With a family legacy to uphold, Meadows freshman poises a double threat

By Christopher Drexel

Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008 | 10:34 p.m.

Most high school athletes graduate without winning a state championship.

But Gerard Martinez captured one in his first semester, starting as a freshman quarterback for The Meadows football team, which captured the 2A crown last month.

Now, with the basketball season a few weeks old, the 14-year-old hopes to win another title.

A basketball championship, however, might have more significance considering his family's history on the hardwood at the school. The Meadows captured four straight crowns from 2004 to 2007 with a Martinez on the roster of all four teams.

Martinez passed for more than 2,000 yards this fall to lead the Mustangs to a 46-30 victory against Pershing County in the championship game.

"The last two years I was mostly just preparing for football — lifting, working on my skills, footwork," Martinez said. "I wanted to do everything I could to put myself in a position to start as a freshman. It took a lot of hard work."

During the preparation to be the varsity quarterback, Martinez temporarily gave up basketball, a sport he had played since fourth grade. He last played organized basketball as a seventh grader.

But with a football title under his belt, Martinez figured the time was right to return to basketball. He has already earned a starting spot at forward for The Meadows' varsity basketball team.

"He's more of a football player than a basketball player, not as polished as some of our other basketball kids," basketball coach Gary Hannig said. "But at our school the better athletes tend to play on varsity. He's been a great defender, a great rebounder for us. And he's a slasher-type guy on offense who also runs the break well."

Martinez is the latest in a line of brothers who have played at The Meadows. First there was Michael Martinez, who graduated in 2007 and won four straight basketball titles. A middle brother, Richard Martinez, is currently a senior and starts at center.

Athleticism runs in the family as the brothers' uncle is former NBA player Keith Van Horn.

Richard Martinez wasn't surprised his younger brother started at quarterback as a freshman, nor that he made the varsity basketball team after not playing for two years.

"No, I see him working everyday," Richard Martinez said. "I knew he had it in him all the way. I've seen him play since he was in middle school, and I knew he could compete with these guys. He's as smart as anyone on the team."

Gerard Martinez knew his top sport would be football since he won a flag football championship as a fifth grader playing on a team full of eighth graders. He even beat out Richard Martinez for The Meadows' quarterback spot this fall. Richard Martinez moved to tight end.

While Gerard Martinez got the better of the quarterback battle, he looked to his older brother for help since joining the basketball team.

"He's my older brother, and I look up to him," Gerard Martinez said. "He always provides me with encouragement. It kind of felt a little awkward holding a basketball in my hand for a while, but I'm starting to get used to it again."

Gerard Martinez said another reason he joined basketball is to stay in shape and stay competitive for the next football season. Then, he hopes to win the second of a possible four state championships as a starting quarterback.

"Last year is last year already," he said. "Now I have to forget about it and take it as a learning experience. It's definitely motivating me. I know to win another championship I have to do everything I did last offseason even harder."

Christopher Drexel can be reached at 990-8929 or [email protected].