Ben Grisz won't wrestle anymore.

St. Mark's three-time Oklahoma Open and four-time Texas Prep State Wrestling Tournament champion will attend Duke next fall on a baseball scholarship.

"I loved this sport of wrestling," he said. "I'm going to miss it."

Ben Grisz

The week before last month's National Prep Championships, Grisz realized he'd soon be competing for the last time after having wrestled since he was 5.

"It made me work harder and appreciate it more," he said. "It was depressing."

Grisz couldn't close out his career without reaching the missing piece in his incredible resume, a National Prep title. He finished second last season and third two years ago.

"I came so close so many times that it really got to be something I wanted even more," he said. "And when I finally got it, it was a very monumental achievement."

He took a minute and 43 seconds to pin his opponent in the final. Two days later, Grisz began playing baseball without going through a single practice.

Grisz – who is a pitcher, an outfielder and third baseman – wants to play pro baseball.

But Grisz leaves wrestling with countless memories, from his trip to Russia in the seventh grade to competing at the Cadet and Junior National Championships in Fargo, N.D., in 2006.

And although he won't be wrestling in college, Grisz said the sport made him tougher, more disciplined and thirsty for more success.

That's why the wrestler inside of him won't go away, he said.

"It's going to be there," Grisz said. "It's going to be with me as long as I live."

Notable: Grisz (48-0) won the 2008 Prep Nationals after finishing second and third the previous two years. He became the only Texas wrestler to win the Oklahoma Open three times in a row, and he was fifth at the 2006 Cadet and Junior National Championships in Fargo, N.D.

Did you know? Baseball America considered Grisz one of the top 100 high school prospects.

FRISCO – Emily Martin began cheerleading in seventh grade, in case she wanted to try out at high school.

But the Frisco Centennial senior never did. Instead, she won two wrestling state titles and was named most outstanding wrestler at the last state meet.

Martin has become so passionate about wrestling in the last four years that she is pursuing a chance to compete in the Beijing Olympics this summer.

Emily Martin

"Just to make it there, it means you're pretty good," Martin said.

Martin first gave wrestling a chance before her freshman year, when she attended a summer camp. Still, she had doubts about the sport and joining the school's team.

"I thought touching people was kind of awkward," Martin said.

But coach Mike Eaton's persistence and her father saying that "girls couldn't wrestle" just to make her mad persuaded Martin to give it a try.

After not placing in the state tournament for the first two years, Martin won the 110-pound class as a junior. That summer, she also placed in several national meets.

That's when Martin started thinking about the Olympics.

Martin plans to attend the U.S. Olympic Education Center in Northern Michigan next fall. She also plans to compete next month in a tournament with the hope of qualifying for the Olympic Trials in June.

Martin said she knows it's not going to be easy making it to this Olympics.

"Right now, it's just a dream," Martin said. "I still have long ways to go."

Notable: Martin was selected as the most outstanding wrestler at the UIL state meet. She won her second state title at 110 pounds and finished 45-2.

Did you know? Before every match, Martin listens to the same rap song, "Knuck If You Buck." "I'm embarrassed to say it because I'm a white girl," she said. "A lot of people think I'm preppy, but I'm really not. I like to listen to everything."