Camden Fairview has seen many outstanding athletes in its long history of sports programs. There have been great football players as well as baseball players in the past.
This year, Camden Fairview has a star athlete that is great in both sports in junior Martavius Thomas.
After a fantastic 2020/2021 baseball season for Camden Fairview that included committing to the University of Arkansas, Thomas stayed focused on his junior season football season with the Cardinals. Thomas had a goal to dominate every play against opposing defenses. The competitive nature he possesses allowed him to be one of the most electrifying offensive playmakers in the state of Arkansas.
In the first 11 football games of the 2021 season, Thomas threw for 166-of-247 completions for 3,046 yards, 32 touchdowns, only six interceptions and a quarterback rating of 138.9. He also rushed for 808 yards and six touchdowns on 97 carries. He had eight games this season where he threw for more than one touchdown.
Throughout the season, Thomas displayed his consistent arm strength, ability to throw in tight windows and dual-threat running ability. He looked to break the school's record for most passing yards in a single game on the road versus the DeQueen Leopards. Thomas shattered this record in the first half as he threw for 514 passing yards and touchdowns on 22-of-28 completions.
Thomas has helped Camden Fairview win sole possession of the 5A South Conference title for the first time since 2012. He helped the Cardinals get to the second round of 5A State Playoffs, where they ultimately lost to the White Hall Bulldogs, 35-14.
With the season over, Thomas has turned his attention and his competitive hunger towards getting ready for the upcoming baseball season for Camden Fairview as their outfield/shortstop. He has shown footage of himself practicing his swings in the batting cages.
While Thomas has shown his incredible athleticism and playmaking abilities on the gridiron, it is the baseball diamond where his real talents come out. He is a solid batter as he swings fluidly; the ball comes off the bat with an aggressive pop and at a high velocity. He is also solid in the fielding game by consistently contributing for outs and creating great plays to reduce total bases and runs from the opposing teams. Finally, Thomas has an excellent release in his throws from the outfield or from base to base.
Thomas has shown to be consistent in his playing abilities this past baseball season and 2021 football season; he looks to continue his career again under a much bigger spotlight. It would not be surprising to see Thomas get national attention and interesting offers from collegiate programs outside the state.