Fulfilling potential
Prep wrestler Fusco wins Region 4 title; moves on to state tournament
His record might have only been 19-10 before last weekend’s NJSIAA Region 4 wrestling championships at Passaic Valley High School and the mark was only good enough to get a sixth seed, but St. Peter’s Prep’s 135-pound sophomore Lawrence Fusco always believed he had a chance to win the region title.
"I thought I had a pretty good shot," Fusco said. "I won the districts (District 16) and felt strong. I had 10 losses, but the 10 losses were to quality kids. Even though I hated to lose, I felt good, because I was going the distance with quality guys."
St. Peter’s Prep head coach Rick Gronda also believed in his young wrestler.
"His performance throughout the year and the progress he made epitomized the development of the team," said Gronda, whose team captured the NJSIAA Parochial A North state sectional championship a few weeks ago. "He took some big losses for the team early in the season, but as he was going through the tougher opponents, we knew that he was only going to get better. Every time we put a challenge in front of Lawrence, he was willing to accept it."
If it meant going up a bigger wrestler, Fusco handled it. Older? No problem. Stronger? Bring them on.
"I never had a problem with being bumped up," Fusco said. "When I wrestle bigger and stronger guys, I just use my strength along with my quickness. That only went to help me when I wrestled guys my size."
Maybe that’s the reason why Fusco, just one year removed from a freshman season where he posted a mediocre 10-13 record, was so confident going into the regions.
"I just wanted to go out there, leave everything I had on the mat," Fusco said. "If I do that and do what the coaches tell me, I know I’ll come out on top."
Well, apparently, that’s the approach Fusco took last weekend, because the sixth-seeded sophomore took on all comers, including Russell Horowitz of Newark Academy in the championship round.
Horowitz, the second seed and the owner of a 26-4 record, took a 4-0 lead on Fusco in the early going, before the gritty Marauder sophomore made his move. He scored six points on takedowns to gain a 6-4 lead with just 20 seconds remaining.
"But then he took me down to tie the score with 11 seconds left," Fusco recalled. "It was very exciting. I saw that there were 11 seconds left. I was a little worried at first, because I thought that I could lose, but then I realized that I had been in these situations before. I knew that this was my moment and all I needed to do was get out."
Which Fusco did. He collected the clutch escape maneuver that gave him the necessary one point needed for the 7-6 victory, becoming only the third wrestler in St. Peter’s Prep history to become a region champion.
Fusco joined Dave Illaria (1998) and Brian Grzelka (last year) as the school’s only region champions.
"When I look at some of the wrestlers that have come out of Prep, I thought there would be a lot more than three," Fusco said. "I’m really proud to be one of them. It’s the greatest feeling in the world. It made everything I’ve worked for all worthwhile. I’ve worked so hard to get to this point."
For his efforts, Fusco has been selected as The Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week for the past week.
Gronda is very impressed with the young wrestler’s performance.
"There have been some really good wrestlers to come through this school, and Lawrence is now one of three to ever win the region," Gronda said. "It’s quite an accomplishment, especially for a sophomore. He showed a lot of promise last year as a freshman, so we asked a lot from the kid this year, asking him to be a leader, even though he was only a sophomore. He responded to every challenge we gave him."
Fusco has also been helped by the guidance of older brother, Mike, who was a standout wrestler in his own right at Belleville High School and now serves as an assistant coach with the Marauders.
"Mike helps me a lot and gives me a lot of confidence," Fusco said of his older brother, who finished second twice in the regions, but never became a champion. "He’s kept me on the right track and it helps to have him working so closely with me all the time."
Fusco now moves on to the NJSIAA state tournament at the Continental Airlines Arena this weekend.
"I want to do well in the Meadowlands and maybe I’ll place [finish among the top eight] in the state," Fusco said. "That’s my goal. Anything else that happens is gravy."
And unlike Illaria and Grzelka, who won their region titles as seniors, Fusco still has two years of high school wrestling ahead of him, so the potential is endless.
"I always talk to the kids about potential," Gronda said. "And Lawrence always had potential. But once the sophomore year is over, potential becomes expectations. Now, he’s going to be expected to perform. I’m confident that he’s going to be able to do whatever it takes to succeed at the state level."
He may reach that level of potential this weekend. Lawrence Fusco has a shot. There weren’t a lot of people thought it was possible – except Lawrence Fusco himself.