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Payson • With every bench press, every mile run and every practice session this season, Payson wrestler Mitch Brown has his own vision quest in the back of his mind.

As a sixth-grader, Brown set a goal of winning four state wrestling titles. Three down, one to go.

"Zac Loveless and I looked at the list of people that had won four state titles and realized no one from our school had ever done it," said Brown. He's out to change that.

Brown might have overcome his biggest hurdle as a 103-pound ninth-grader in 2009. In the championship match, he squared off against Springville's Garret Bradley. The pair wrestled four times that year, splitting the wins 2-2. Brown answered that test with a fall in 55 seconds.

Brown captured titles in 2010 and 2011 and now finds himself aiming for the short list of Utah wrestlers who have won four state titles.

"The biggest thing with Mitch is he's just such a competitor," said Payson coach Chris Loveless. "He's a good all-around role model — very positive to the other kids in the program and always willing to help."

Wrestling is a family affair for the Browns. Brown's older brother was a standout on the Lions' roster, and father Chris, his coach from kindergarten through high school, wrestled at BYU in the late '80s. Brown claims his older sister Sam as his biggest fan; she once drove 16 hours just to see him wrestle in North Dakota.

With Payson's move to Class 3A this season, Brown will face some familiar and not-so-familiar opponents during his senior campaign. The Payson senior said Uintah's Beau Blackham, whom Brown defeated in the 2011 championship match, and Wasatch's Morgan Sweat, 3A champion in 2011, could be potential road blocks to his quest.

No matter the opponent, Brown steps on the mat with a singular mindset.

"I just go out and think … 'He has to go three rounds with me,' " he said. "He's going to get tired and I'll capitalize because of the work I put in."

Brown has the perfect sparring partner in Jed Morgan, a state champion at 125 pounds in 2011.

"We kinda joke before practice every day. He'll say, 'Are you ready to get your butt kicked today?' and I'll ask him if he's ready," said Brown.

Payson opens the season Dec. 2 and 3 at the Millard Ironman tournament. Brown's quest will culminate in the Utah State Championships in mid-February.