The sport of wrestling dates back over two thousand years to the time of the original Olympians. At that time, it was known as pankration, an ancient style of Mixed Martial Arts that combined boxing with Greco-Roman styles and forms. Since then, wrestling has been a constant wherever humans compete. In the Americas, this tradition grew through Native American cultures and immigrant influences from the French and English. Many American presidents were known wrestlers, from George Washington to Abraham Lincoln. Eventually, the NCAA officially adopted folkstyle wrestling in 1928.
If you have never attended a wrestling tournament, I highly recommend it. In many cases, four mats run simultaneously, each with its own crew of coaches, photographers, managers, and no shortage of spectators. The energy rivals any sport in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA). Wrestlers are a unique breed of athlete; the dedication required just to “make weight” is intense. If you don’t make weight, you don’t wrestle. On the mat, you have no one else to blame; it is a mental and physical gambit. It is just you and another athlete. Because it is often hard to hear directions over the crowd, a wrestler must rely routinely on instinct and training. However, it is also a team sport, as members must “fill the gaps” if a teammate cannot compete. Weight classes range from 106–285 lbs for boys and 100–235 lbs for girls. One important rule remains constant: You can wrestle up a weight class, but you can never wrestle down.
The WIAA held its first official State Wrestling Meet in 1940 in Appleton, Wisconsin. Milwaukee Washington won that inaugural state team championship under head coach John Powers. Eventually, the tournament was briefly suspended due to World War II.
Today, Bay View wrestlers typically compete in co-op programs, such as the combined Milwaukee Bay View / Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning / Milwaukee South team. Recently, the program has seen a “breath of new life” in both the boys’ and girls’ programs. The sanctioned WIAA girls’ wrestling division has exploded across the state and specifically at Bay View, highlighted by athletes like Sharmia Evans representing the Redcats at the state level for the 2024–25 season.
Bay View is starting to make a name for itself in the Milwaukee City Conference (MCC) wrestling world. This success is due in large part to the leadership of Marshal Martin and Alex Escobar (a former Bay View wrestler). Together, they have shifted expectations from an “up-and-coming” program to one of persistent competition within the MCC. This is no coincidence; wrestling involves calculated strategy and immense physical and mental stamina.
Coach Martin brings a wealth of experience to the mat. He was a high school state qualifier himself and wrestled at Grambling State University, a prominent HBCU in Louisiana. Martin is no stranger to discipline; during college, he enlisted in the Army National Guard, served as a paralegal, and later worked as a police officer at a Louisiana state prison before entering the teaching profession. His mix of tenacity and discipline has earned him the respect needed to turn the Bay View program into a success. This is his sixth year coaching and his second alongside Escobar, who heads the girls’ program.
Wisconsin is currently a national leader in the growth of girls’ wrestling. The state’s participation numbers have practically doubled year after year since the WIAA introduced an official girls’ state tournament. The division grew from just over 200 female wrestlers in 2017 to nearly 2,000 in the 2024–25 season. When Coach Escobar wrestled, she had to compete against the boys in her weight class, and she did so very successfully.
Coach Martin does a lot more than just coach; he serves as a mentor and community leader. While players receive essentials at MPS, coaching in this district often requires more. Sometimes we forget the resources other schools are blessed with. Bay View and MPS may not have the most resources, but we make do. There are no excuses—only the ones you make. Mats may be tough, and equipment may be sparse, but when you have strong leadership, student commitment, and a solid work ethic, excuses fade. Martin ensures his students get what they need, both psychologically and materially. On the mat, the margin for error is slim, and the only thing you have to let go of is your ego.
There was no shortage of competition this year. The wrestling program has made a significant comeback since Martin took over six years ago—proving that slow and steady wins the race. At the Varsity City Conference Meet, Bay View won its division in the Spicuzza Conference, beating Washington for a second straight year. Individually, our athletes made a massive impact. For the girls, Janiyah Brister (126) took 1st place, Ebeonna Crawford (138) took 2nd, and Britney Juarez-Salgado (235) took 1st. Additionally, Laylana Rivera (185) took 1st place and earned an MVP award in her first year of wrestling, an amazing feat in itself.
On the boys’ side, Marcelo Ceballos (157) took 1st, Braelyn Bryant (150) took 2nd, and Larry McCain (165) also took 2nd. Although there is no official third-place conference spot in wrestling, several others played their hearts out and still got a spot on the podium: Abdullahi Abdinajib Mohamed (132), CJ Cebor Bamba (138), Adrian Miller (144), Darrell Martinez (175), and Jordan Duprey (215).
These students deserve this recognition. Students need validation in sports and extracurriculars as much as they do in academics. All of these athletes were held accountable this year, both academically and physically; they showed up, and their commitment paid off. Even as someone who never wrestled in school, I can see what this sport means to everyone involved—from the dedication of the coaches to the immense sacrifice of the athletes. So here’s to a fantastic 25-26 school year and a promising future.
