Boys Wrestling

Meet the 2025 Grand Marshals

The Grand Marshal will lead the annual Parade of Champions Saturday night (March 8) before the championship bouts of the 43rd annual Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) State Final Wrestling Tournament.

Named Grand Marshals for 2025 are: Branden Petersen and Adam Greenberg

The IESA started having Grand Marshals in 1996. The Grand Marshals are honored for their contributions to interscholastic wrestling and the young men who participate in the sport. They are nominated by the IESA Wrestling Advisory Committee and approved by the IESA Board of Directors. The marshals will play an integral role of the Parade of Champions as they will lead the 76 individual finalists and their coaches into the Convocation Center, amidst music, applause and cheers from teammates, parents, family, and fans.

Here is a closer look at the 2025 Grand Marshals:

The IESA is proud to have selected Branden Petersen as a Grand Marshal for the 2025 IESA state wrestling competition. Branden Petersen attended Reed Custer High School where he graduated in 1997. He then graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 2002.

Throughout Branden's distinguished career, he has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the sport of wrestling, both as a competitor and a coach. As a high school wrestler, he achieved notable success, placing third at the IHSA state championships in 1996 in the 103-pound weight class and becoming the runner-up in the 112-pound category in 1997. His passion for the sport naturally transitioned into a coaching career, beginning in 2003 as an assistant wrestling coach at Wilmington during his student teaching period. He further honed his coaching skills at Reed Custer High School and served as a varsity soccer coach at Wilmington, Reed-Custer, and Coal City High School from 2002 to 2012.

His head coaching career at Coal City Middle School spanned 19 years from 2005-2023, hosting many regional and sectional tournaments including the annual Warrior Invite. During his 19 years at Coal City his teams placed six times in the IESA state tournament, winning two state championships in 2019 and 2022. Under his guidance, the school produced 155 state qualifiers, 75 state placers, and 18 state champions, setting a state record for total points scored in 2022. One of his most cherished moments was walking his son in the grand march and coaching him to a state championship.

Beyond coaching, he contributed significantly to the local wrestling community by helping establish the "Lil Coalers" wrestling club in 2012, further solidifying Coal City's wrestling prominence. Upon retiring from coaching in 2023, he embraced officiating, allowing him more time with his family—his wife Stephanie, daughter Madalyn, and son Owen.

The IESA is proud to have selected Adam Greenberg as a Grand Marshal for the 2025 IESA state wrestling competition. Adam Greenberg attended Buffalo Grove High School graduating in 1992 after high school he graduated from the University of Kansas in 1997. He then received his Master's in Education at DePaul University in 2001. Adam is a distinguished figure in the wrestling community, Adam began his illustrious wrestling journey as a 1988 IESA State Qualifier at 70 lbs. for Cooper Middle School and was honored with the Most Valuable Wrestler Award that same year. His prowess on the mat continued to shine as he became a three-year varsity starter for Buffalo Grove High School from 1990 to 1992, competing in the 103 lbs. to 112 lbs. weight classes and serving as team captain in his senior year.

Transitioning his passion for wrestling into a successful coaching career, Adam dedicated 18 years as Head Coach at Twin Groves Middle School in Buffalo Grove from 2001 to 2019. During his tenure, he led the team to 14 Patriot Middle School Conference Championship titles, achieving a remarkable 10-year consecutive win streak from 2009 to 2018. His advocacy was pivotal in bringing District 96 into the IESA fold in 2012, with his team qualifying 33 wrestlers for the State Tournament over eight years and securing a best finish of 27th place in 2018.

Under his mentorship, two wrestlers achieved 4th place and one captured 1st place at the State level. In 2013, he founded the Lindsey Durlacher Wrestling Championships tournament, honoring his late friend and raising funds for aspiring college wrestlers. Additionally, in 2008, he co-founded the Fighting Patriots Wrestling Club at Stevenson High School. His contributions to wrestling were further acknowledged with his 2018 induction into the Stevenson High School Wrestling Hall of Fame. Notably, six of his former wrestlers advanced to compete in Division 1 and Division 2 college programs, reflecting his enduring impact on the sport.