Friday, October 2, 2026
In his second year as coach, Jake Horton is trying to rebuild a winning culture for Baldwin wrestling. Once a powerhouse in the 1980s, the Bruins have bought into this long-term project, which can only take shape with triumphs on the mat.
“As time goes on, traditions maybe fall off within a program,” Horton said. “It doesn't always sustain what it once had. I think it’s important to build that back up. I tell the team that they are the kids that are going to make wrestling cool here. They’re the kids that are going to make the next generation want to come wrestle by going out there, putting in the work and winning matches.”
In Horton’s first year with Baldwin, the Bruins started slow but gradually gathered momentum to finish 16th out of 40 teams at the Nassau Division I Championships. Both of their All-County wrestlers, Frantz Byron and Nakhin Stevens, are returning as seniors.
Byron, the runner-up in the county final at 145 pounds, also qualified for state competition as a junior. Already the Bruins’ most decorated wrestler, he could grow even stronger in his final year. Stevens, a two-time All-County wrestler, is expected to be a menace at 118 pounds after finishing fifth in the county last season.
“Sometimes, I feel like they’re reflections of me as a coach,” Horton said. “They hold all the other kids to their standards, which is such a high standard. They're the most accomplished, they're the ones who have put in the most time, and they're still the ones that are always working the hardest.“
Byron and Stevens make for spectacular training partners, as Stevens embraces the challenge beyond his weight class while Byron gains immense insight from Stevens’ technical ability. Horton often has to split the pair in order to keep other wrestlers sharp.
“Every day, I have to almost pull [Stevens] away,” Horton said. “Go wrestle someone that's close to your weight class.”
Defiant to the end, Stevens often ends up sparring with senior Jayden Young, who has kicked off his final season with an undefeated record at 285 pounds.
“One of the football coaches, Bobby Appel, comes in all the time and just specifically works with Jayden, because heavyweight wrestling is a little bit different than the small guys,” Horton said. “Jayden takes everything that he tells him and recreates it on the mat. He's maybe 7-0 on the year, so I'm definitely expecting big things from him.”
Horton said that he expects Yassen Khan to excel at 110 pounds after catching fire late last season. After a difficult start, the young wrestler strung together several late victories to earn All-Conference honors, kickstarting a hard-working off-season.
Another sophomore, Francis Campasano, could face some of Baldwin’s toughest battles, as he will often have to wrestle outside his weight class, which he shares with Stevens. He has embraced these early challenges, even against much stronger opponents.
Seniors Brandon Phang and Mitchell Carter fill out Baldwin’s lineup, and both seem likely to make breakthroughs in their final year. Phang has worked hard to turn technical ability into winning results, while Carter has worked his way back from an injury that cost him most of his junior year.
