Cass' Martin plans to play two sports at Manchester U.

Mar. 14—Lewis Cass senior Eli Martin is planning a rare double of playing football and wrestling at Manchester University.

He has excelled in both sports at Lewis Cass which has given him the opportunity to compete in both at the NCAA Division III school located in nearby North Manchester. He recently signed his national letter of intent to compete there in both sports.

"I think 7% of high school athletes go on to play one sport in college, I think there's 2% of high school athletes play two," Martin said. "I feel like playing two sports will help me stay focused on the schooling knowing that if I don't keep my grades up or do well in school that I won't be able to do either."

Martin, the son of Matthew and Melissa Martin of Galveston, plans to major in business at Manchester.

Martin was the Kings' leading tackler this past season with 84 tackles playing at inside linebacker. That's the position he was recruited to play at Manchester.

"I am very excited. It's a big sigh of relief knowing that I'm getting to put on the pads again and getting ready to hit. I'm very excited to play again," he said. "Their coach came in and recruited me at Lewis Cass. I liked the school campus a lot and it's close to home."

The Kings posted a second straight six-win season and a second straight winning season in their first year of playing in the Three Rivers Conference.

"I thought we had a really good season," Martin said. "Going into the new conference we saw some new competition this year, something that we haven't seen in many years. I feel like we performed to a decent level. Obviously it ended too early in the sectional but I feel like the program is on an upward slope."

Martin went 25-13 wrestling in the 215-pound weight class this winter. The Kings' wrestling team went 16-5 in the dual meet season with a young team overall.

Martin said he was surprised when he learned he had the opportunity to wrestle at Manchester as well.

"It was a shock to me that I get to wrestle there. I feel like I wrestled pretty well this season, made it to regionals for the first time," he said. "They caught me by surprise by allowing me to wrestle there."

Martin is closing out his high school athletic career as a thrower for the Lewis Cass boys track team this spring.