Martinsville’s All-Star Athletes

Although the Martinsville football season has been over for a couple months, important awards have still been going out. Those awards include: All Conference, Academic All State, and All State. Martinsville was honored to have eight of their football players win these awards. Those players include Junior Tyler Adkins, Junior Devon Brenner, Senior Braxton Dilley, Junior Ethan Haenlein,  Senior Chase Mabry, Senior Westyn Pemberton, Senior Wyatt Shrake, and Senior Tanner Smith. 

For All Conference, the coaches from every football team in a specific conference come together and vote for who had the best season in the position they played. Football players Tyler Adkins, Devon Brenner, Ethan Haenlein, Chase Mabry, Westyn Pemberton, and Wyatt Shrake all achieved this title. Honorable mentions include three seniors: Riddick Bolton, Kaden Long, and Tanner Smith. 

Academic All State is where the IFCA (Indiana Football Coaches Association) come together and pick out who in the teams get this award. The requirements are you must be a senior, have a 3.4 GPA or higher by the end of your junior year, play in 70% of snaps, and be involved in extracurricular activities. Seniors Braxton Dilley, Westyn Pemberton, and Tanner Smith achieved this award.

All State is where the IFCA comes together and picks the best player out of the south and north part of Indiana for a specific position. Then, the players who won the award will play in the South vs. North game, usually held in July. Senior All State includes Chase Mabry and Westyn Pemberton. Junior All State includes Ethan Haenlein. 

5’10, 175lb, junior quarterback, Tyler Adkins, achieved the All Conference award. Adkins finished his third high school season with a total of 2292 passing yards, 220 completions out of 324 attempts, and 28 passing touchdowns. Adkins has been playing in his starting varsity position since his sophomore year, and has accomplished many of his goals, with All Conference being one of them. Adkins said, “It was a really good accomplishment; it means a lot because of how many great teams are in our conference and to be one of those top guys – it feels pretty good.” Some goals for Adkins going into his senior year are winning Battle of the M, beating Bloomington South, sectional champs, All Conference, and All State. After high school, Adkins plans on playing collegiate football. “So recently I’ve been talking to a few schools, been visiting, and texting with some coaches,” says Adkins. He is going into his senior year with a positive mentality and leadership.

Devon Brenner was another one of the six to achieve All Conference. Brenner is a 6’1, 205lb junior middle linebacker. Brenner also accomplished being a co-captain as a Junior earlier in the season, saying that is one of his greatest accomplishments in his football career along with All Conference. Brenner wrapped up his junior football season with 2 touchdowns, 31 solo tackles, 5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and a total of 97 tackles. When Brenner first saw the list of All Conference, he did not expect to be seeing his name on there. “I was really surprised. I had no idea that I was even close to being able to achieve that. I was proud of all the work I’ve done to get it,” Brenner said. He is going to continue to use his leadership and positivity going into his senior season. After highschool, Brenner hopes to play collegiate football and find a college that is right for him.

6’1, 180lb, junior kicker, Ethan Haenlein was honored to achieve both All Conference, and Junior All State. Haenlein finished the season with 65 kickoffs, 3192 yards, 31 touchbacks, and his longest kick being 60 yards. Haenlein also plays Martinsville soccer, which can be difficult at times. “It can be stressful. I really enjoy both, so it’s not as stressful. Balancing school with both can be stressful sometimes,” said Haenlein. He first started out kicking for the Artesians about halfway through his freshman year. “One day I just started kicking field goals and a video went around floating the school halls. Then, the head coach just came up to me and asked if I wanted to kick for them.” Now in his junior year, he accomplished two very honorable awards. “I felt really honored. It is really cool that it all happened and I have everyone to thank,” Haenlein said. He plans on either playing collegiate football or soccer after highschool.

6’0, 210lb, senior safety football captain, Westyn Pemberton, was as hard working to achieve all three of these awards. Pemberton ended his last high school season with a total of 137 tackles, 65 solo tackles, 72 assists, 2 sacks, and 1 interception. Pemberton started playing football in the first grade saying his biggest supporter, his dad, really pushed him to get into it. Pemberton has been playing Martinsville varsity football since his freshman year and has then accomplished many things, these three awards being big ones for him. “I’ve worked really hard these past four years to finally achieve it, so it feels pretty good,” he said. One of Pemberton’s favorite memories was his freshman year sectional finals game against our school’s rival, Bloomington South. “It was triple overtime against B-South. We lost, but it was still fun and a really good experience.” Pemberton gives thanks to Coach Luke Moscrip and Coach Brian Dugger for pushing and helping him grow as a player as he plans to continue his football career in college. He will bring his hardwork and dedication with him as he goes to the next level. 

Senior Chase Mabry also accomplished Senior All State and All conference. Mabry is a 5’10, 165lb wide receiver. Mabry finished his last high school football season with 98 receptions, 853 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns. Mabry first started playing football when he was in preschool, and has been playing it his whole life. When he heard that he got not only All Conference, but All State as well, he was very shocked. Mabry said, “It feels really good, I didn’t think I was going to get it. I am really happy I achieved that.” He gives many thanks to his biggest supporter and favorite coach throughout his career, Coach Brian Dugger. “Coach Dugger is not only my favorite coach, but probably my biggest supporter by far,” says Mabry. Mabry is indecisive on what he wants to do after high school, but he knows that he does want to pursue his outstanding football career. 

Wyatt Shrake is another Artesian who has achieved All Conference. Shrake is a 6’4, 275lb, offensive lineman and senior football captain. Shrake went to Monrovia High School, until the summer of his junior year. Shrake has said that moving to Martinsville has helped him in many different ways. “Martinsville has benefited me a lot not just with the sports. The academics and opportunities that Martinsville brings is a lot more in my opinion,” Shrake said. One of his goals going into the season was to get All Conference, and it is one of his greatest accomplishments in his football career. After high school, Shrake plans on pursuing a career in real estate, but football is not out of the picture completely. “College football is not out of the picture, but as of right now, I’m getting ready to start my real estate class and I think that is going to be my future. But, I am not ruling anything out as of now.” Shrake gives thanks to his family and friends for being his biggest supporters, and helping him achieve his goals.

Coach Brian Dugger is the head coach of the Martinsville Artesians. Dugger has been coaching for sixteen years in total now. He first started student coaching at Indiana University for a year, and then soon became Southport’s head coach for thirteen years. In the summer of 2020, Dugger came into play as Martinsville’s new head coach. One big factor that made Dugger want to come to Martinsville was the community. Dugger said, “I love the fact how it is a community that is fully invested in the highschool and it’s athletics. The high school is what makes the town. Everything revolves around it and the high school is the big thing. From where my wife and I lived, this felt like a good fit for us.” Some of Dugger’s highlights since he arrived at Martinsville has been the back to back sectional finals, 2020 Greenwood overtime game, and Whiteland homecoming games. Dugger also sent off four players last year to go play collegiate football. When he first saw the results of all the awards, he said he was far from surprised. “I was not surprised at all, I think every one of them is very deserving. We had guys breaking school records, and it is not shocking that they got those special honors.” Dugger is ecstatic for the upcoming season to see how many more talented players achieve these special awards and is thankful for all the memories he had with all of these players.

Martinsville football was fortunate and honored to be able to coach these talented athletes. They are thankful for their hard work and dedication throughout these years and very excited to see them flourish in the future and see where it takes them.