Martin Ready To Feast At State Star Gives Wilbur-Creston Healthy Prospects To Repeat

These are the salad days for Jessica Martin.

Unlike last year, her salad is more than a few shabby leaves of iceberg lettuce and some shaved carrots.

Her life, like her meals, has become a well-rounded, satisfying feast.

“I’m feeling really good,” Martin said prior to this weekend’s State B volleyball tournament at Eastern Washington University. “It’s been an awesome year.”<

For most people, experiencing something akin to Martin’s 1994 would have also qualified as “awesome.”

Martin’s Wilbur-Creston Wildcats won the state volleyball title and placed fifth at the State B basketball tournament.

Despite the honors, however, Martin heard whispers behind her back. Flu-like symptoms before a crucial Bi-County League basketball game against Davenport fueled the rumors.

The words “anorexia nervosa” cut through the air like daggers.

“I know a lot of that (speculation) went around,” Martin said. “I don’t know where that came from.”

The truth was far less intriguing for the gossipers. In an effort to better herself, Martin had adopted a low-fat diet. The problem was, a person as active as Martin required extra calories.

Help arrived before Martin went too far with her calorie-counting measures.

“I went to a nutritionist and she got me on the right track,” said the W-C senior.

The advice, plus a spring away from school sports, rejuvenated Martin. With the 6-foot middle hitter on top of her game this fall, the Wildcats are top-ranked and undefeated, including a win over Northeast A champion Colfax.

Speaking of towns in the Palouse, the denizens of Pullman will learn more about Martin next year. Following the lead of former Bi-County rival Jennifer Stinson, Martin has agreed to play volleyball at Washington State next autumn.

To her delight, Martin discovered that WSU offers more for her than high-quality volleyball; namely, a program for prospective nutritionists.

“I was so interested in everything (her nutritionist) had to say,” said Martin, a 4.0 student. “I knew that was the direction I wanted to head.”

As for heading in the direction of volleyball rather than basketball, Martin made up her mind while attending a Division I basketball game last spring. Martin witnessed what Stinson, a willowy type like Martin, had professed: Women’s basketball isn’t the domain of the sleek.

Notre Dame, Washington and Arizona also wooed Martin for volleyball. Martin said Stinson didn’t overtly recruit her for Cougarland, yet the former Davenport star played an instrumental role.

“I can honestly say she helped me in the decision-making by telling me the (recruiting) experiences she went through,” Martin said.

Martin’s long-term plans preclude basketball, but her winter will belong to W-C’s highly regarded hoop team. Martin and her teammates are excited about the gung ho style of new coach Steve Jantz, who led the Wildcat boys to state in 1994.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: STATE B VOLLEYBALL Information on the State B volleyball tournament, Friday and Saturday at Eastern Washington University: Starting time: 8 a.m. Defending champion: Wilbur-Creston Former champions in field: W-C, Davenport, Odessa, Reardan Most appearances by teams in field: Toutle Lake 14, W-C 13, Reardan 12 Tournament newcomers: None Number of returning teams from ‘94: Nine of 16 Returning placers: W-C first, Toutle Lake second, Davenport third, Kalama fourth, Morton sixth Significant stat: Bi-County League teams have won the last eight titles (and 15 of the last 16).