THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 12, 1996 TAG: 9601100187
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
Matt Viola says he can't wait for it to start. Chris Viola says he's been looking forward to it for months.
But no one is more excited about the Virginia Duals than Sam and Darlene Viola, who will be watching both of their sons in action in the same wrestling tournament for the first time.
``I just wish it was a two-week tournament instead of a two-day tournament,'' Darlene Viola said. ``I'm not going to want this to end.''
Chris, a state champion at Western Branch two years ago, is now a redshirt freshman at Michigan and will represent the Wolverines in the Duals' college tournament. Matt, a Western Branch sophomore, will lead the Bruins in the second annual National Invitational high school tournament.
The combination - one wrestling in college, the other in high school - is believed to be a first in the 16-year history of the Duals.
``It's rather interesting,'' said Matt, 15, who has won 18 of his first 19 matches as the Bruins' 103-pounder. ``We used to wrestle a little bit around the house, but nothing really serious. This will be the first time we've wrestled together in the same gym.''
Chris, who handed Great Bridge's Carl Perry his last high school loss in the 1994 Group AAA state 119-pound final, is just getting back into action for the Wolverines after being sidelined with a knee injury in November. He'll bring an 8-4 record into the Duals.
Chris used the injury layoff to focus on his schoolwork. The result: a 3.5 GPA last semester. Matt is an honor roll student at Western Branch. Chris also got a chance to return to Chesapeake and watch Matt in action. The older Viola came away impressed.
``Seems like he's got his head on straight,'' said Matt, who fought a perpetual battle with the scales through most of his high school career. ``That's something I lacked when I was his age.''
The two also have distinctly different personalities which, according to Darlene Viola, should be evident to anyone who's seen them wrestle.
``Chris has always been very, very aggressive, ever since he was little,'' she said. ``Matt, he's just so laid back, but somehow he gets it done.''
Lately, however, Matt has shown signs of coming out of his shell. Last month, he shocked his mother by shaving his hair into a Mohawk. Last week, he surprised her again by dying his hair blond. When asked why, Matt replied, ``Blonds have more fun.''
``I don't know what happened,'' Darlene Viola said. ``He's always been the quiet one.'' by CNB