Who is the greatest athlete from (almost) every Montana town? 406mtsports.com has been researching that question since 2018. Have a question, comment, addition, alteration or information to suggest? Let us know .
Hall: Jess Martin, football: A cog in the Drummond football dynasty, Martin was an all-conference running back in 1987. In track, he was the Class C pole vault champion in 1987 and 1988, and finished fifth and fourth in the long jump. For 21 years, Martin shared the distric t long-jump record.
He also was a top sprinter. After his high school career, Martin played football and turned to rodeo, becoming a saddle bronc champion at Western Montana College. Putting down roots in Dillon, he went on to win championships on the professional rodeo circuit.
Martin made the first of three consecutive National Finals Rodeo appearances in 1996, finished third a year later behind Montanans Dan Mortensen and Ryan Mapston, and returning in 1998. After a run of injuries, he qualified again for the NFR in 2002. He also was the Montana Professional Rodeo Finals champion in 1999 and 2000, and set a record with an 88-point ride in 2001.
Hamilton: Jodi Robinson, tennis: From 1987-90, Robinson established a record that can never be broken — only matched. She won four consecutive singles titles – three in Class A-B-C and one in Class A — to become the first Montana player to achieve the feat. She finished her varsity career with a 62-0 singles record and lost only one set in four yea.
