Every season there are new stars who burst onto the scene to become key contributors, and West Marion sophomore Jartavious Martin was the best of the bunch this year and is The Columbian-Progress Newcomer of the Year.
As a first-year starter at strong safety, Martin led the Trojans with 110 tackles and had three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and an interception. He also returned 16 punts for 259 yards (16.2 yard average), including an 85-yard touchdown, had 22 carries for 111 yards and caught five passes for 38 yards and a touchdown.
“That’s all I ever wanted was to play high school football at a great level,” Martin said. “I know because of my size and being small, I’ve never been able to prove myself. Last year we had a lot of older guys. I just came every day to summer workouts to work, work, work. Coach saw it, and it paid off.”
Despite being just 5-foot-7 and 150 pounds, the do-it-all athlete became a fierce presence coming down hill to blow up the running game. It was a sight to behold as Martin delivered big hit after big hit on running backs that had more than 50 pounds on him.
“I’ve always been real physical. I don’t know where it came from really. I’m not the type to back down from a challenge,” he said. “If we need it, I’ll do it. It’s just something engraved in me. I’ve always had it in me. I’ve never cared about the size of anyone. I’ve always been smaller and playing against my brothers that were all bigger, so size has never been a factor.”
Martin is referred to as “Tater Rabbit,” a name he was given by an uncle he doesn’t recall meeting, by both coaches and teammates. Even though he’s not a fan of the nickname, which he is trying to shed in favor of “Tay” or something similar, the name fits how he darts around the field to find the ball.
“I’m just the hustle guy. I might not always make the play, but I’m going to be around the play if I can,” he said. “I’m always the hard-working, hustle type.”
The Trojans got off to a great 6-0 start in 2018 but dropped four of their final five games to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2009. Although the season ended in disappointment, Martin said West Marion can gain a lot from the experience.
“We’re going to use it to not get comfortable whatsoever,” he said. “We went through a lot of things, and most teams didn’t. Once we got that lead, we had that mindset of ‘Oh yeah, we can’t be beat.’ It just went downhill.”
Though he made a name for himself on the defensive side of the ball, there’s no doubting Martin flashed on offense and special teams with the ball in his hands, and he said he is simply waiting on his time to come.
Martin dealt with some lingering injuries throughout the season, but he plans to stay healthy and work even harder to be even more effective in 2019.
Pictured Above: West Marion safety Jartavious Martin returns a punt against East Marion. | Photo by Joshua Campbell
