2005-06 Athena Home
 

Volpe steps up to championship level
By James Johnson, Staff writer
Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, NY)
Friday, February 17, 2006
 

Full Text: Copyright © 2006 Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.
Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Company Inc.

Brandon Volpe wanted to be ready for his senior wrestling season.

Volpe decided the best way to do that was to just keep wrestling. Instead of pausing for an extended break on his couch after his junior season at Greece Athena, Volpe put himself on wrestling mats whenever possible.

"He has not left the mat the last 17 months," Athena coach Mike Rowntree said. "I think as a senior, he decided that he wanted to do everything in his power to be successful.

"He kind of stepped it up on his own."

Volpe's reward during his fourth and final varsity season with the Trojans is a (30-4) record with Section V Class AA and Monroe County League 140-pound titles. He was a sectional runner-up the previous two years at 152 pounds.

"I'm really happy," Volpe said after his 8-2 sectional final victory over Spencerport's Mike Hicks Saturday. "I wanted to get it this time, to make sure that I stepped up from last year.

"I took sixth last year at counties, so it was also a big jump for me. All that work I've been putting into it has paid off. My first two years were pretty tough. I got injured and missed the middle of the seasons."

Wrestlers in Section V's large- and small-school divisions, including Volpe, compete today and tomorrow for berths in the state tournament next week inside Long Island's Nassau Coliseum.

"He's very unorthodox but very good on his feet," Rowntree said. "At times, he's done some things that people have never seen before, but it always seems to work out for him."

Volpe took a short break during a recent practice to share his approach to wrestling, the sport that he loves:

So you haven't had an extended break from wrestling, which is about as physical a sport a person can be involved with, in almost 1 1/2 years?

"I never realized how long it's been, but it's been worth it. Right after last season, I started to work out and going to all of these clubs and clinics. I wrestled a lot of Greco-Roman and freestyle, a lot of folkstyle."

You went back to wrestling at 140 pounds, the weight you competed at as a freshman and sophomore seasons. How difficult was it to lose the weight in order to do that?

"I've never really cut weight before, but since everyone is doing it I had to, in order to keep up. I feel a lot stronger at this weight. I did it by working out a little more and improving my diet. I eat a lot of fruit and protein shakes. It came off pretty easily."

What is the atmosphere like at SuperSectionals, the qualifier for the state tournament?

"There's a lot more people. It's more exciting, but it could be your last match at any time."

How would you describe your style on the mat?

"It's a little different than most. I like to do different things during a match, mix things up, mostly with leg attacks."

Why do you find leg attacks are effective?

"It's just the basics. The people who are really good are really good at the basics. I've been told that a lot."

When did that sink in for you?

"In the off-season. I really had to work to try to make my style more conventional. I put in a lot of work. I never stopped after last season, I just kept on going."