3 seasons, 3 state trips for Martin and Crabtree

PERKINS TWP. — It's time for another state tournament trip for Perkins, which means Braxden Martin and Travis Crabtree are ready to roll. Martin, a junior third baseman-pitcher for the Pirates, will be competing in his third OHSAA state-level event of the school year. Crabtree has been on the coaching staffs for all three. Last fall, Martin was a standout linebacker for Perkins' football team, which was the state runner-up in Division IV. Martin wrestled in the winter and concluded his season on the mats with a second straight All-Ohio podium finish. And now it's time for the baseball state tournament, which will put a bow on a long 2024-25 high school sports season. Perkins meets Indian Hill in a D-IV semifinal at 7 p.m. Friday in Canton. "Just nonstop, all year round," Martin said before a practice earlier this week. "It's been since I was young. I honestly know nothing else. The Lord has blessed me in many ways. I can't be any more thankful. I thank all my coaches, teammates, family members." Crabtree, an assistant football and baseball coach and Perkins' head wrestling coach, has been in Martin's corner at every turn. "It's been his whole high school career. He knows nothing else," Crabtree said of Martin's year-round sports bonanza. "Him and I have been part of nine straight conference championships. Then he's a two-time state-placer in wrestling and this year the team took third (at the state tournament) and we placed sixth at the state duals (sponsored by the state wrestling coaches association). "I don't know what other athlete can say they've done that in one season. He's been going straight for three years. It's a matter of managing his body. We talk about that all the time. I don't know how many ice baths he's taken. We talk about recovery, nutrition, sleep. He has to constantly work at, as active as he is." Martin is thankful for Crabtree's guidance. "It's amazing having him in my corner," Martin said. "I literally see him as another father. He does so much for me. Anything I need, he's always there. I really appreciate him a lot." Crabtree recently was named Division II coach of the year by the Northwest Ohio Wrestling Coaches Association. His son Drew pointed out the unusual state finals milestone for Crabtree and Martin. "I really didn't think about it until Drew said something last week," Crabtree said. "He asked me if there's ever been a coach who's coached in three or four state events in the same season. I told him I have no idea; I never think about that stuff. I go from one season to the other. "It kind of hit me when we won the (baseball) regional at Bowling Green. I'm blessed to work with the athletes we've been able to work with this year. It's been really fun. Now that I look back on it, to compete in four state events in one season, there are some coaches who don't get to do one in their career." Martin was the Pirates' second-leading tackler in football last fall with 158 stops. He also intercepted three passes to help Perkins finish the season with a 14-2 record. In wrestling, Martin placed fourth at 144 pounds in Division II at the state tournament in March. As a sophomore, he took sixth at 150 on an injured knee. "Braxden's been in our wrestling room since he's been in a diaper," Crabtree said. "He's always been around me and he's been part of the wrestling program. I've been fortunate to help coach him in football and baseball and be his head coach in wrestling." Martin has helped the Pirates' baseball team compile a 21-9 record this spring while advancing to the school's third final four. Perkins has never played in a state championship baseball game. Once baseball is finished, Martin will turn his attention to football. He checked in at 5-foot-8, 168 pounds when the football team checked in for summer drills earlier this week. Martin didn't hesitate when asked to name his favorite sport. "It changes every season, honestly," he said. "The season I'm in, I love it to death."