HOPATCONG -- Hopatcong's Joe Martinek ran against history Friday night. As is usually the case, the senior running back won the race -- with a football tucked tightly under his arm. The 6-foot, 200-pounder now sits atop all of the runners in New Jersey high school history. The Chiefs senior rushed for 221 yards and set the state record for career rushing yards as Hopatcong beat Kittatinny 28-7 Friday night. Martinek now has 6,808 career rushing yards, surpassing former Keyport star Kenny Cattouse's 6,270.
Martinek, who scored three touchdowns in Friday night's game, figures to add significant numbers to his record. The Chiefs have three regular-season games left before the playoffs. The Chiefs, the defending Section 1, Group II state champions, will begin defense of their crown the weekend of Nov. 10-11. Martinek first appeared on the radar screen as an ultra-talented youth football player while competing with older boys on Hopatcong's midget team. Before long, he became known around Sussex County as a freshman who thrived on the varsity as a running back. Martinek gained statewide notoriety when he was unanimously named first-team All-State by the Associated Press as a junior and gave a verbal commitment to play for Rutgers this past summer. "He's just a great football player, period," said New Jersey recruiting expert Dennis McCarthy, whose annual McCarthy Report is widely circulated among college coaches on all levels around the United States. "I have spoken to Martinek on various occasions about recruiting and records," added Chris Melvin, a well-renowned New Jersey football recruiting expert. "He's a very modest player who tends to give his family, coaches and teammates more credit for his accomplishments even more than what he tends to give himself." "I can't tell you what he has meant to us and our program,"Hopatcong coach Paul Reduzzi said. "He's not just a great player but a humble person." Martinek set the record with a combination of speed, power, athleticism and a never-say-die style when carrying the football. "He may not be the fastest runner in the state nor is he the biggest back, but he is indeed one of the most productive backs around," Melvin said. "He is such a reliable player on both sides of the ball."