "I gained weight,'' she said matter of factly, "but I don't feel like I'm losing any speed. I've still felt adequate.'' Asked how she got into wrestling, she laughed and said: "I don't know. I tried out for volleyball in Grade 10 as well as wrestling. I chose wrestling because it was something new and I've always been aggressive. I always played with boys instead of girls when I was little.

Al Huras of Huron Park, who said he's more Martin's "mentor'' than coach as she gets most of her coaching at the London-Western and Tillsonburg clubs, knew Martin was going to be something special. "I saw her in Grade 9 in a phys ed class. We were doing a rope drill and all of a sudden there was this kid lowering herself from the ceiling head-first,'' he recalled. "I knew right then this was a kid we had to have on the wrestling team. "And she's one of the most delightful young ladies you'd ever want to meet.'' The OFSAA meet will be the first of two trips to Windsor in a month for Martin, who has also qualified for the juvenile nationals at 70 kilograms.

Last year, in Calgary, she got ill just before the nationals and won only one of three bouts -- breaking her nose in her only victory. She's determined for much better at both meets this time around. "I've had to work hard to get where I am and I need to keep up my training to go where I want to go,'' she said.

The top two in each weight class qualified for OFSAA, but if the second- and third-place finishers didn't meet, then third could challenge second for the OFSAA berth. There were 14 such challenges yesterday, with the third-place finisher winning just three, but one turned out not to be a challenge after all.

When Soloman Macys of Montcalm and John Hudson of Clarke Road squared off in the boys' 95-kilo challenge, they had just found out both would be going on anyway because the gold medallist, Beal's Caleb Plachta, wasn't. "I've got a lot of schoolwork to do getting ready for university,'' Plachta explained. It was an admirable -- and tough -- decision, one Hudson was grateful for after Macys came from 11-4 down to pin him. "Any way to get there,'' he said with a smile. "But I went to thank Caleb. For me to have a chance to go to OFSAA in my final year and for him to give up that chance . . . .''

Aquinas edged Clarke Road 122-115 for the boys' championship while CCH nipped Clarke Road 90-89 for the girls' crown. Ryan Stewart of St. Marys, the 72-kilogram winner, was named outstanding male wrestler.