The moment made a lasting impression on Martin Cohen.
Still a wide-eyed and untested Antioch freshman, Cohen had only recently been promoted to the varsity team when he found himself in the backfield during a lopsided win against Round Lake late in the 2021 season.
“I was expecting to get like 2 yards, but I went all the way,” Cohen said. “I still remember hearing footsteps of the dude behind me. I was terrified because I figured there was this big, grown man chasing me. He tipped my foot at the very end, but I got in.”
Cohen’s first career touchdown provided a sneak preview of what was to come for the next three seasons. He has returned to the end zone an astounding 51 times on a combination of carries, catches, and kickoff and punt returns.
Cohen broke the program record for most career touchdowns on Sept. 27, and the 6-foot, 175-pound senior running back’s score during the Sequoits’ 22-18 Northern Lake County Conference victory against Grayslake North last week gave him a program-record 316 career points.
Cohen wasn’t aware of either record until Monday afternoon, when Antioch coach Brian Glashagel posted the accolades on social media.
“Kids were coming up to me in the hallway, and I looked at my phone and saw it,” Cohen said. “I didn’t even realize I was approaching it. It hasn’t sunk in yet, but it’s an honor because of all of the great players who have come through here.”
As Antioch (5-1, 4-0) prepares for a conference showdown against Wauconda (5-1, 4-0) on Thursday, Cohen is inarguably one of those players as well. It was very apparent during his sophomore season that a prolific career was in the making. He averaged an almost inconceivable 14 yards per carry while rushing for 815 yards. He also scored his first special teams touchdown on a kickoff return in Week 2.
“I’ll never forget that one,” Cohen said. “I was running down the sideline, and there was an opening that looked like the parting of the Red Sea.”
Cohen didn’t have to work very hard on that play, but he has made something out of nothing numerous times during his career.
“His vision is amazing,” Glashagel said. “The things he sees on the field baffle you when you watch. There’s no one who’s more of a danger every time he touches the ball than Martin. And when he has the ball, you hold your breath. He’s fun to watch.”
Junior safety Jack Bucar is among the teammates who enjoy watching Cohen play. But since Bucar was a backup to Cohen last year, he can appreciate it even more.
“He’s really shifty, and it almost looks like he’s taking his time looking for the right place to run,” Bucar said. “But then he can stop and turn upfield in a millisecond.”
Cohen has picked up this season where he left off last year, when he rushed for 1,209 yards and 16 touchdowns and was the conference’s offensive player of the year and a Class 5A all-state selection. He has 815 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns this season.
While Cohen appreciates individual achievement, he traces at least some of Antioch’s success this season to the summer workouts he helped organize.
“I would go to the field and work on my own game by running routes to keep staying as agile as possible,” he said. “This was also the first time I had played with our quarterback, and I got my defensive backs to practice our coverages. It helped build team chemistry.”
Cohen is also more than willing to let others have the spotlight, like he did on Bucar’s 85-yard kickoff return last week.
“If they don’t want to kick it to me, I know my teammates are also threats,” Cohen said. “I had a big block on it, too, which was great. I saw the hole develop, and I put my body in front of one of their guys. I got trucked, but it was worth it.”
Cohen hopes to make the rest of the season worthwhile as well. Although he will likely keep playing football in college, he has begun to take stock of the time he has left at Antioch. A win against Wauconda would put the Sequoits in the driver’s seat for the conference title, and a playoff run is possible.
Whatever happens, Cohen will undoubtedly play a big part.
“I was saying to some of the freshmen — they don’t believe me — that they’ll blink and be seniors,” he said. “I’m thankful for every moment, and I’m going to miss these days. I just want to win out the rest of the season.
“But a few more touchdowns would help. My favorite one is the next one.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
