By: Andrew E.Gasber
As we continue to cover the Legends of the OAC we move on to one of the absolute most dominating wrestlers to ever come through Ohio. We have covered the Stiebers, Chris Phillips, and many others but we have not yet covered “Felipe Martinez”. This is a name that I will always remember. Felipe and his family traveled around the country with many of us going to Tulsa, Reno and many other tournaments. They were just part of the crew. Originally from the Northwest Ohio Region Felipe Martinez dominated the mats from a young age. This kid loved the big moves, he loved to score and rack up the points. He was beating kids that were sometimes 4 years older than he. He was just that good. When it comes to his first state title at the OAC Jr.High State Tournament he defeated an eighth-grader in the finals. Not just any eighth grader either.
2006 108lbs Jr.High State TournamentFelipe Martinez came into the tournament having only wrestled 12 matches this season. He was of course a perfect 12-0 at that. He was at the very top of the bracket and was the district champion from the “Southwest” qualifier. His first match was against an eighth-grader, “Colton May” who had a record of 35-4. Felipe made quick work of his first match-winning by tech fall 17-2. He then moved on into the bracket where he would wrestle the next opponent, Eric Wolfe who was fourth out of the central qualifier. Yet another tech fall for Felipe, this time it was 19-1 and yet another eighth-grade victim to a sixth-grader. Into the quarter-finals for Felipe, he would then face Chadwick Sonnenberg whom he would major decision 12-0. As he traveled through the bracket one might think that he may run into some tougher competition along the way. However, when it came time for the semi-finals match to decide who would be wrestling for the title, Felipe went on to secure another tech fall victory 16-0! This would set up a finals match between two of the best athletes to ever come off of the mat in the state of Ohio. Felipe Martinez VS. an eighth grade “Cody Garbrandt”. Yes, the Cody Garbrandt that once held the UFC Bantamweight Title. The Cody Garbrandt that won a state title as a freshman in high school. Felipe was in the Sixth grade and Cody in eighth. One might think that this would be where Felipe runs into trouble. Cody, being extremely gifted athletically and Felipe being a super sound and fundamental wrestler. This would make for an exciting match. The final score ended up being 4-2 in favor of Felipe. Cody finished runner-up to a sixth-grader. However, Felipe is not your average sixth-grader. He was on a similar field as Chris Phillips. Just so technically sound for such a young age. So dominant that it didn’t matter the opponent’s age. Felipe just knew how to win the big matches and when it mattered most. The third-place match featured two other future state champions in Jerome Robinson and Waquiem Comer. Comer eventually winning a state title in high school over Dave Habat and Jerome winning two state titles for St.Ignatius. The fifth-place match was between Dylan Ice and Troy Henderson. Seventh was between future state placer from North Royalton Frankie Calarco and Chadwick Sonnenberg. A tough weight for sure, let alone for a sixth-grader to win!
108 2006
1.Felipe Martinez
2.Cody Garbrandt
3.Jerome Robinson
4.Waquiem Comer
5.Dylan Ice
6.Troy Henderson
7.Chadwick Sonnenberg
8.Frankie Calarco
2006 Bracket Results
2007 120lbs OAC Jr.High State Championships
In 2007, Felipe would be up in weight, en route to his second of three State Titles in the OAC. This time wrestling at 120 pounds. Felipe’s closest match of this tournament would be of a score of 13-3 against a tough James Klosz of Parma. Other than that Felipe Tech Failed and Pinned his way to a title this year. In fact, in the finals, he pinned his opponent, Kyle McIntyre in just 0:39 seconds. The semi-finals had featured Felipe against Joel Lehman and Felipe made that look easy. He finished that match 28-9! Have you ever seen a semi-finals State Championship match where a wrestler scores 28 points in folkstyle? That is absurd! Hardly ever will you see a scoreboard run so high. That is why I said, Felipe Martinez loved the big moves, he loved to get the crowd going and put on a show. He was never disappointed when he stepped out onto the mat. This weight class featured plenty of tough wrestlers. Including Matthew Fee of Lake Catholic. Fee would go on to become a multiple-time state placer in high school and then on to Ohio State to wrestle in College. The third-place bout at this weight though was between Joel Lehman and Johnny Carpenter. The fifth-place bout was between James Klosz and Matt Fee. Seventh place was with Joseph Donley and Jeremy Hoppe. Can you imagine coming into a tournament knowing that you were most likely going to pin or tech your way through the State Championship? Felipe knew this, he was just so good. He knew he would dismantle every wrestler on his way to a State Title. This was just what he did. He had been doing it for so long at this point. It was expected.
2007 120lbs
1.Felipe Martinez
2.Kyle McIntyre
3.Joel Lehman
4.Johnny Carpenter
5.James Klosz
6.Matthew Fee
7.Joseph Donely
8. Jeremy Hoppe
2007 Bracket Results
2008 132 lbs Jr.High State ChampionshipsAs with any eighth grader getting ready to finish their Jr.High years there is always the wondering question of, “Where will they be attending High School”? For Felipe Martinez it was pretty certain that he would end up wrestling for St.Paris Graham High School in Urbana Ohio. He had been wrestling and training with “Team Jordan” since his youth years and middle school. He was certainly ready to be wrestling High Schoolers even as a young middle schooler. He was quite capable just like Chris Phillips of winning a High School State Title as an eighth-grader. Maybe even as a seventh-grader! As it came time for the OAC Jr.High State Tournament, Felipe had actually entered the tournament with a 41-2 record. I would really like to know who those two losses were to that year. He was up at 132 pounds for his last middle school state tournament. Felipe stormed his way to his third Jr.High State Finals match. He pinned every opponent in under a minute up until the semi-final bout, where he pinned Lucas Poyser in 2:03. Still impressive. He would enter the finals against a tough opponent from Twinsburg, Michael Baker. Michael Baker would go on to win a state title in high school also for the Twinsburg Tigers. At this point in time of the Jr. High State Tournament, it did not matter what weight class, the weights were all tough! Again, a single-division state tournament. Doesn’t get much tougher than that. For a wrestler to pin his way through to the finals is jaw-dropping to most. For Felipe, it was just another day at the office. Felipe ended up winning his third consecutive OAC Jr.High State Tournament by a score of 7-1 , over Baker. In fact, Felipe walked away from the tournament as the “Most Valuable Wrestler”. An award handed out to the most outstanding wrestler. Rightfully so too, as he had just won his third in a row ! The third place bout was between Lucas Poyser and Conor Driscoll. The fifth place bout was between Colton Martin, and Dymonte Thomas. The seventh-place match would be between, Tyler Hardin and Bradley Ponchak. I think most wrestling fans in Ohio knew or at least had a solid guess that Felipe would go on to become another “OHSAA” 4X State Champion for St.Paris Graham! However, he would go on to 3 state titles in High School. He did win 2 for Graham but his last state title in fact was won for Genoa High School, a Division III school in Northwest Ohio. This is where Felipe is originally from. I have never to this day still seen someone as dominant as a freshman in high school like Felipe Martinez. In fact he defeated one of my good friends “Jake Vaughan” Of Columbus Desales. Jake was the projected State Champion and Felipe just a freshman. He went out and beat Jake and ended up winning State as a freshman for Graham. I remember Jake being shocked and just outright disappointed that he had lost to a freshman. Nothing to hang his head over though because that freshman he lost to was one of the best to ever step on the mat in our state! Felipe now resides out west in Nevada, working on a clothing line brand called “Veggie Kids”. Not 100% if he still has anything to do with the wrestling community or not. However a little fun fact is that Felipe is the cousin of “Zach Bogle”. Zach is the owner and founder of “Stalemates Show” Podcast out of Iowa.
2008 132lbs
1.Felipe Martinez
2.Michael Baker
3.Lucas Poyser
4.Conor Driscoll
5.Colton Martin
6.Dymonte Thomas
7.Tyler Hardin
8.Bradley Ponchak
2008 Bracket Results
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