CHESAPEAKE, VA (WTKR)- When you walk into Great Bridge's wrestling room, the first thing that catches your eye is the list of names painted on the wall. They represent those Wildcats who have won state crowns.
"Everyone who comes in here wants to be up on that wall and wants to have their name cemented in history," said senior Caleb Neal, who wrestles at 175 lbs.
"We have guys coming back 20 and 30 years later just to see their names on the wall," Wildcats' head coach Steve Martin added. "That's a big thing in this community and kids have a goal to get their names up on the wall."
Neal's name is one of those on display in the room. He's part of the many who have chased the accomplishment and also one of the few who have caught it.
"Wrestling didn't come easy to him when he first started out," Martin recalled. "He wasn't very successful when he was younger."
"Once I got into high school I started struggling," remembered Neal. "Right around the new year of my freshman year, it changed. January, that's when I started improving, started winning more matches and then I won states."
It's hard to win a state crown as a freshman, but Neal pulled off some upsets along the way to get it done. He didn't stop there, claiming another state title during his sophomore campaign and then followed that up with yet another championship his junior year. Later this month, he'll go for the four-peat.
"It's just still an insane feeling for me," Neal said. "I can still remember back in like seventh or eighth grade, I would have never thought that I would have a high school state title and to look back at it now, it's just insane to me."
With the success comes a shining example for other Great Bridge wrestlers. Martin notes that his senior star excels both on and off the mat, getting good grades in the classroom and doing volunteer work through his church. He's an upperclassman for the coach to point to as a leader for the younger student-athletes.
"He's a great example, somebody that you want to be like," Martin said of Neal. "The way he lives his life on a daily basis and the way he trains, he's a great role model for the young kids."
"I think it's definitely a weight on the shoulders, but I just try to set the best example possible and just come into practice today working my hardest," added Neal.
Now he has one more crown to win in order to further etch his name as one of the best in Virginia. Only 33 VHSL wrestlers have four state championships to their name and Neal entered February finding himself just a handful of wins away from becoming number 34.
"I'd just be so grateful to have that happen, just thankful for the coaches I've had leading me along the way," the senior said.
"It makes you feel great as a coach," added Martin. "I'm glad for him that he's able to go out there and get those goals because it's not an easy task being a four-timer."
Neal and the Wildcats take the mat in the Region 5A championships at Frank Cox next weekend. The Class 5 state championship meet hits the mat at Virginia Beach Sports Center February 21-22.
Great Bridge has 22 state team titles to its name, the last coming in 2023.
