It’s not all that unusual for a high school student’s phone to blow up late at night.

For Luke Fugazzotto, it was unusually busy at midnight when recruiting season got underway.

Schools wanted to be the first to get in line and grab Fugazzotto’s attention as they scrambled to add him to their wrestling roster. Only one school could be the first, and in this case it was George Mason University in Virginia.

Unfortunately for the Patriots, the call went to voicemail.

“They were the first school to call me, and I didn’t see it until the next morning,” said Fugazzotto. “It definitely wasn’t my first choice, but after I went down there and took a visit there, I knew it probably was my No. 1.”

Probably turned into definitely when Fugazzotto signed a Letter of Intent to attend George Mason and continue his wrestling career at the Division 1 school.

Northwestern has produced a number of topflight wrestlers, and Fugazzotto has put his name among the best.

During his scholastic career, the 189-pounder has surpassed the 100-pin milestone by capturing 21 this season to give him 117 career pins — a number that reset the record for career pins at Northwestern.

His career record of 152-23 saw 10 of his losses come in his freshman season. In his senior year so far, Fugazzotto has gone 25-2 and is approaching the school’s record for career victories.

As for postseason accolades, Fugazzotto is a three-time District 11 finalist, a three-time Southeast Regional top-four finisher, and has been a PIAA Class 2A qualifier three times, earning two state medals.

Dalton Clymer, one of the most decorated wrestlers to come out of Northwestern Lehigh, now serves as a coach and has worked with Fugazzotto after being a teammate with him his freshman and sophomore seasons. Clymer’s family has kept the Northwestern program well fed with quality wrestlers and are part of the program’s legacy, as is Evan Yenolevich. Fugazzotto points to them as standard-bearers for him to follow.

“I definitely wanted to follow in their footsteps, and I put a lot of work in with him (Yenolevich) over the summer,” said Fugazzotto. “I just look up on that wall in the gym every time I go out, and I just want my name to go up there.”

Northwestern coach Joe Killar has worked with Fugazzotto since his wrestler was in elementary school and has followed him throughout his career.

“I told college coaches who call that Luke is a nice, hard worker and he’s more of a team player. They’re getting a great young man at George Mason, and he’ll do well for them,” said Killar.

With wrestling being such a family affair at Northwestern, Killar is saying goodbye to his senior wrestler after he pursues a state championship at 189 pounds, but he already has another one in place to carry on the family name. Vinnie Fugazzotto is a sophomore this season, and already has 65 wins and a third-place finish in districts to his credit.

“I kind of took him under my wing last season, but now, as a sophomore he is kind of used to it,” said his older brother. “At this point, we just focus on trying to make each other better in the room, and it shows when he goes out to wrestle.”

With the individual postseason still ahead of him the expectations are high for Fugazzotto, who has had success in his three previous runs toward a state championship.

In districts, Fugazzotto has two gold and a silver medal to his credit and has moved from fourth in regionals as a freshmen to third as a sophomore, and second last year, leaving an obvious step for him to follow as a senior.

In states, Fugazzotto took second as a sophomore and finished seventh last season as he battled with a shoulder injury.

Being healthy this year, Fugazzotto looks for a potential chance of gold medals.