BILLINGS, Mont. — It was just less than a year ago when Billings Central senior quarterback Howie Martin helped lead the Rams to their sixth overall Class A state title, and their first since 2018 as they defeated Laurel 31-21.
Ever since that magical moment, sports have been a nonstop lifestyle for Martin.
“I mean I am pretty busy year-round.” said Martin. “It’s just the best thing for me and I don’t like sitting around a lot and I just always like to be active and doing stuff.”
The senior is a three-sport Iron Man of an athlete for the Rams, as he is the starting quarterback on the football team in the fall, the starting shooting guard on the basketball team in the winter, and the starting shortstop on the baseball team in the spring. Martin also played Legion Baseball for the Billings Scarlets in the summer and was a starting infielder most of the season.
Overall, Martin does not get much of a break from sports. Last year, he went from football, to basketball, to high school baseball, and then right into Legion Baseball and has recently repeated the cycle.
“I think each sport has its own key of helping me in the other sports. Football helps me be more physical in basketball, and basketball helps me with my cardio in every other sport,” said Martin.
Within the last year, Martin has also been a part of two school state titles at Billings Central. One being with last year’s football team, and the other coming with the Rams’ baseball team in the spring.
“We have just happened to be pretty successful over the past few years on the teams that I have been on,” added Martin. “I have always wanted to get the big three of football, basketball, and baseball all in one year.”
Billings Central head football coach Jim Stanton says Martin is a natural leader on the field.
“The quarterback position is very tough; you got to be very detailed and have to be a leader and have to be able to make those around you better. He’s a good whisperer, he’s not afraid to get after kids in the huddle, he does it in a really positive way,” said Stanton on his QB.
As Martin enters his senior year at Billings Central, he is solely focused on football as the Rams look to repeat in Class A this fall.
“Our mentality is to be the hunter and the aggressor, and we have to go get the state championship. It’s not like we are going to be defending it, we just got to go get another one,” said Martin.
The Rams open their season on the road Friday in Dillon.