Walker Martinez headed to C-N, where Eagles dare
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Anderson County High School’s Walker Martinez sits with his family before signing to play football at Carson-Newman University. - Dwayne Wilder
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Senior Addison delCarmen (pictured) and doubles partner freshman Josie Moody won their match against the Lady Panthers of Powell last Wednesday, April 12 at Jaycee Park. The Lady Dragons tennis team won the night 8-1. - Dwayne Wilder
Walker Martinez will be an Eagle.
The quarterback for the 15-0 state champion Anderson County High School Mavericks and Mr. Football finalist will attend Carson-Newman University next fall.
“I was just trying to find a school that felt right,” Martinez said. “I talked with a lot of schools.
“I visited (Carson-Newman) during the season to watch a game, and then as it got closer, I visited again. It just felt personal. I felt like they really cared,” he said.
Martinez said he had “serious” talks with several other schools, but Carson-Newman was his focus.
He said he will red shirt his first year and work on getting bigger and stronger.
“They have some serious guys, some big guys,” he said.
He said his experience at Anderson County High School has been a key to future endeavors.
“Our (senior) class of players went through some adversity during our four years,” he said.
“Some seasons didn’t go as we wanted. We’ve faced injuries, but we always stuck together.”
Two games in his senior season — Rhea County and the regular-season game against Elizabethton — were a testament to the team.
They were come-from-behind wins that saw the Mavs grow in their belief in themselves.
“Even the state championship game, getting down 14-0, there was always a calm on our sidelines,” he said.
Martinez will major in business with a minor in sports management.