MARTINSVILLE, Va. – The WSLS 1st and 10 Trophy Tour heads southside to Martinsville. We check in with another team that’s become a perennial playoff power under coach Bobby Martin.
The Bulldogs coach had a multiple-event state champion in track and field at his disposal, and those skills certainly translated. Senior running back Jahmal Jones used his speed --recording three touchdown runs over more than 60 yards in a Week 4 win at Staunton River. Jones tore off 318 yards and five touchdowns in all to earn Player of the Week honors.
10 Sports Brooke Leonard and the ‘Trophy Tour’ traveled to the home of Bulldogs to hand over the hardware. The Martinsville Bulldogs star explained how to track workouts equated to football success.
“On Mondays in track it’s conditioning day, and we run 100 yards and we go 50 yards in a stride/jog, then the next 50 which is a full sprint. So I translated it to the football field when I get the ball I stride/jog to see what the defense is in-- and open the hole. --then after I hit the hole I go full speed,” Jones explained.
“We got the speed – the other part we don’t talk about is his power. He hits the hole with power and if you don’t wrap them up that’s when the speed takes over And he takes it to the house. So he’s got the whole package. He can read it he can take his time then when he does it the whole he can turn it on,” Martinsville head coach Bobby Martin said.
Jones was named Piedmont District co-offensive player of the year, and he also earned VHSL Class 2 first-team all-region and second-team all-state honors.