THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 3, 1995 TAG: 9503010223
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, CLIPPER SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
THERE ARE FEW things in life you can be sure of. But Carl Perry's dominance of area wrestling seems to be one of them.
Thirty-nine times this season, Perry has left the mat with a victory. Thus far the Great Bridge junior, who wrestles at 125, has yet to experience defeat, and he's the odds-on favorite going into today's first round of the state tournament.
Some of those wins have been workmanlike efforts - Perry is nothing if not efficient. Others have been singular examples of wrestling at it's finest, like Perry's 16-8 romp over McEachern's Todd Lambert, a three-time Georgia state champion who hadn't lost in 118 matches, in the Virginia Duals.
``The good Lord blessed me with a little bit of athletic ability,'' said Perry modestly.
A lifelong Great Bridge resident, Perry took up wrestling in the summer before fourth grade after seeing his older brother take up the sport, and he ``enjoyed it right from the get-go.''
Perry also was successful right from the beginning. At Great Bridge Middle School, he claimed two city titles. As a seventh-grader in 1990-91, Perry won the 92-pound title; the following year he moved up and won the 108-pound title.
His winning ways continued in high school. As a freshman, Perry placed third in the state at 119 and finished 27-4. In his sophomore year, he advanced to the state final in the 119-pound weight class, where he met rival Chris Viola of Western Branch.
Viola and Perry battled five times that season. Perry won during the Great Bridge/Western Branch dual meet, but Viola came out on top in the district, region and state finals.
``He's a tough kid, and he beat me when it counted most,'' Perry said. But Perry hasn't lost since.
``Being undefeated was one of my goals (this season),'' he said. Although there has yet to be an opponent who could beat him, the best may be yet to come.
``I don't know if I've wrestled up to my potential yet . . . but then again, I'm never going to be satisfied with anything. Being undefeated is nice, but it's just a record,'' Perry said. ``Anyone can get beat at any time.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by JOSEPH JOHN KOTLOWSKI
Carl Perry of Great Bridge High puts a hold on Jeffery Bernd of
First Colonial. Perry went on to win the match 20-5.
by CNB