Back after injury, Martin and Mifflinburg hope for a high-flying run | Sport

How you respond to life's low points, especially as a young person, can shape you.

Mifflinburg junior Chad Martin had one of those moments in athletics last fall.

Martin suffered an ankle injury against Shamokin after throwing for over 400 yards (405 against Central Columbia and 450 yards against the Indians) and missed three weeks of the season.

Everything seemed fine. In the second week after the injury, Mifflinburg was leading a Milton team 6-1 early in the second quarter when misfortune struck again for the two-way star – Martin also plays linebacker for the Wildcats – another ankle injury, this time season-ending for a team that finished 5-6 after losing its District 4 Class 3A quarterfinal to Warrior Run last November.

“It was tough. I didn't expect to get hurt again, and after my touchdown pass, I felt like we had the upper hand (against Milton),” Martin said. “I thought 'not again' as I limped off the field.

“I actually hurt it in the second game of the season, but it lasted until the end of the Shamokin game (Week 3). I had just gotten back – and when it happened again, it was a big mood swing.”

But as the Wildcats open the 2024 season tonight at Loyalsock, Martin's injury-plagued junior season also had an upside. The injury became a motivator in the offseason.

“He's bigger, stronger and faster than he was last season,” new coach Cody Botts said this summer. “But he's also shown great leadership qualities in the weight room.”

“It definitely made me work harder in the offseason,” Martin added.

Botts has a fine line to walk this season. He certainly doesn't want Martin to be at risk of injury at linebacker, but he's important enough to be a two-way player for the Wildcats. As a freshman, Martin was fourth on the team in tackles.

“I like playing on both sides, and a lot of my teammates do,” Martin said.

As Martin prepares for tonight's opening game, he can't wait to get back on the field for real, but after last Saturday's practice game against Bloomsburg, he was grateful that this isn't his first time seeing an opponent in action.

“There's always the thought that it could happen again, so it was nice to get that behind me,” Martin said. “I love the workload, it keeps me more focused and makes me work a lot harder.”

Entering the season, Mifflinburg is one of the underdogs in Class 3A if four-time champion Danville falters. The Wildcats lost their top two receivers, 6-foot-4 Kyler Troup and 6-foot-4 Troy Dressler, but Martin is confident the Wildcats have enough talent to have another stellar season.

“I have my whole starting lineup back and everyone is dealing with these injuries,” Martin said. “We definitely lost two good receivers, but we just have to do it a little bit differently. I can't just leave it to the big guys.”

If Martin simply maintains his 275 yards per game performance through 10 games, he will set the Wildcats' single-season passing record (2,176 yards, set by Dressler in 2022) and career yardage record (4,006, Dressler) by the end of his junior season.