MORE STATE COVERAGE... Logan Brown Wins State Title... Logan Brown, more than a state champ... Tom Barbee, 31 years worth the wait... Logan Brown shakes hands with Purdue Coach, Scott Hinkle.

Brown, an NCAA Qualifier in each of his two previous seasons, finished 2-1 in the duals with a 6-1 victory over Casey Newburg of Kent State and a 16-0 technical fall over Jake Ewing of Ashland. Brown's lone defeat on the day was a narrow 4-3 decision to #3 ranked Hudson Taylor of Maryland in a bout Brown surrendered a critical penalty point.

Still, it was an impressive outing for the Purdue grappler as he narrowed the gap on Taylor, who defeated Logan 12-4 at Midlands in late December.

"I came away with something in the match with Taylor," said Brown of his narrow 3-4 defeat. "When I wrestled him at Midlands I had a hard time getting off the bottom, so we've been working very hard on my technique. Today I was able to get off the bottom and get a takedown. I almost had him turned for backs (back points) but time ran out. The penalty point was the difference in the match and that's something I can't let happen again."

Brown's high school coach Tom Barbee was on hand to witness Logan in action.

"He looked good," Barbee said of Brown. "He pretty much had his way with the Kent State kid and the Ashland kid. He wrestled pretty well against Taylor (of Maryland), but the penalty point early really cost him. Hopefully he'll get another shot at him (Taylor) at nationals because I think Logan can beat him."

The performance in the Wendy's Duals also kept the momentum going from an solid performance in the Old Dominican Duals on January 3rd, where he defeated two nationally ranked wrestlers in Old Dominican's Jesse Strawn (#15) and Tyler Smith of Rider (#19). The victory over Strawn was a 6-0 decision, while he bested Rider by the margin of 3-1.

"I took a finger in the eye against the Rider kid and my eye swelled shut to where I couldn't see out of it," Brown explained. "It was tough, but I had it in my mind that I wasn't going to let it stop me (against Strawn). He (Strawn) has been a sore spot for me because he knocked me out of Senior Nationals my senior year in high school and he beat again in college. To beat him twice now this year is very gratifying because it shows how much I've improved as a wrestler."

The latest success for Brown comes after his biggest disappointment of the season. He failed to place at Midlands for the first time in his collegiate career as he fell to #3 Hudson Taylor of Maryland and #10 Patrick Bond of Illinois after opening the tournament with two straight wins over #17 Chad Hanke of Oregon State, 6-2, and a 14-1 victory over unranked Troy Carlson of Chicago.

But heading into the Big Ten schedule, Brown has beaten seven nationally ranked wrestlers, including a pair of victories over #9 ranked Anthony Biondo of Michigan and two victories over #15 ranked Jesse Strawn of Old Dominican. Brown has lost six times to ranked wrestlers, all but two of those being close matches.

"I feel good about where I'm at," Brown said. "I beat the Cornell kid (#5 ranked Cam Simaz of Cornell) before, but I wrestled terrible against him in Vegas. I've wrestled everyone tough, so I think I'm capable of beating anybody. I just have to wrestle my match every time out and dictate each match the way I want it to go."

Because nothing comes easy in the Big Ten as six wrestlers are nationally ranked, including Brown.

"Anybody in the Big Ten will be a tough match," Brown said. "There are no slouches. I have to be ready to wrestle my best because every match is important when it comes to seedings for the Big Ten Championships."

And how Brown does in the Big Ten will dictate whether or not he'll get another crack at the NCAA Championships.

"Most definitely," Brown agreed. "This is the time to pick it up a notch because it all leads to the NCAAs."

A tournament Brown is looking to return to for the third straight year.

Logan Brown's Record against Nationally Ranked Wrestlers:
W 3-2 - #9 Anthony Biondo, Michigan
W 7-4 - #18 Brent Haynes, Missouri
L 0-2 - #18 Brent Haynes, Missouri
W 2-1 - #15 Jesse Strawn, Old Dominican
L Fall 1:30 - #2 Craig Brester, Nebraska
L 2-6 - #5 Cam Simaz, Cornell
W MFor - #9 Anthony Biondo, Michigan
L 4-12 - #3 Hudson Taylor, Maryland
L 3-5 - #10 Patrick Bond, Illinois
W 6-2 - #17 Chad Hanke, Oregon State
W 3-1 - #19 Tyler Smith, Rider
W 6-0 - #15 Jesse Strawn, Old Dominican
L 3-4 - #3 Hudson Taylor, Maryland

Nationally Ranked Big Ten Wrestlers:
#4 - Chad Beatty, Iowa (13-2)
#8 - Trevor Brandvold, Wisconsin (9-3)
#9 - Anthony Biondo, Michigan (14-1)
#10 - Patrick Bond, Illinois (14-7)
#11 - Logan Brown, Purdue (25-6)
#16 - Sonny Yohn, Minnesota (14-5)

Potential Big Ten Opponents:
#4 - Chad Beatty, Iowa (13-2)
#8 - Trevor Brandvold, Wisconsin (9-3)
#9 - Anthony Biondo, Michigan (14-1)
#10 - Patrick Bond, Illinois (14-7)
#16 - Sonny Yohn, Minnesota (14-5)
NR - Matt Powless, Indiana (20-8)
NR - Tyler Dickenson, Michigan State (12-8)
NR - Cody Magrum, Ohio State (12-7)
NR - Clay Steadman, Penn State (7-5)
NR - John Schoen, Northwestern (7-5)

RECENT RESULTS
Wendy's Duals
197: #11 Logan Brown (PU) def. Casey Newburg (KSU), D 6-1
197: #11 Logan Brown (PU) def. Jake Ewing (AU), TF 16-0
197: #11 Logan Brown (PU) lost to #3 Hudson Taylor (Maryland), D 3-4

Old Dominican Duals
197: #11 Logan Brown (PU) def. #19 Tyler Smith (Rider), D 3-1
197: #11 Logan Brown (PU) def. #15 Jesse Strawn (Old Dominican), D 6-0

Midlands
197: #11 Logan Brown (PU) def. Troy Carlson (Chicago), MD 14-1
197: #11 Logan Brown (PU) #17 Chad Hanke (Oregon State), D 6-2
197: #11 Logan Brown (PU) lost to #3 Hudson Taylor (Maryland), MD 4-12
197: #11 Logan Brown (PU) lost to #10 Patrick Bond (Illinois), D 3-5

Purdue Duals
197: #11 Logan Brown (PU) def. Marcus Fridley (MSJ), TF 25-10 (4:38)
197: #11 Logan Brown (PU) def. Kyle Keith (IND), TF 21-6 (5:17)
197: #11 Logan Brown (PU) def. David Devine (SIUE), TF 18-3
197: #11 Logan Brown (PU) def. Andrew Aronstam (LC),TF 22-7 (4:52)