WRESTLING
By: John E. Powers
Lawrence High School senior 152-pounder Mike Scott had one clear objective above all others before this season began to make the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Wrestling Tournament in Atlantic City.
He was one win short.
Scott opened the tournament by pinning Metuchen’s Ben Hohmann in the Region 5 pre-quarterfinals, but lost to Bridgewater-Raritan junior Wayne Hampton 12-1 in the quarterfinal round Friday night.
He rebounded Saturday morning in the wrestle-back rounds by pinning Sayreville’s Mike DeLuco in 5:11 and Bound Brook senior Reggie Perry 1:32 in the wrestleback quarterfinal round.
But Scott was beaten by Hunterdon Central senior Kevin Alparone 10-6 in the consolation final for third place. Alparone beat Scott 10-9 in the District 17 final a week ago Saturday.
Scott did earn a medal for fourth, but he wanted the trip to the states.
"That was my main goal for the season," he said.
Scott suffered from a cold the days leading up to Friday.
"I thought I wrestled hard (against Alparone), but I think being sick might have caught up with me," said Scott, who finished the season with a 25-7 record. "I think he might have the thought that it was going to be easier in that first match and he might have been overconfident."
Lawrence coach Chris Lynne said that Alparone wrestled a smarter match.
"He wasn’t taking sloppy shots like the first time; he didn’t hang his head where Mike could cradle him," Lynne said.
"I think he gave it his all, and did about all he could," said Lynne of Scott.
Lynne was hoping that Scott could continue a streak of Lawrence wrestlers competing in the states. Last year, graduated 171-pounder Dan Williams (second at Region 5) and 119-pounder Matt Friedeborn (third at Region 5) qualified, the year before it was 215-pound region champ Adam Oliszewski and third-place region finishers Alex Dehart (119) and Chris Floyd (145).
In 2004, Mike Savino won the 130-pound region title on his way to becoming Mercer County’s first-ever state champion. Savino also made it in 2003 when he won the 125-pound region championship.
"We’ve had somebody there six out of the last seven," Lynne said. "I think Mike was disappointed, but pleased with his season and his career. Ultimately, he would have loved to have gone. But it didn’t happen."
Scott, who said he is considering attending either Drexel or Rutgers, finished with 70 career wins, which places him eighth all-time on the Cardinal list.

