Pearson , O’Rourke finish wrestling seasons
By Rudy Brandl, The Packet Group
FLEMINGTON — One great career ended, but another is just beginning.
Lawrence High wrestlers Sean Pearson and Tommy O’Rourke gave it their best shot in last weekend’s Region 5 Tournament at the Hunterdon Central Fieldhouse. Both Cardinals came up short in their bid to reach the NJSIAA Championships in Atlantic City.
Pearson placed in the 5/6 category for the second consecutive year, while O’Rourke made a big splash by finishing fourth in his first appearance at the region level. Pearson, a senior 160-pounder, ended his career with 85 victories, which ranks sixth on the all-time LHS list. O’Rourke, who has collected 46 wins in two years, still has half of his scholastic career ahead.
O’Rourke (26-11) came within one victory of completing the tough Saturday journey through the consolation bracket that very few wrestlers achieve, especially in their first region tournament appearance. He won his first two consolation bouts but was pinned by top-seeded Noel Santiago of Sayreville at 1:28 and settled for fourth place.
”I’m a little disappointed in my last match,” O’Rourke said. “I’d rather have my ticket to A.C. but I just have to make up for it next year.”
”He had a real good run,” Lawrence head coach Chris Lynne said after O’Rourke was defeated in the consolation finals. “He came out a little bit flat Friday but he got his feet down today. He ran into a real good wrestler, but you can’t take anything away from the run he made here. He’s only a sophomore and he’ll be back.”
O’Rourke began his post-season surge by winning the District 17 title the previous weekend, which assured him a berth in Friday night’s Region 5 quarterfinals. He earned the No. 5 seed in his first trip to the region mats and immediately was sent to the consolation bracket after a 10-1 loss to eventual runner-up Mike Pysniak of Bishop Ahr.
Friday night’s loss put O’Rourke in the tough position of needing three consecutive Saturday victories to finish third and keep his season alive. Old Bridge 125-pounder Connor Hayes was the only Region 5 wrestler to accomplish that at this year’s tournament.
O’Rourke was very impressive in his first two Saturday matches. He overcame a slow start and posted a 14-6 major over Bound Brook’s Ricky Ash in a matchup of district champs. O’Rourke took the lead for good with a takedown midway through the second period and finished with an 8-2 run in the third with two sets of bonus points.
”He got an early takedown and I shouldn’t have let him get that,” O’Rourke said. “I knew I had to take him down a couple of times to get the score in my favor. Then I used the turk to get more points.”
O’Rourke dominated Old Bridge’s Phil Sandford in the consolation semifinals, rolling to a 13-1 major. He bolted to a 5-0 lead, riding out half of the first period. O’Rourke scored six points from the top while riding out the second and finished his scoring with a takedown in the third.
”I had to move him out of his stance,” O’Rourke said. “I got the front head and arm and cradled him around to his hips.”
O’Rourke credited Pearson, his senior teammate who had been there before, with helping him through the tournament.
”I didn’t want to go out in the first round and I didn’t want my season to end,” O’Rourke said. “Sean Pearson really helped me through those first two matches today. I just have to build on this.”
Pearson made some noise in a very difficult weight class but finished in the same place as last season, one match shy of a chance to wrestle for a trip to the boardwalk. His great career ended with a 5-2 loss to Hillsborough’s Jared Leon.
The consolation semifinal was a tough, defensive struggle. Neither wrestler scored in the first period and Pearson took the lead with an escape off the whistle in the second. Pearson was riding on top for the first 30 seconds of the third period but was warned for stalling with 1:24 to go. Four seconds later, Pearson let Leon out to tie the match at 1-1.
Leon scored a huge takedown with one minute left but Pearson quickly escaped to make it 3-2. Pearson charged in with a few shots but Leon held him off and eventually countered for an additional two points late in the period.
”I was just trying to get something working on my feet,” Pearson said. “He’s a defensive wrestler and none of my stuff was working. I had to open up a little more in the third period and go for the takedown.”
Pearson opened the tournament with two victories. He pinned Christopher Miehe of J.P. Stevens at 2:17 in the prelims and moved into the semifinals with an impressive 10-5 decision over South Brunswick’s Cody Shelcusky on Friday night.
Seeded third, Pearson ran into a very physical, athletic Tyler Adams of Piscataway in Saturday morning’s semifinals. Pearson was unable to get anything going on offense and Adams posted an 8-3 decision. Adams took control of the bout with two takedowns in the first period and clinched it with a reversal and two back points early in the third. Pearson scored all of his points on escapes.
”He was just a defensive wrestler fighting off everything I had,” Pearson said. “I didn’t have any trouble fighting off the bottom, but I had trouble on my feet. He’s quick and he was real good on his feet.”
Pearson needed two victories to keep his Atlantic City hopes alive but wasn’t able to get there. His coach certainly appreciated the effort, not just in this year’s regions but throughout Pearson’s entire career.
”He just reached the end of it physically today, but he gave it everything he had in both matches,” Lynne said. “We weren’t even going to wrestle him last night because of sickness but he did a great job getting through that quarterfinal. I just went over and told him thank you.”

