Dan Brown ’02
Career Record: 145-39, District Champ, Regional Champ, 3x State Medalist
Tournament Championships: 2x Manheim Champ
2002 – 140 lbs.: District Runner-Up, Regional Runner-Up, State Runner-Up (41-6)
2001 – 140 lbs.: District Champ, Regional Champ, State Fourth (38-9)
2000 – 125 lbs.: District Third, Regional Third, State Qualifier (33-12)
1999 – 112 lbs.: District Fourth, Regional Third, State Sixth (33-12)
Dan Brown was a captain and anchor member of one of the greatest classes in Easton history. He was the fourth Red Rover to qualify for the state tournament four times and his state medal seasons in 2001 and 2002 helped Easton roll to back-to-back State Dual and PIAA Tournament championships.
As a freshman, Brown broke into the Easton lineup at 112 pounds started his career undefeated into tournament season, where he did not place at Reno and took fourth at Manheim. Brown defeated National Prep medalist and future Notre Dame (GP) head coach Matt Veres (Blair Academy) in Easton’s 31-23 upset of the Buccaneers. He got his first taste of P’burg victory with a 20-10 major in Easton’s tight 32-25 win over the Stateliners. He went 2-0 at D11 Duals, though the Rovers lost to Northampton in semifinals. In his first D11 tournament, Brown advanced to semifinals, losing to future All American and state finalist Mario Stuart (Liberty), then dropping the bronze medal match to Brad Meichur (Nazareth), a flip from Brown’s regular season win over the Blue Eagle. At Regionals, Brown made it back to semis (including a win over future March School principal and noted D11 referee Danny Gonzalez) where Stuart again sent him into the consolation bracket. On the back side, Brown majored Ryan Koch (Milton) and handled Rick Kerstetter (Selinsgrove) to punch his first ticket to the state tournament. At states, Brown opened his Hershey career with a 4-2 win over RJ Paterniti (Erie Cathedral Prep). He lost to state champ Justin Spates (Mount Pleasant) in quarters, then recovered with a major in the medal round and a sixth place finish in the tournament. Of the ballyhooed Easton freshmen, Brown was the only one to qualify and medal at the ‘99 state tournament.
As a sophomore, Brown opened the season with a pin of state finalist Matt Edwards (North Schuylkill) in his move up to 130 pounds. He was undefeated headed into Reno, where he beat future California state champ Steve Esparza (Calvary Chapel) in quarters, before dropping his semifinal. Esparza came back to beat Brown in the bronze medal match. Brown took third at Manheim, dropping his semi, but beating future state finalist Brian Sticca (Greensburg-Salem) and local rival Tony Sevaro (Parkland) on the back side. He faced a brutal schedule in January, with losses to Ohio state champions Mark Jayne (St. Edward) and Nate Gulosh (Walsh Jesuit), National Prep finalist Joe Crecca (Blair Academy), state champions Ron Doppelheuer (Connellsville), and Jeff Ecklof (Northampton). But Brown would shine a District Duals, with a decision against Bangor, a major decision over Brad Meichur (Nazareth) to get revenge for their bronze medal match the year before, and a highlight 7-5 win in overtime against Ecklof, with Brown dragging his toes on the edge for the winning score in OT. At the D11 tournament, Ecklof and Brown met in semifinals and went to overtime for the third time in three weeks. This time it was Ecklof who was able to score in the extra period for his second 3-1 (OT) victory over Brown. At Regionals, a fourth Brown-Ecklof match was spoiled in semis when Brian Burns (Pottsville) took out Brown 6-4 and forced him into the consolation bracket. There, Brown earned his second win over Sevaro (Parkland), using a 2-1 third place win to punch a ticket to Hershey. However, Brown had a disastrous sophomore state tournament, going 0-2 as he watched rival Ecklof advance all the way to the state final.
For his junior season, Brown moved up to 140 pounds and immediately had success. He opened the season by pinning future state finalist John-Henry Zarzycki (Pleasant Valley) then dominating a 9-4 win over state champion Nick Krecker (Wilson). At Reno, he made semifinasls, with a quarters win over Alaska state champ Ron Winger (Skyview), but slide to sixth place with three straight losses. He won his first Manheim title by not giving up an offensive point, and getting wins over state medalists Brad Herman (Parkland) and Brandon Guenot (Bald Eagle Area). He got a rematch with Doppelheuer at Easton-P’Burg Duals and drastically changed the margin, going from a first period fall as a sophomore to a 6-6 tie at the end of reguatlion But Doppelheuer scored the winning takedown in OT to knock off Brown 8-6. At the inaugural NHSCA Final Four, Brown dropped matches to Ohio state champ Joe Zinkan (Archbishop Moeller) and two-time Oklahoma champ Kyle Shelton (Midwest City), but rebounded to beat National Prep champ Zac Stevens (Blair Academy). Brown went 3-0 at the D11 Duals and Easton rolled to their first title in the state duals era. At state duals, Brown went 3-0 with a tech and a fall as the Red Rovers dominated the field and won their first of four straight State Duals championships. At the D11 tournament, Brown finally broke through semifinals by beating Mark Israel (Liberty) 9-4, then won his first D11 title with a 3-2 win over Bobby Zuber (Northampton). At Northeast Regionals, Brown made his first final and beat state bronze medalist Andy Hoffman (Shikellamy) 9-8 for a Regional title. At the state tournament, Brown cruised through his first two matches to clinch a medal and get a third career match up with Ron Doppelheuer (Connellsville). Like their January match up, the two were tied at the end of regulation, and once again it was Doppelheuer who countered for a takedown to go to his second state final. Brown then lost the bronze medal match to RJ Paterniti (Erie Cathedral Prep) to take fourth for the second time.
As a senior, Brown finished third in Reno, with wins over California state medalists Jeff Moriarty (Poway) and Buck Barger (Villa Park), as well as Utah state champ Chris Peterson (Delta) and Idaho state champ and Wrestling USA All American Matt Hodges (Idaho Falls). Brown won his second Manheim by bonusing his way through the tournament as one of six Easton champions as the Red Rovers broke their own scoring record. In January, Brown knocked off Ohio bronze medalist Mike Pierce (St. Edward) 5-1 as the Red Rovers shocked the Eagles in a 37-14 win. He put up a pair of tech’s in the first two sessions of the NHSCA Final Four, then dropped a 7-5 heartbreaker against National Prep champ Ryan Davis (Blair Academy) in a match up of the top two teams in the country. He had his first meeting with Christian Franco (Whitehall) in D11 Dual quarterfinals, and fell 9-3 in round one against the Whitehall star. At state duals, Brown went 3-0 as Easton won their second straight title. Brown and Franco were both at 140 for Districts as two of the best wrestlers in Pennsylvania without a state title. Brown c drew Brad Herman (Parkland) in his semi, and had to survive a 5-5 war by riding Herman out in OTRO to make his third D11 final. Franco, meanwhile, pinned his way through the bracket to make finals. In their second meeting of the year, Brown was able to slow Franco down, but was unable to escape in the third period as Franco rode him out for a 1-0 win. The following weekend, Brown had the same path – dominate the first two rounds, have it out in a 3-2 war with Herman, then meet Franco in the Regional final. This time, Franco got a little more offense going in a 6-1 win over Brown. At the state tournament, Brown started strong with 17-8 and 8-2 wins to make his second state semifinal. His Saturday morning opponent was Mark Smith (Upper Perkiomen), who set the Pennsylvania record for pins in a career and who survived a 3-2 quarterfinal with Herman. Smith, who had a prolific headlock, was unable to get Brown into a big move situation, and the savvy Easton senior converted two leg attacks for scores in a huge 5-2 win that clinched the team title for Easton in semifinals and gave the Rovers their third finalist of the tournament. On the other side, Christian Franco bonused his way through the bracket to make his second state final and set up an all D11 affair for the 140 pound crown. Brown kept Franco at bay in the first period, and started the second period on bottom with a chance to take a 1-0 lead. But Franco would not be denied, and turned Brown with an arm-bar in the second to open up a 3-0 lead. He let Brown up then hit a takedown before time expired in the second to take a commanding 5-1 lead and win Whitehall’s first state title. Brown finished with a silver medal and becoame one of three three-time medalists in the class of 2002, who led Easton to a runaway title at the PIAA Tournament for the second straight year and cemented themselves as one of the great classes in Easton history.
History of Easton Wrestling 