Luke Fugazzotto’s aim is to always improve.

The Northwestern sophomore hit his marks this season.

After a stellar freshman campaign, Fugazzotto found ways to improve every facet of his game. And the results followed.

With a singular focus on what he needed to do to get better, Fugazzotto found himself in the finals at states.

It was a run that showcased the strides Fugazzotto had made, and one that gave a glimpse of what’s to come.

“It felt really good,” said Fugazzotto. “It definitely exceeded my goals. My goal was to take top six and I went far beyond that. I just went out there and had fun honestly and just wrestled each match and just got as far as I could.”

The sophomore claimed his first state medal in his second appearance at the Class 2A event with a runner-up finish at 172 pounds, falling to defending state champion Adam Waters of Faith Christian Academy in the finals.

Fugazzotto seemed to hit another gear in Hershey.

In his first two matches at states, Fugazzotto - who finished the season with 40 wins and 30 pins - knocked off Fort Cherry’s Braedon Welsh, who was fourth at states a year ago, in overtime before knocking off last season’s runner-up Hunter Hohman of Grove City with a 16-12 decision. He followed that with a dominant win over Notre Dame Green Pond’s Keegan Ramsay, who beat him in the district final two weeks earlier.

It was simply mind over matter for the sensational sophomore, who has now claimed back-to-back Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Boys Wrestler of the Year honors.

“My strategy this year was to just focus on one match at a time,” said Fugazzotto. “Just worry about every match that I was wrestling, scout that guy out and stuff. Not worry about what he did last year or anything. Not even to think about what would happen if I lost or where I would have ended up in the consis or anything. I just thought about beating that guy.”

And Fugazzotto did that in a number of ways, and in impressive fashion. Fugazzotto turned a 1-1 match against Welsh in his PIAA opener into a takedown and eventual overtime pin in sudden victory in 6:36 to reach the quarterfinals.

“It set the pace for everything, just that I knocked off the returning fourth-place guy,” said Fugazzotto. “It just kind of set the pace for me and it was a big confidence booster for the rest of the tournament.”

It also set the stage for a 16-12 win over Hohman - last season’s runner-up - where Fugazzotto erased a 4-1 deficit to advance to the semis and secure his first state medal.

“He told me one of his goals was to be top five or six in states,” said Tigers’ coach Joe Killar. “I told him, ‘Luke, you should have a higher goal than that. I think it could be top three, top two if you do well.’ And he made it happen, so I’m happy for that.

“I looked at his draw, and thought there was no reason he couldn’t get the finals. I thought it would be tough, and it was. It was three hard matches to reach the finals.”

The third match was some redemption for Fugazzotto, who posted a 6-0 win over Ramsay after falling 8-2 at districts.

Few work harder than Fugazzotto, and that paid dividends in the postseason.

“I think we, as a team, we trained pretty hard, worked hard, the loop worked hard,” said Killar. “In some of those matches, it just was about being in better shape than the other guys.”

Fugazzotto made it to the blood round at states last year, where he suffered a 7-6 loss to Glendale’s Zeke Dubler. Falling in the third round of consolations - one win shy of securing a spot in the top eight.

“It just set the tone and let me know what I’m up against and stuff and how hard I’ve got to train,” said Fugazzotto. “So I did that. It’s just exciting, being back there, and it’s just a great experience.”

After placing fourth at regionals as a freshman, Fugazzotto was third this season. Something that gave him momentum into states, and confidence he could do even better.

“Yeah I definitely didn’t think that, ‘Oh I took third at regionals, there’s no way I can do better than that,’” said Fugazzotto. “I just thought, ‘hey I made it to states regardless, so now I’m at a clean slate and anything can happen.’”

Fugazzotto mastered his mental strength in his second trip to states.

“Honestly, what felt surprising, but it was really useful was just my mentality going into states,” he said. “I put myself in such a good mentality and that’s honestly what I feel carried me the farthest. Without that mentality, I don’t, I would definitely have not got that far.”

Fugazzotto is, and always has been, committed to everything he does. That won’t change now.

“Next year, hopefully he can make it to the state finals again, and maybe have a different result,” Killar said.

And there’s no reason to think he won’t.