Sami Marrero is in a new country, learning a new language.
And wrestling for Horizon-Southwest is helping him make the transition.
Marrero became the first Public League champion in program history on Feb. 2, winning a 19-4 technical fall in 5:15 over Perspectives-Leadership’s Mivontae Russell in the 190-pound final.
The junior was one of five local champions in the meet hosted by De La Salle, joining Kennedy senior Victor Alvarado (132), Hubbard senior Fabian Salazar (144), Goode senior Xavier Woods (150) and Hancock sophomore Malakai Davis (175),
“It means I’ve upped my game,” Marrero said through an interpreter. “Last year I didn’t place.
“This is a huge tournament and I’ll just keep getting better because this is pushing me even more.”
Marrero is 20-0 after getting a 51-second fall, an 11-0 major decision and two tech falls in the city finals.
“I can’t say that I expect it,” he said of being undefeated. “But you never know and that’s why I keep working so hard.”
Marrero came to Chicago from Cuba in October, 2023. He initially attended Horizon-McKinley while wrestling for the co-op team hosted by Horizon-Southwest. This school year he transferred to the Southwest campus.
“To be able to bring a title to the school that’s given me so much means a lot,” he said. “And my dad has been training with me two, three days a week, if not more. We’ve been putting in so much hard work.”
And being involved in Public League sports has helped him feel more at home.
“Thanks to wrestling, I feel like I’m more integrated into Chicago,” Marrero said. “I’ve made new friends and thanks to wrestling, I’m also learning more English.”
At 120, Alvarado (32-3) broke through after losing in last year’s finals and the 2023 semifinals to Lane’s Alex Valentin, who became a four-time Public League champ when he won the 132 title this year.
“It was never my goal to win city,” said Alvarado, who had a tech fall against Perspectives-Leadership’s Donald Bunton Jr. in the final. “I just wanted to wrestle and I want to get better and then I just kept getting beat here. But I won my final year, so I’m happy about that.”
At 144, Salazar (36-1) pinned Simeon’s Davian Hall in the quarterfinals to avenge his loss in last year’s 138 final. Salazar followed that with a tech fall in the semis and a major decision in the championship bout.
“That really motivated me over the summer to work hard,” Salazar said of last year’s loss to Hall. “And I’m glad it paid off.”
Woods (36-2) capped a big weekend with the 150 title. After going 6-13 as a freshman, he has passed 100 career wins.
“I just got better sophomore year and just kept going (on) with freestyle,” Woods said. “It just means hard work.”
Despite the rough start, he said, “I never even thought about quitting.”
Like Marrero, Davis (15-0) stayed unbeaten, getting two falls and two major decisions en route to the 175 title.
“I’ve been training for this, practicing for this, it feels like my whole life,” Davis said. “I’ve done as much as I could and this is the result.”