Grove City sports stellar RB duo
GROVE CITY — The sun beats down on Chris Clark and sweat rolls down his face.
Wearing a black jersey, the heat of the day soaks into him unrelentingly.
It's two-a-day time in high school football camp — a time not for the faint of heart. But Clark, a Grove City High School senior fullback, doesn't mind. To him, football camp is a breeze.
It sure beats his other job.
When Clark isn't tearing down defenses with his bulldog running style, he's tearing down heavy equipment at his family's business.
"This is fun for him," says Grove City football coach Jeff Bell. "The worst practice for him is probably better than most of the days he has at work."
Clark's father owns and operates Clark Enterprises, which repairs industrial equipment.
"He's come in with his arms all burnt up after he's been grinding, or welding or using a cutting torch," Bell said. "He's a hard worker. That's the great thing about him. He loves this game."
Clark grew up in the family business. One of his earliest memories is sitting on the lap of a truck driver pretending to drive the truck. The line of work is second nature to him.
So is the work ethic that goes along with it.
"Sometimes it seems like harder work at the shop than it is here," Clark said. "But if something is had, you just keep going and finish it. Most guys, five o'clock comes around, and it's quitting time — they're outta there. But dad kind of says to me you have another hour, spend the time to do it and get it done for tomorrow. What it takes is what it takes."
Clark has applied that to the football field, where his play mirrors the toughness of his family business.
Last season, as Grove City went 7-4 and won its first-round District 10 playoff game, Clark was the linchpin of the offense.With a bruising style and deceptive speed, he gained 1,374 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry.Clark has never met a tackler he didn't want to run over.That strength, he said, came from his work at the shop."I never used to lift very much," Clark said. "I got my strength through work. It's a good thing. I like to think I got my toughness working at the shop. I don't know where else I would have gotten it from if it wasn't from there."Clark isn't the only show in the Grove City running game this season.Dwayne Martin teamed up with Clark last season to form a dynamic rushing duo.Martin, now a junior, gained 705 yards on just 103 carries and scored nine times. He also caught 12 passes for 192 years and two scores.But there was a time last season when Martin didn't enjoy his role as part-time ballcarrier. He was jealous of Clark."At the beginning of the season, it stunk," Martin said. "I thought it stunk. I started off last season being kind of selfish, then I realized for us to be successful, this is the way it is going to be. When I get the ball, I'll make the most of my opportunity.He still kind of is jealous of his running mate."When I watch Clark run, sometimes, I'm jealous of how he runs over people," Martin said. "I wish I could do that. I think if you put the two of us together, with him plowing people over and me juking people with speed, we'd be the perfect back."Martin is looking for big things.He wants a 1,000-yard season and a trip to the state playoffs. Bell is planning to use Martin in a variety of positions this season to try to get the speedy back in mismatches with the opposing defense.Martin doesn't care where he lines up."I love getting the ball," Martin added, smiling as wide as some of the holes he ran through last season.ButGrove City lost Josh Woods and Nate Yarian, two of its mainstays on the line, to graduation. How quickly replacements are found for them will dictate just how much havoc Clark and Martin can wreak this season."When we get the linemen squared away, we'll be OK," Clark said.
