Baldwin off to promising start

The opening month of Michael Marrero’s tenure as Baldwin’s wrestling coach exceeded expectations, said the former two-time All-County grappler out of MacArthur.
With a roster largely comprised of underclassmen, the Bruins roared out of the gate in December with two strong tournament performances as well as a victory in its conference opener. They had a third-place showing at the MacArthur Tournament and a runner-up finish at Valley Stream South’s event.
“We’re overachieving so far and that’s a testament to the kids’ work ethic and our two outstanding senior leaders,” Marrero said.
Paul Clement, considered an All-County contender at 190 pounds, and Ari Guerra, who’s looking to make noise at he county tournament at 170, are serving as Baldwin’s main leaders, the coach explained.
“They’re pushing everyone not only in practice but also in the classroom,” Marrero said. “We have a very young team that’s going to experience growing pains and those guys know what it takes to be successful. These guys will help push everyone through.”

Clement split four matches on the county tournament stage at Hofstra University last winter and wants nothing less than a spot on the All-County (top six) podium. “Paul is someone opponents aren’t going to want to run into at the end of the season,” Marrero said. “I can’t say enough about the kid. He’s the complete package.”
Guerra, who competed in cross-country this fall to boost his conditioning level for wrestling, brings plenty of grit and determination to every match, Marrero said. “He’s super invested in being the best he can be,” the coach noted. “He’s always in good position and competing hard. It’s just a matter of breaking through.”
The Bruins’ dual meet lineup could feature another senior or two — Moise Ambroise is a senior first-year wrestler at 285 — but it’ll be up to the underclassmen to keep the team competitive in a challenging conference headed by Long Beach and East Meadow.
Sophomores Frantz Byron (131) and Devante Young (138) are both off to impressive starts and traded wins against each other in both early tournaments, with Byron getting the upper hand at MacArthur and Young emerging victorious at Valley Stream South. They’re also regular workout partners, Marrero said.
Another sophomore, Roosevelt transfer Nahkin Stevens, won the MacArthur Tournament at 108 and finished second at VSS. “He started on an absolute tear and is going to be a key part of our lineup,” said Marrero, who is assisted by Jake Schneider and Doug Rogers.
Junior Matt Feeny also finished first at MacArthur and will look to make a deep run in the county tournament after qualifying last season. He’ll be at 215.
Additional youngsters looking to make an impact for the Bruins include sophomore Jonathan Brown at 145, sophomore Jayden Young at 285 and freshman Adam Hillburger at 170.
“Right now I’m only concerned with how hard the kids are competing and how much they’re improving every day,” Marrero said. “We’ll worry more about wins and losses once we get to the county tournament.”