From the NFL, through college, down to the high school ranks, kickers are often taken for granted. That’s certainly not the case for the No. 7 Brownwood Lions, where senior Junior Martinez has proven to be much more than the typical unsung hero.

Prior to the fifth game of his fourth season at the varsity level, Martinez has converted 21 of 27 field goal attempts, 143 of 152 extra-point tries and scored 206 points in his career. As a junior, Martinez drilled a career-best 11 field goals in a season and as a sophomore, Martinez earned Special Teams Player of the Year among the all-district selections.

But no game to date in his storied high school career will provide a more lasting memory, Martinez said, than the Lions’ 46-34 victory at Glen Rose where the fourth-year varsity starter turned in a performance most high school kickers long for in an entire career.

“It was definitely at the top as the best overall game for me,” Martinez said. “I feel like I played a good role for the team, giving us extra points that we needed. And obviously the 52-yarder gave me a big confidence boost.”

While the Lions offense struggled to make the most out of stellar field position in the first quarter, Martinez capitalized on his opportunities, booting a 32-yard field goal for the first points of the game, then nailing what is believed to be a school-record 52-yard field goal – with room to spare – that tied the mark of Matt McCrane, who was on hand to witness the event.

“It’s pretty cool especially since Matt played Division I football and went to the NFL,” Martinez said of tying the record, hoping a similar fate could follow. “It gives me a lot of hope.”

Then, on the final play of the first half, Martinez converted a 47-yard field goal into the wind that pushed Brownwood’s halftime lead to 25-14. Martinez also contributed five extra points throughout the contest, accounting for 14 points in a game the Lions won by 12.

Had Martinez missed one of his three field goal attempts, Glen Rose would have trailed 36-34 late in the fourth period and had the option to attempt a field goal from the Lions’ 10 with just over three minutes left to take the lead, instead of the ill-fated fourth-down conversion attempt that set up Brownwood’s back-breaking 97-yard touchdown pass from Ike Hall to Morsello Hooker with two minutes to go.

“I didn’t expect anything different, and what more can you ask from a kid,” Lions sixth-year head coach Sammy Burnett said of Martinez’s performance against Glen Rose. “He is an asset and sets us up for success in so many ways. He reverses the field on punts and pins you deep, he kicks it into the end zone, and then he’s going to make extra points and field goals. That’s just Junior. He’s been consistent his whole career and this is year four.”

Regarding his continued improvement throughout high school, Martinez said, “I’ve grown a lot more and I want to thank Ike, too, he’s been a great holder. So are my snappers, especially Cole (Miller).”

Scoring points is not the only way Martinez is proving his worth. Martinez also dropped a punt down at the Glen Rose 11 in the first period, and that drive ended with a snap over the head of the Glen Rose punter, through the end zone, for a safety and two more points as Brownwood led 8-0 after one quarter. Martinez is averaging 40.3 yards per punt on 12 efforts so far in 2023, with a long of 52 and five inside the 20. As a junior, Martinez booted 27 punts for a 40.4-yard average with a long of 58.

“When the ball is in their territory and we’re punting I try and get a little back spin and pooch kick it,” Martinez said. “But whenever I’m going for it I want to turn over the ball to where it’s spiraling and getting the most distance I can. It just varies depending on our field position with what I do.”

Martinez has also boomed the majority of his kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks, preventing the opposition from a chance to potentially steal six points on a long return. Against Glen Rose, five of eight kicks were touchbacks, as the Tigers chose to run a couple out of the end zone.

Regarding the success of his kickoffs, Martinez said, “It’s about getting my technique down. Just mastering my steps, my technique and my form.” He added having a powerful leg doesn’t hurt, either.

The three field goals converted against Glen Rose last week is also believed to tie the record for most in a single game by a Lions player, most recently equaled by Martinez on Aug. 28, 2021. On that date, he drilled kicks of 28, 25, and 21 yards – the last serving as the game-winner in a 58-55 come-from-behind victory over Lampasas at Gordon Wood Stadium in the season opener.

Martinez has converted 4 of 5 field goals this season, only missing from 44 yards against Marble Falls, and has made all 21 of his extra point attempts to account for 33 of the Lions’ 161 points scored through four games.

Martinez, who is also a member of the Lions’ soccer team, developed his kicking roots from his days as a youth soccer player.

“I had a soccer background and I’d also been able to kick a football, so when middle school came that’s when I realized I wanted to make something out of this,” Martinez said. “Then when my freshman year hit that’s when I really got into it.”

Reflecting on being able to play four years of varsity football, Martinez said, “I was really surprised to make the varsity as a freshman, I wasn’t expecting that at all, and it’s been an honor, it really has. It’s crazy seeing the program grow and the talent on the team.”

The Lions went from four wins during Martinez’s freshman season to 10 victories and a district championship last year, coupled with the 4-0 start to the 2023 campaign.

Burnett, who has long sung the praises of Martinez, said, “Every time a recruiter comes into my office they ask me about this person and that person, and I always ask them ‘why aren’t you asking me about Junior Martinez?’”

Martinez has caught the eye of a few schools, stating, “I have interest from a couple of schools, including Stephen F. Austin, and some other smaller DIs. But my plan (after high school) is to kick.”

Before the season – one he hopes continues well into December – comes to an end, however, Martinez hopes to get a crack at a field goal attempt of at least 53 yards.

“I’d like to beat the record and for team goals, I want to play a long time this year, hopefully until state,” Martinez said.