Edward Kensik, Correspondent  / Record Sports

Many high school graduated seniors they like to spend one more last summer with their friends before they head out for college.

But for Hasbrouck Heights graduated senior, Sean O’Malley, he is already down at his next destination, Drexel University in Philadelphia, taking classes and working on the mats.

“I was happy to get here early and I wanted to keep the good things coming into me like going to classroom and practicing,” said O’Malley who was an All Bergen County second-team wrestler last season.

And he did not even spend one day of his summer back home. On the day after the Hasbrouck Heights graduation in June, he already was driving to Philly.

O’Malley is taking two classes, both electives, Mass Media and Principals of Communication, to get a head start on his college career, and will major in business analytics.

In addition he is practicing every day with a group of top flight wrestlers throughout Pennsylvania that are working at Drexel.

Coming into his freshman season at Drexel, he finished fifth in the state of New Jersey at 220 pounds and had more than 100 victories in his high school career. It was the second straight year that he finished sixth in New Jersey. In addition he came in seventh place at the National High School Coaches Associations Nationals after the state individual wrestling tournament.

While the original plan was to wrestle at 197, he decided to move up to heavyweight which has included bulking up. It has been a good dose of protein shakes, peanut butter, oatmeal and granola along with chocolate milk. “We are big on chocolate milk,” said O’Malley.

“My roommate (Evan Barczak of Monroe-Woodbury High School wrestling in upstate New York) and I must buy a gallon of milk every other day and put in Hershey’s syrup.”

He’s even practicing with Joey Goodhart, an incoming senior and a two time NCAA qualifier at heavyweight.

“I’m adjusting to his skill set and I’m even able to take down once or twice,” said O’Malley.

For Drexel, assistant coach Zachary Sheaffer, who also coaches the heavyweight wrestlers, said that Sean is not only a top-flight wrestler, but also a member of the National Honors Society in high school.

“Sean is a great student-athlete and individual,” said Sheaffer. “He works hard on the mat and in the classroom. He is fearless in his wrestling and constantly pushes himself to succeed. When taking summer classes at Drexel this year, we have had a chance to see him progress.  We are certainly excited to have him on our team and are looking forward to seeing him grow.”

Looking back at his high school wrestling career at Hasbrouck Heights, O’Malley said there is not one or two matches that stand among the rest.  He said that he takes each match the same.

“I go into every match with a smile and walk off the match with a smile.” said the Aviators graduated senior.

For O’Malley’s Hasbrouck Heights head coach, Craig Messery, he believes that Sean’s work ethic will pay off in the end at Drexel.

“Sean was our hardest worker in the room,” said Messery. “If he continues to work as hard as he did with us, He has every potential to become Hasbrouck Heights first college All-American.”

The Hasbrouck Heights senior chose Drexel over Columbia University, mainly for the business programs at the Philly school. “I liked Drexel’s co-op program where you get actually experience in the field,” said O’Malley.