Published Saturday
November 30, 2002

Kearney's Brill looks for fourth title
BY CRAIG SESKER WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

KEARNEY, Neb. - Tom McCann has seen just about everything in 32 years as the head wrestling coach at Kearney High School. He has coached his share of outstanding wrestlers. His team won the Class A state title in 1998. But McCann could experience something new this year. He could coach his first four-time state champion. Kearney senior Brandon Brill, who owns Class A state titles at 103, 112 and 135 pounds, will look to cap his career with championship No. 4 at 130 this season. "It would be great to do it," Brill said. "I always knew I wanted to be a four-timer. It would be awesome." Brill was 32-0 as a freshman, 28-0 as a sophomore and 31-2 last season. "Brandon is a hard worker and he has some real good physical skills," McCann said. "He is quick and he has very good technique. He learns from his mistakes and he stays very focused." Jerry Thomas and David Miller won three titles apiece for McCann at Kearney in the 1990s. Brill is seeking to become the 11th Nebraska wrestler to win four state titles. Brill was on pace to finish his career unbeaten until losing twice in a span of a week during his junior season. He fell to a wrestler from Kansas and then lost to Lexington's Will Fellers. Brill beat Fellers 9-1, lost to him 5-4 and then avenged the loss with a 12-2 win last year. "Those losses really opened my eyes," Brill said. "I think it really helped me in the long run. I know I have to be ready every time I step on the mat." Becoming a four-time champion is something Brill said he tries to keep in perspective. "My dad has always told me ever since I was a little kid to take it one match a time," he said. "That's how I have to approach this. I just have to make sure I am focused and not get a big head about it." Brill is not the only state champ in Kearney's wrestling room. Junior Andrew Baumgartner, who won the 125 title last year, has moved up to 152 this season.
"Anytime you have two state champions setting the pace in practice," McCann said, "the other guys on the team take notice."
Brill has attracted the interest of a number of colleges, most notably the University of Nebraska at Kearney and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
"I have no clue what I am going to do," he said. "I want to keep wrestling, but I am not sure where yet."
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