Lessons learned in wrestling room help Hannibal’s Brown capture state championship

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The experience of battling with seniors daily in the wrestling room continues to pay off for Austin Brown.

Now a state champion, he’ll be the one setting the tone in the future.

Brown changed the momentum of the 113-pound title match against Carl Junction’s Carter Foglesong by getting a reversal with 18 seconds remaining in the first period to tie things at 2. A reversal midway through the second period led to a quick pin as the Hannibal sophomore flatbacked Foglesong in 3 minutes, 9 seconds to win the championship.

“It means the world,” Brown said. “This is great.”

Despite getting taken down by Foglesong in the first period, Brown kept his composure.

“I was so focused, but I had to make sure I didn’t overthink it,” said Brown, who finished third as a freshman at the state tournament at 106 pounds. “It was about having the right mindset so I could get the state title.”

That’s a lesson the seniors have taught him.

“They kept me up and motivated all the time,” Brown said. “They made me work in the room. They keep pushing me. They’re always showing me stuff and making me improve.”

It resulted in a 48-3 record.

“I just kept outworking everyone,” Brown said.

In his semifinal matchup, Brown pinned Winnetonka sophomore Tyrre Broom in 47 seconds. He scored a takedown 20 seconds into the match and finished the pin in short order.