Wrestling success has taken on new meaning for Deerfield junior Danny Martinez this season.

Martinez is following in the footsteps of his older brother, Mark, who placed fourth in the 144-pound weight class at the Class 2A state meet for Deerfield in 2024. Martinez’s younger brother, Angel, is also a promising wrestler for the Warriors.

More important, Martinez and his family experienced massive upheaval last summer, when a fire damaged their house. Martinez said “it was a total loss.”

“The fire made a big impact on my family,” he said. “We had to work through it.

“We lost all of our medals and trophies. That really impacts you. But right now, I know I have got to get more and collect them back.”

Martinez is on track to accomplish that. He has qualified for the state meet, which begins Thursday at the State Farm Center in Champaign, by finishing second in the 126-pound weight class at the 2A Antioch Sectional on Saturday.

Martinez (40-12) has racked up wins this season and received support from the community along the way.

“Danny has sacrificed a lot to make state,” Deerfield coach Marc Pechter said. “He never missed a practice after the fire. I don’t feel like he skipped a beat. He wanted it so bad. The school rallied around him and did everything they could to ease up the pressure on him and his family.

“Danny put his head down and worked hard. As a team, we all gave him his space. He really focused on wrestling and made it his job to make it to state.”

Deerfield junior Alex Shvartsman, who has qualified for state at 144 pounds, said he never doubted Martinez.

“He has the strongest mentality of anyone I know,” Shvartsman said.

Pechter’s son Jake, a Deerfield freshman who competes at 106 pounds, is fully aware of the Martinez brothers’ talents, having watched them at practices and meets over the years.

“Danny’s work ethic is impressive,” Jake Pechter said. “Coming in as a freshman to the team’s first day of practice, everyone, including me, noticed Danny and how hard he worked and his technique. He doesn’t give up. He always has a smile on his face too.”

Martinez said he used to watch his older brother at meets, too, and wanted to follow the same path.

“Mark inspired me because he made state so many times in middle school, and I wanted to be just like him,” Martinez said. “I wanted to wrestle like him. Watching him make state last year is where I got my work ethic from. He pushed me to work hard and lift weights. His senior year really inspired me, watching him grow up and see him get better at wrestling.

“He taught me everything, and now it’s my time to prove it, and I have to do something at state. I can’t just be a shadow. I put in the work to be just like my older brother.”

Martinez is also motivated by the fact that he’s the only brother still competing this season. His younger brother suffered a season-ending injury after the third meet.

“I feel like I have something to prove for the Martinez family,” he said.

Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/18/deerfield-high-school-wrestling-danny-martinez/