Athlete of the Week - Jerriona Marshall, Mayo Girls Wrestling

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) –It took a second.

“I didn’t know right away, when the pin hit, I was like oh my god I got to go all over again,” Jerriona Marshall said.

For Jerriona Marshall to realize she just became a section champion.

When I realized it, I was happy, excited couldn’t wait to tell my mom.”

An accomplishment that means so much more than just a ticket to state.

“It means a lot; it means a lot to me showing that I can make my mom proud,” Marshall said.

Jerriona and her family have been through a lot, last year her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Then had a double mastectomy. Jerriona’s season ended early to take care of her.

“I didn’t want to have to not wrestle that year, but I also wanted to take care of my mom so being here and actually being able to wrestle and compete in the girl’s sections it’s so crazy.”

Now with her mother healthy and doing well, Jerriona is doing more than competing, she’s exceling.

“It was really the last month where it really picked up for her, where she started to wrestle other girls and see that ok this is how I need to wrestle the other girls,” Art Trimble, Mayo Head Wrestling Coach said.

All a testament to her work ethic as she’s only been wrestling for two years.

“You can just tell my mom and sister; they just hear me like rolling around on the ground in my bedroom they’re so sick of it,” Marshall said.

She works for it because she loves it.

“I saw a male dominated sport and I didn’t really care that it was male dominated. I liked the aspect of thinking on your feet. It doesn’t matter if the person’s bigger, stronger than you, you have to maneuver a way and use their strengths and weaknesses against them.”

Now with a trip to state, she’s putting her name right in with the boys. As she becomes the first female wrestler in Mayo history to go to state.

“It means a lot to me, but not only to me like the aspect that there will be other people walking into here just cause I went to state just cause I’m going to do well in state,” Marshall said.

“Jerriona’s definitely setting the groundwork. We have youth wrestlers, female youth wrestlers that are looking up to her and seeing that and they’re excited for her,” Trimble said.

Win or lose, she’s already won in her eyes.

“The fact that I got there and doing all this and did all this. I really worked for it, and I really wanted it I’m very proud of myself, very grateful to my coach and my mom for always having my back and supporting me,” Marshall said.

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