Former Dwyer wide receivers Tavares Martin and Isaiah Johnson-Mack traveled 3,000 miles to begin their college football careers.
This season, they are lighting up opposing secondaries for unbeaten Washington State.
Martin, a junior, and Johnson-Mack, a sophomore, have combined to catch 50 passes for 626 yards and eight touchdowns for the Cougars, who are 4-0 heading into Friday’s home contest against fifth-ranked USC.
Tavares Martin, in his 2014 Super 11 photo shoot (Palm Beach Post file photo)
For Martin – the sixth-ranked player on the Post’s Class of 2015 Big Board – this season is a continuation of a strong sophomore effort for Washington State.
Last year he started all 13 games for the Cougars, and finished with 64 receptions for 728 yards and seven touchdowns. He averaged 11.4 yards per catch, and ranked sixth in the Pac-12 Conference in receptions.
This season, he’s among the nation’s leaders in four different receiving categories among FBS schools.
Martin is tied for third in receiving touchdowns with six; 18th in receiving yards with 390; tied for 23rd in receptions per game at 6.5; and 25th in receiving yards per game with 97.5.
He was named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list in July.
Johnson-Mack, who went by Isaiah Johnson at Dwyer, also has had a strong start to the 2017 season.
Isaiah Johnson-Mack, in his 2015 Super 11 photo shoot (Palm Beach Post file photo)
The fifth-ranked player on the Post’s Class of 2016 Big Board, he has caught 24 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns.
Johnson-Mack is averaging six receptions per game, which is tied for 35th among FBS schools.
“It’s awesome to watch them succeed,” said Joe Molina, who coached both Martin and Johnson-Mack at Dwyer. “They both had great work ethics, and to see it carry over and pay off for them is great.
“When game-planning over their time at Dwyer, you knew that when they got the ball in their hands, they could take it the distance very quickly. I expected them to be successful in college, and it’s great to see them doing so well. The hard work and dedication they put in is paying off.”
Both Martin and Johnson-Mack were Palm Beach Post Super 11 selections; Martin in 2014 and Johnson-Mack in 2015.
