Belle Vernon braces for life after Quinton Martin

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, July 11, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Begrudgingly, Belle Vernon braced for the departure of No. 25. When Quinton Martin’s high school playing days were over.

The Leopards knew the time would come, so they prepared for it. But reality is setting in with training camp just over a month out.

“Life without Q, I’ve said that to this team before,” Leopards football coach Matt Humbert said. “When we were in the PIAA playoffs, we had (option) A, B, C and D. When you have a talent like him, it’s a yin and yang thing. We always had that break-the-glass (philosophy) for an emergency. You didn’t want to be so reliant on one kid. You didn’t want be stuck in the mud if something happened.”

While the graduation of Martin has not exactly triggered emergency mode in Rostraver, this year’s team is preparing for a new season without one of its greatest players.

Buckle up: The post-Quinton Martin era is about to begin.

Martin, now part of the running backs room at Penn State — coach James Franklin is reportedly trying to figure out ways to use him — helped lead the Leopards to back-to-back WPIAL and PIAA 3A championships, a dominant run of success that earned Martin state player of the year honors and double-stamped his place among the top college prospects in the nation.

Belle Vernon was 41-6 with the shifty and explosive Martin, who scored 83 career touchdowns in a myriad of ways, and often in highlight fashion.

His prep career featured big plays, game-changing moments and many wins.

The next chapter in BVA football will see the Leopards bump up to Class 4A, and they will look to stay among the WPIAL’s elite with a new leading man — or men.

Opponents’ focal point will have to shift to someone new.

“It kind of hit me in January when he left after enrolling early (at Penn State),” Humbert said. “He stopped showing up daily in my office. I feel like I noticed the school part more. He was a leader, and kids could follow his work ethic and structure, the habits he applied. He had that way of leading and knowing what to say and the tone in which to say it. You could always count on him to get us out of a sticky situation.”

In his four-year passage to BVA glory, Martin rushed for 3,889 yards and 54 TDs, grabbed 102 receptions for 1,515 yards and 22 scores and was dynamic on defense with 91 tackles and 10 interceptions.

“When people think of Belle Vernon,” rising senior running back Anthony Crews said, “they think of Quinton Martin.

“You think about his character, on and off the field. He’s talked to me about recruiting and things that can help me.”

Martin was a threat to score as a rusher or pass catcher, the latter a key strength as he emerged from the backfield. He lined up at a number of positions, including running back, receiver and quarterback, his mere presence deflecting attention away to free up touches for others, many of whom return.

Senior incumbent quarterback Curtis Wade, senior running backs Kole Doppelheuer and Alonzo Wade and junior running back Deabure Lightfoot are among the returnees.

The Leopards (13-1) averaged nearly 275 yards per game on the ground.

Doppelheuer quietly rushed for 819 yards and 13 TDs.

Crews, who has an offer from Robert Morris, ran for 406 yards and six TDs, introducing himself to the commonwealth in last year’s televised PIAA championship.

He showed flashes of big-play ability out of the backfield. Remember his two touchdowns to open the state final? The bobbled handoff and reversed-field score to wow the crowd at Cumberland Valley?

Belle Vernon rolled past Northwestern Lehigh, 38-7, for its 10th straight win and second straight state crown.

“I still watch (replays of the TDs) a lot,” Crews said. “The funny thing was I had a bad week of practice and didn’t feel great that day. This year, even without the guys we lost, we’re young but we’re also kind of a veteran team. We still feel good about this year.”

Humbert said he was at Penn State recently to visit with Martin and said the now-freshman is enjoying life in State College.

But his mindset quickly flips back to what the Leopards will do without Martin.

A point of pride for Humbert and his staff is they didn’t run Martin ragged like some programs might have done. His touches were meaningful, never forced, and the wealth was spread without Martin having to gain every yard or score every touchdown.

“With Q, you sit around here and think of ways to get him the ball 50 different ways,” Humbert said. “But we didn’t (overuse) him — I hope Penn State appreciates that.”

Crews said the Leopards not only have to adjust to a new mindset sans Martin, but they also must reset and regroup before making room for more hardware in the trophy case or celebrating at Leopard Hall.

“We can’t come out flat,” Crews said. “It’s going to be tougher, but we have to step up to the plate. We’re looking for that three-peat. We have a target on our backs. Everyone wants a piece of Belle Vernon. We have to work.”

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

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