|
|
 |
|
|
Logan Brown shakes hands with Purdue Coach, Scott Hinkle.
|
|
|
|
MARCH 11, 2009
Logan Brown, a 2006 Covington graduate and a sophomore wrestler for Purdue University, has high expectations of himself.
This has led to a perfect 52-0 season and a state championship in 2006 at 189 pounds as a senior at Covington High School and becoming an NCAA Qualifier as a red-shirt freshman in 2008.
Now he looking for bigger things as he earned his second straight NCAA birth on Wednesday with an at-large big.
"My goal is to be an All-American," Brown said of what he'd like to accomplish this year at the NCAA's. "That's what I'm shooting for. It's all or nothing now."
Just four wrestlers earned automatic bids at the Big Ten Championships over the weekend, leaving Logan waiting to learn his fate from the NCAA selection committee on Wednesday. Logan finished one spot away as he took fifth at Big Ten's.
"I put myself in that situation," said Brown of placing his fate of an NCAA birth into the hands of the NCAA selection committee. "I had a chance to take care of it myself against (Patrick) Bond (of Illinois) and I didn't get the job done. I made some mistakes and it cost me."
The mistakes Brown was referring to were the two penalty points he gave Bond in a 3-0 loss.
"It was the little things I didn't do to win the match," he said. "I didn't get my offense going and I had the two penalty points I gave him. He (Bond) is a great wrestler, but I didn't wrestle the way I'm capable of."
Fortunately for Logan, who entered the Big Ten Tournament as a seventh seed and took fifth, his performance attracted the attention of the NCAA selection committee.
He opened the tournament with an 11-3 major decision over Cody Gardner of Ohio State in the Pig Tails.
But he dropped into the consolation rounds with a defeat to No. 2 seed Tyrel Todd of Michigan, a wrestler that eventually captured the Big Ten Championship at 197 pounds.
"He (Todd) is a strong wrestler and I went after him," Brown described. "I got in deep on his legs, but he was able to get behind and get the takedown and turn me. I just got caught by a great wrestler."
The Purdue sophomore rebounded quickly with a 9-8 victory over Tyler Dickenson of Michigan State and a 12-2 major decision over Matt Powless of Indiana.
The victory over Powless avenged a defeat earlier in the season in which Brown was leading 3-2 in the final seconds before surrendering a takedown with two seconds left. This cost him a 4-3 decision.
"The last time I wrestled him (Powless) I was sick and ran out of gas at the end," Brown said. "I don't think he expected that (being dominated 12-2). I wrestled much better this time."
This set up the "go-to-nationals" match with Bond (the fifth seed) as the top four wrestlers secured automatic bids - unlike last year when seven wrestlers secured automatic bids.
Neither wrestler could score any offensive points, but Bond was the beneficiary of two penalty points and an escape point to gain a 3-0 victory. It was the third straight loss Brown has suffered to Bond over the last two seasons.
"I hope I get to wrestle him again at Nationals," said Brown. "I'm closing the gap and I think I'll fair much better if I wrestle my match."
Brown concluded the Big Ten Tournament by dominating fourth seed Gordan Bierscenk of Minnesota, 10-4, for fifth place, which set the tone for his second straight trip to the NCAA Championships.
"I'm excited," he said about heading back to the NCAA Championships. "I've been there before, so I know what to expect. I just have to go out there and wrestle the way I'm capable of and everything else will fall into place."
He has every reason to be confident due to his resume. Brown has defeated several nationally ranked wrestlers, including #4 Max Askren of Missouri, and #11 Andrew Anderson of Northern Iowa. He has lost very close matches to #2 Dallas Herbst of Wisconsin (2-0) and #13 Chad Beatty of Iowa (2-1 in overtime).
"I use those matches as confidence," Logan continued. "It's a new season and everyone is 0-0. Everyone is even and it's a matter of who's ready to wrestle."
Brown also placed high at every major tournament this season; first in the Eastern Michigan Open, third at the Midlands Championships, fourth at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and fifth at the Big Ten Championships.
"I think I'm right there (with the rest of the top ranked wrestlers)," said Brown, who is 29-13 on the year. "I put my pants on just like the next guy. I just have to focus on doing what I do best. A takedown here or there can mean the difference in any match."
With the gap between an NCAA Qualifier and an All-American very thin, Brown is knocking on the door of becoming one of the elite 197 pound wrestlers in the nation.
"I think so," Brown agreed. "Everyone is so even that one or two minor things can make the difference between a win or a loss. You have guys who are All-American one year and don't make it back the next. That's just how even everyone at this level is."
Which make Logan believe he has as good of a chance as anyone to finish on the podium.
"I think I have a great shot (of placing)," said Logan. "This sort of reminds me of high school. The first year I made it to state and the next year I placed. Hopefully that trend continues because I made it to Nationals last year and now I want to place and gain All-American status."
Which would ad to higher expectations in the future.
|
