By Pat Murray
NIAGARA FALLS — With apologies to Harry S. Truman, Niagara Falls High School wrestling coach Israel Martinez is hoping his Buck doesn’t stop for a long time to come.
Irvin Buck has already become a force for the Wolverines, posting nearly 40 career wins at the varsity level. Pretty darn impressive for a kid who is just an eighth-grader.
“He’s one of those mat rats,” Martinez said of Buck. “He just loves to wrestle.”
Buck started wrestling at the tender age of 4, but it didn’t take long for him to become a dominant force on the mat. Buck posted more than 200 victories during his youth wrestling career with the Niagara Falls Powercats Wrestling Club.
“I didn’t know what to expect when I first went out for wrestling,” Buck said. “I thought it was going to be like pro wrestling, but it’s a lot different.”
Buck won 24 matches as a seventh-grader last season, competing at 103 pounds. This year, he already has 13 wins at 119 pounds, which is considered to be one of the toughest classes in Section VI this year.
“He’s going toe-to-toe with upperclassmen and holding his own,” Martinez said. “He’s going to go after you. He wants to mix it up. He’s not scared of anybody.”
Buck considers the strongest part of his game is being down.
“I’m pretty good at getting reversals,” he said. “I always try to get those two points.”
Buck is also in tremendous shape. It didn’t hurt that he ran cross country for the Wolverines, another team coached by Martinez.
“He missed qualifying for the sectionals by one place,” Martinez said. “He’s got great endurance. He can run stairs all day long.”
And even though he’s only an eighth grader, Buck has already become a team leader.
“He’s got leadership ability,” Martinez said. “You can just see it in him. He knows what his job is on this team.”
Martinez is very content knowing that Buck will be in the lineup for the foreseeable future.
“An Irvin Buck comes around once every 15 years,” Martinez said. “He’s someone very special.”
Contact Pat Murray at 282-2311, Ext. 2258.
