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Penn-Trafford Two-sport star hopes to land QB job
Brown
Don Wright/For the Tribune-Review
School: Penn-Trafford
Year: Senior
Ht., Wt.: 6-1, 180
Position: Quarterback
Notable: He's been the starting point guard on the P-T basketball team since his freshman year.
Penn-Trafford's Mike Brown does a lot of things that would be expected of an average teenager heading into his senior year of high school.
He hangs out with his friends and goes to movies and sporting events. He has an affinity for video games like "NCAA Football."
Fishing he does, hunting he doesn't.
The music on his iPod reflexes his varied interests -- Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Lil Wayne.
"I like the old school music, too," he said.
Brown also has found plenty of time to become a skilled multi-sport athlete for the Warriors, starring in two sports -- basketball and football. He went into training camp with a good possibility of being the Warriors' starting quarterback.
But just as importantly, he's involved in a program that is not only meaningful to Brown, but also to youngsters who hope someday to be where he is now.
"I'm involved with a group called Rag-Tag, helping little kids to learn the game of football," Brown said. "I think the kids appreciate that. I know when I was little I always wanted to see the high school kids."
The youngsters are no doubt impressed with Brown, if for no other reason than the fact that he's returned three interceptions for touchdowns as a defensive back. He did it once in a scrimmage against North Allegheny, once against Seneca Valley in a game and once in a televised game against Upper St. Clair.
"I'm guessing my highlight moment was the 56-yarder against Upper St. Clair," Brown said. "I really wasn't thinking about having made an interception on TV. I guess my first thought was, "Hey, I intercepted the ball. What do I do next?" I ran in front of an out route, and it was pretty much a straight shot to the end zone."
Veteran coach Art Tregassar probably can't speak in any more glowing terms about one of his players than Brown.
"He's a very good student, a good kid," Tregassar said. "He's well-liked, has a great personality, is very likeable. He's mature and has a good sense of himself and what's going on around him. He's just a good kid. He's one of our team captains."
It's been a busy summer for Brown, who worked at Iovino Pool and Spa near Level Green. He also went to football camps at places such as Toledo, Eastern Michigan, Ohio University, Pitt and the Nike Camp at Penn State.
The 3.0 student has gotten some interest from colleges, especially MAC schools like Toledo, Ohio and Akron.
But on his immediate radar is winning the starting quarterback job and starting the regular season.
"I'm really looking forward to the season, we're all really anxious," Brown said. "Matt Hyland (his competitor at the quarterback position) and I are good friends. It will be fun battling him for the No. 1 job. But it's a win-win because if it doesn't work out that I win the job, I know I'll be on the field."
And opponent shouldn't be fooled by his somewhat quiet personality.
"A lot of people think I'm shy, but I'm just very easy to get along with," Brown said. "I always tell the coaches that I'll leave the yelling for the other guys. I'd rather let my stuff on the field do the talking. I like to think I lead more by example."
