By: Ken Weingartner
It isn’t often that an individual refers to his previous season as a "rebuilding" year, a term more commonly assigned to a team. But that’s how Monroe High senior wrestler Justin Lupo looks back on his disappointing 2004-05 campaign.
Lupo won 19 matches as a sophomore and finished second in the District 20 Tournament, earning a trip to regionals. Last year, Lupo had a winning record at 215 pounds, going 16-10, but failed to place at districts, seeing his season come to an early end.
Now, the "rebuilt" Lupo is ready to make his senior year a memorable one. The rebuilding, in a sense, is literal, as Lupo is wrestling at heavyweight rather than dropping weight to compete at 215.
"As a sophomore, I didn’t have to really cut weight," said Lupo, who weighs 240. "Coming into my junior year, I knew I’d have to cut weight and I lost a lot of muscle and became weak. It was a huge disappointment last year. It was like a rebuilding year; that’s what I’m going to call it. I wrestled hard, but it wasn’t good enough."
Lupo showed off his renewed strength this season by winning his first four matches all by first-period pins. He won his first Ewing Tournament title along the way.
"I’m ready to go," said Lupo, who was a key member of the Falcons’ school-record setting football team. "I came into the season in great shape and have been drilling like crazy trying to get some new takedowns. I’m still on the light end of heavyweight, so I know that I’m not going to be able to muscle everyone. I tried that last year. Now I’m trying some new moves in matches and working differently than last year."
Over the past couple seasons, Lupo benefited from practicing with heavyweight Mike Goff, the school’s all-time winningest wrestler who last year as a senior placed seventh in the state. He also learned by watching how Goff wrestled against fellow heavyweights.
"I’ve tried taking low shots and that’s a lot of weight coming down on you," Lupo said. "You definitely feel it. What Goff did, and I’m realizing now, he took all outside shots. He knew that if he shot low he would have been crushed. I’m looking to do the same thing and use my quickness to my advantage. If they want to tie up, I’m capable of tying up with them. But I’m working on taking more shots like Goff did."
Lupo also learned last year not to look ahead or take any matches for granted. He lost in last season’s district tourney to a wrestler he had beaten previously several times.
"Going into the first round I figured I’d beaten him and wasn’t worried. I was wrong," Lupo said. "I’m not looking ahead now, regardless of who I wrestle. Even if it’s a kid’s first match of his life, I’m not taking anything for granted. I’m not looking ahead to districts or states; all I’m looking ahead to is my next match. The matches coming up aren’t going to be easy."
The success enjoyed by Lupo on the football field where Monroe went 7-3 and set the school record for wins in a season has helped fuel excitement in the wrestling room. Lupo is among a half dozen wrestlers who also played football.
"We brought that winning mentality from the field to the wrestling room," Lupo said. "The whole winning atmosphere hasn’t changed. It’s helped everybody. It’s been great so far."
Monroe is scheduled today (Friday) to wrestle in a nine-team dual-meet tournament at Truman High in Pennsylvania. After that, the Falcons will get into the heart of their Greater Middlesex Conference campaign.
"I think I could do very well," Lupo said. "Now it’s a matter of getting the job done on the mat. I’ve learned from the mistakes I made last year. I’ve changed stuff around and I’m doing better. It’s a matter of technique and practice, and I’ve been practicing like crazy. I think I’m capable of getting the job done."
Rebuilt and reborn.

