Years of dedication to the sport of wrestling and the student athletes of Escalon High School were recognized recently, as the 2025 inductees into the Wrestling Hall of Fame were honored.
Brianne Cerasi, Cathy Scott, Dao Schurkamp and Sue Smith were named as this year’s Hall honorees and were celebrated prior to the start of the varsity wrestling match at EHS on Wednesday night, Jan. 22.
Wrestling head coach Derek Scott said the idea behind the Hall of Fame is to recognize both those wrestling athletes who have made their mark at EHS and also those that support the athletes in a variety of ways.
Brianne Cerasi was honored for her work not only with the Escalon High wrestling program but also the youth-focused Escalon Wrestling Club.
She has been involved with both programs for the last 10 years, said Coach Scott, and has served as vice president for the EWC for many years. She also has been the co-director of the annual fundraising Rib and Oyster Feed for the program.
“She is a team mom and volunteer assistant of EHS wrestling,” Scott said.
Son Luca currently wrestles for EHS. Brianne, along with her husband Tony and older son AJ, are also in attendance at all EHS and EWC tournaments and events to assist in any way possible.
Cathy Scott – who happens to be Coach Scott’s mom – has long been a fixture at tournaments, including helping organize the head table at the annual Lloyd C. Engel Tournament hosted at EHS, keeping the tournament moving smoothly.
“She has been a part of the Lloyd C. Engel since the ‘70s when she was in high school,” Scott said.
She also has run the EWC silent auction for some 20 years and has always been willing to extend a helping hand to wrestlers in need. She and her husband Ray – an assistant coach for some 35 years – supported both their sons Derek and Steve, and adopted sons Frank and Joey at all levels of wrestling through the years.
Honoree Dao Schurkamp saw several of her own children through the EHS athletic programs and now watches her grandchildren, often on the campus for sporting events.
“She is the mother of the most successful wrestling family in EHS history,” Scott noted.
Between them, her four sons – Billy, Max, Tommy and Curtis – won multiple league, section and CIF state medals and titles, as well as All-American honors, among other recognition.
“In recent years she has supported her grandsons Ethan, Aidan and Dylan” at their wrestling tournaments, said Scott, as they continued the family wrestling tradition.
“Her son-in-law Ray (Krieger) serves as an assistant coach and Dao has continued to feed coaches and assist with our Lloyd C. Engel coaches lunch to this day.”
Another longtime supporter, Sue Smith has been involved with Escalon wrestling since the 1970s.
“Along with her husband Don, they are the parents of the very successful Smith family of wrestling with her four boys, John, Kirt, Matt and Wes,” noted Scott.
Never too far away from the sport, she has also been involved in the 2000s, watching and supporting her grandson Donnie and her son Kirt, who became an assistant wrestling coach for the high school. Additionally, son Matt currently serves as a photographer for EHS sports.
Sue also has donated much time over the years and still continues to provide desserts for fundraisers and for the coaches lunch at the Lloyd C. Engel Tournament.
“We’re recognizing these four very special women, who with their families have been instrumental in the development and success of EHS wrestling over the years,” Scott said in announcing the new Hall of Fame inductees.
