He didn't wrestle for two seasons. But the time away motivates this senior more than ever

While many members of the high school class of 2024 undoubtedly are experiencing some “senioritis,” North Hagerstown’s Luke Frazee has a case of the exact opposite.

His final year of high school has him more motivated than ever.

“My senior year, going into it, I just wanted to do everything I could and experience everything,” he said. “I wanted to play every sport that I could.”

Frazee, an established baseball star for the Hubs in the spring season, joined the school’s football team for the first time in the fall and then this winter rejoined the wrestling team for the first time since he was a freshman.

“I definitely want to make the most of my senior year, just do the best I can in anything that I want to,” he said.

Last Friday, at North Hagerstown’s annual Hub Cup wrestling tournament, featuring 19 teams, Frazee placed second in the 150-pound weight class. Of the three Washington County schools competing — Saint James, South Hagerstown and host North — he was the only wrestler who earned a spot in the finals.

Century Club: Washington County wrestlers with 100 career wins

With a season record of 21-3, Frazee hasn’t shown many signs of rust after nearly three years away from the mat. As a freshman, he went 3-1 during the pandemic-shortened 2021 season.

“Luke is an awesome young man, and he’s obviously a very good athlete,” North wrestling coach Greg Slick said. “He’s blessed with all of the tools that a good athlete will have. He’s got great quickness, his reaction time is extraordinary, and he is really a sponge when it comes to learning and wanting to understand positions and moves. He puts his head down and goes to work in practice.”

Making up for lost time

With Frazee’s talent and drive, why didn’t he wrestle as a sophomore or junior?

“I stopped because of baseball,” he said. “With wrestling, you have to cut weight and, development-wise, it’s kind of hard to get stronger with wrestling when you’re constantly running and you’re depleted all the time. I wanted to focus on baseball, but as a senior, I wanted to give it my all at all sports.”

However, he didn’t expect to have this kind of success on the mat.

“I never thought I’d be here,” Frazee said of his current status as the Hubs’ best wrestler. “Coach did me right. He worked me to where I am now and made sure I was squared away. I definitely didn’t expect this going in. I kind of just did it to have fun and enjoy it, but then it turned into something else. Now, I want to go to states and have a run at that.”

Frazee’s mounting victories also have come with their share of what-ifs.

“I wonder what would have been the possibilities if the kid would have wrestled all four years,” Slick said. “But he’s having such great success as a senior, I’m just really happy to have him as part of the team, and I’m happy he’s enjoying it as much as he seems to be.”

“I definitely wish I would have wrestled sophomore and junior year,” Frazee said. “I definitely think it would have developed me into a better wrestler. But I’m making up for it now, I guess.”

The individual aspect of wrestling greatly appeals to him.

“I love the discipline that comes with it, and your success is completely based off your own work ethic,” Frazee said. “In baseball or any team sport, you can have a great game and still lose as a team. But with wrestling, it’s just you vs. you. You have to put in your own work. How good you are is reflected in how much time you put in when no one’s watching. I think that’s a cool aspect.”

Frazee shines in football debut

Frazee’s senior year began with a bang in his first football game. He rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns as North won its season opener 38-27 over Tuscarora.

“It was the first game I ever played,” he said. “We won, and I did really well. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, here comes another fun sport.’ But our team didn’t quite do as well throughout the entire season.”

The Hubs finished the year with a 3-7 record, and Frazee, who battled an ankle injury, never had another game that statistically matched his first one.

“The coaches always wanted me to come out and try football, but I was always really baseball-driven, and I didn’t want to get hurt,” he said. “But I gave it a try my senior year. It was fun, but definitely not my best sport. I had a good time with the guys and coaches.”

State baseball title is the goal

The real fun might come in the spring.

Last baseball season, North went 16-5-1, winning the Maryland 3A West Region I title before falling to eventual champion River Hill in the state quarterfinals.

Frazee, a shortstop, batted .373 for the season and led the team in extra-base hits (10), RBIs (22), runs (22) and OPS (1.112), earning Herald-Mail All-Washington County first-team honors.

He said the state title is the goal this year.

“We got close last year, but we definitely have the talent this year to do it,” he said. “It’s ridiculous the amount of talent we have on the team. I’ve played travel ball my entire life and have been around a lot of talent, but I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s ridiculous, the pitching we have. Just the athletes we have on the team, it’s unheard of.”

This spring might be Frazee’s last hurrah as a standout athlete for a school. He said he’s looking to continue his education at either Salisbury University or Towson University but doesn’t see NCAA baseball in his future.

“I’ve thought about it,” he said. “I’ve done some visits and talked to some coaches, but probably not.”

Of course, he still plans to stay active.

“I definitely want to look to play club or be in some type of sports league in college because it’s too much of an impact on my life right now to just give up,” he said. “I don’t know what I’d do if I wasn’t training or lifting or playing some type of sport.”

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: North Hagerstown's Luke Frazee shines in wrestling, baseball, football