Wantagh football's Dylan Martini wins Thorp Award as best player in Nassau County

What makes Dylan Martini special?

Wantagh football coach Keith Sachs did not have to think much before giving his answer: “Everything.”

Martini, a 5-10, 175-pound senior running back and safety, was one of the brightest stars in leading Wantagh to the Long Island Class IV championship, its first Long Island title since 2016. He embodied everything the program was about off the field, from keeping in touch with former Wantagh greats to being a part of a group that started a 6 a.m. offseason team workout program, which ultimately bore fruit.

Martini’s individual greatness was recognized on Monday night as he was named the 83rd winner of Newsday’s Thorp Award, given annually to Nassau’s most outstanding player at the Nassau County High School Football Coaches Association awards banquet at Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury. He became the first Wantagh player to earn the trophy.

“He’s literally the best player on the field, but he’s the hardest working, most respectful, nicest kid also on the field,” Sachs said. “He knows everybody’s job. He takes it personal where everyone should line up and everything somebody should do.

“On the field, he’s just literally a freak. He sees the field great. He runs through tackles. He makes people miss. He knows the offense as well as I do. We can sit and have real conversations about adjustments.

“Meanwhile, he’s just sweet and nice, and he’s just really a tremendous person to have on the team.”

Garden City senior Michael Berkery (the 2023 Thorp recipient), Massapequa senior Tyler Villalta and Farmingdale junior Josh Kama also were finalists for the award.

“There was a bunch of good players up for it, and I’m just honored to get it,” Martini said. “But I can’t really expect something like this. This is just — it’s a great shock. I’m happy, really happy, and it’s an amazing feeling.”

Martini finished the season with 1,976 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns on only 152 carries — good for 13 yards per carry on only 12.7 attempts per game. He also had 16 catches for 417 yards and five TDs.

On defense, he had 48 tackles, four interceptions and two pick-6s.

“A kid with that athletic ability back there at safety, you always got to know where he is,” said Cold Spring Harbor coach Jon Mendreski,  who faced Wantagh twice this season. “If you’re thinking of throwing a ball down the field or even him filling on a run or something like that, you’re always going to be aware of where he is.”

“He sees the whole field,” Sachs said. “He moves people around. He makes sure they line up correctly. He does everything for everybody.”

Martini was at his best during Wantagh’s playoff run.

In its 55-6 win over Cold Spring Harbor in the Nassau Conference IV semifinals, Martini ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. He also caught two passes for 119 yards and a touchdown.

“A couple things jumped off the page for myself and the coaches,” Mendreski said. “I think first was just how patient he is, how he has great field vision. He’s patient. He lets his blocks set up, and it’s almost like he’s playing chess while everybody else is playing checkers. “And that coupled with his athletic ability is almost unstoppable at times. Great field vision, patience and his athletic ability — it’s a deadly combination.”

In Wantagh’s 48-21 win over Plainedge in the Nassau Conference IV championship, Martini ran for three touchdowns and 232 yards on 15 carries. He had touchdown runs of 47, 65 and 53 yards.

“He’s good, man,” Plainedge coach Rob Shaver said after that game. “He’s elusive. He does a nice job being patient. That was the thing I was most impressed with  was his patience running the ball. He’s never in a rush to go anywhere.”

In Wantagh’s 29-21 win over Bayport-Blue Point in the Long Island Class IV championship game, Martini ran for 142 yards on 25 carries. He threw a two-point conversion pass to give Wantagh a halftime lead and had an 18-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter to extend the lead to two scores.

“This is a team award. I know it goes to only one person, but this is a team award,” Martini said. “From one to 38, everybody worked their butts off. I’m nowhere near this without everybody in front of me. These guys, they’re the best.”

Martini’s athletic career will continue collegiately — just on a different field — for the Albany men’s lacrosse program.

“He just prepares so hard and he just really doesn’t miss anything,” Sachs said. “He’s just an ideal kid.”

By Ben Dickson

benjamin.dickson@newsday.com@bendickson__

Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.