AURORA — Chris Martin, the nation’s top senior schoolboy defensive end and a Notre Dame pledge, may find out as early as today if he is eligible to play at Class 5A Grandview.
The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder is enrolled at Grandview and participated in summer camps but has not been cleared by the Colorado High School Activities Association to practice with the Wolves of the Centennial League.
Grandview athletic director Jon Hoerl confirmed Martin is in school but said the eligibility issue is “a CHSAA matter.” Assistant commissioner Harry Waterman said “a decision has not been made,” but that Hoerl will meet today with CHSAA to determine Martin’s eligibility. Commissioner Bill Reader, Waterman said, “may or may not decide (today).”
It is not known which part of Martin’s eligibility is in question. He attended Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland, Calif., then announced he was transferring to The Hun School, a prestigious boarding school in Princeton, N.J., to pursue a better education.
Originally, reports had Martin heading east so he could enroll early at Notre Dame, but then he said he wouldn’t enroll early. Martin is living with a family member near Grandview.
Martin’s speed and size would have an immediate impact on the Wolves, who may have had the best defense in Class 5A the past two years. The Wolves enter Week 1 with only one returning starter on each side of the ball.
Martin committed to Notre Dame on Feb. 4. He had scholarship offers from numerous schools, including Colorado, Georgia, LSU, Nebraska, Oregon, Stanford, Southern California and UCLA.
Neil H. Devlin: 303-954-1714 or ndevlin@denverpost.com
