MARTINSVILLE BULLETIN
Thursday, February 4, 2010
By JOHNNY BUCK - Bulletin Sports Editor
Martinsville Middle School wrestler Logan Turner won a state championship for the second straight year, headlining three other MMS wrestlers who placed in the top seven of their weight classes at the Virginia Challenge Middle School State Championships on Jan. 22-24 in Hampton.
Turner, an eighth grader who wrestles in the heavyweight division, beat two undefeated opponents on the way to the championship held at the Boo Williams Sports Complex. In the final round, Turner pinned his opponent in just 42 seconds.
“The competition was better, but I just had more technique than last year thanks to my coaches,” said Turner, who began wrestling just two years ago. Turner, the son of Laura and Paul Davidson and Steve Turner, spent his summer working out with Martinsville High School wrestling coach Patrick Shuler, “which helped a lot, because we did a lot of technique and conditioning to stay in shape.”
MMS head coach Alton Moore said Turner’s success was due in large part to the hard work he devotes to the sport.
“It’s very impressive. He had very tough competition there, and he just really out-wrestled everybody,” said Moore of Turner at the meet. “He knows what he’s doing. He eats and sleeps the sport.”
Cody Martin finished third at 160 pounds in the fifth-sixth grade division despite weighing just 142 pounds.
“My goal was just to place at states,” said Martin, the 12-year-old son of Richard and Teresa Martin.
Moore said the third-place finish was even more impressive considering the weight disadvantage that came with “wrestling up” one weight category.
“You’ve got to work harder. You’ve got to be smarter than your opponent, and you’ve just got to give all you’ve got,” said Moore. “And that’s what Cody does. When you’re giving up 12 pounds, you’re really an underdog, and Cody knew that, but he’s got the drive to win. He just doesn’t quit.”
Bradley Brown finished seventh in a field of 18 wrestlers in the 175-pound category, while Quan Law took seventh in a field of 26 in the 126-pound category.
Brown is the 13-year-old son of Pamela and Henry Bridges; Law is the 14-year-old son of Benjamin and Tonya Law Hairston.
Both wrestlers are eighth graders at MMS.
Brown and Law could make an immediate impact on Martinsville High School’s varsity team.
“They were both one match from placing in the medal rounds,” said Moore. “They’re two eighth graders who will be very stout for coach Shuler when they come up next year.”
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