Billy Brower shed 36 pounds in one month to crack Upper Perkiomen's lineup.  "I had to do what is best for the team," he said.  In recent weeks, Brower has become a regular contributor for the Indians at 220 pounds.  "That's where Billy fit in the lineup," head coach Sam Walters said.

                On Monday, Brower's overtime victory helped spark a 54-15 victory over visiting Perkiomen Valley in the Pioneer Athletic Conference.  His escape with seven seconds left in the third period against Paul Pearce forged a 1-1 tie. In overtime, with Pearce breathing heavily, Brower took advantage.  He notched Upper Perkiomen's initial victory of the match.

                Dustin Steffenino (120 pounds), Noah Folk (126), Levi Homan (132) and Eric Miller (138) each registered pins for the Indians, who reeled off six straight wins to erase a 12-6 deficit.

                Mike Lockhoff (152) and Trevor Weeks (160) each added a six-point pin for Upper Perkiomen.

                Rather than attack Pearce immediately in overtime in the 220-pound bout, Brower moved deliberately, scoring a takedown with a high crotch and taking his opponent to the mat with a half Nelson.

                "Billy had a game plan in overtime," Walters said.  Seeing his opponent gasping for air, Brower, who weighed in at 195.7 pounds, waited for an opening.  He took Pearce to his back and scored a fall 38 seconds into overtime to improve his personal record to 7-10.

                Early in the season Brower, who opened the season weighing 231 pounds, occasionally competed on the varsity team because he couldn't consistently defeat his teammates at 285 pounds in practice, according to Walters.  The coach said that the Indians didn't have any other options to compete in the 220-pound weight class.

                Before Christmas, Brower said he started his weight loss program by following a plan presented to him by the coaching staff.

                Between mid-December and mid-January, the junior said he lived on a diet of omelets and small portions of other plain foods.  "Mind over matter," said Brower, who dropped 17 pounds in one week. "I tried to mix things up a little bit, so I didn't get bored with any one dish."

                Walters said Brower could "surprise some people" by qualifying for the districts.

                "Billy is a smart wrestler," the coach said.

                Brower, who has relied on superior conditioning to win several matches, said his only postseason expectations are to get as far as he can.  "I don't want to have any regrets," he said.

                On Tuesday, the Indians ended their PAC-10 dual meet schedule against Spring-Ford and honored their senior class.

                Also prior to the match, the team honored former coach Tom Hontz, who was inducted into the Upper Perk Takedown Club Wall of Fame.

                Hontz, the winningest wrestling coach in school history, led the Indians to a state title in 2006. His teams also collected nine PAC-10 championships and five District One Duals titles.

                A Quakertown native, Hontz also coached four individual state champions.

                "What Tom did was unbelievable," said Walters, who captained the 2005-06 state title team and coached on Hontz's staff. "I'm in awe of what he was able to accomplish."