AOTW: Made for gold: Vettese aiming to pin down third state title
GOOD FOR GOLD: Auburn Hills Avondale senior Victor Vettese is only the school's second four-time state placer and hopes to go out this weekend as a three-time state champion. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
AUBURN HILLS — When Victor Vettese was growing up, he had a wrestling mat in his basement. Along with his two brothers, there were numerous sibling rivalries inside that family arena.
It must have paid off.
Vettese, now a senior at Auburn Hills Avondale, is making his fourth appearance at the MHSAA Individual Wrestling state finals, which are taking place this weekend at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
Vettese was a state champion at 103 his freshman year and followed that up with another title at 112 as a sophomore. Last season as a junior, he reached the finals of 130 before falling in the title bout to Tyler Keserling of Greenville.
“I did everything right until I got to the finals,”: offered Vettese of last year’s state finals.
Vettese is also a four-time placer at the Oakland County championships, OAA Red Division league meet, district and regional and has over 160 career wins. He has a resume that few could dream of as a young athlete.
“It’s gone by so quick,” recalled Vettese. “It seems like I was just a freshman yesterday. I just wanted to make it to (the state finals) my freshman year. I didn’t expect to win it.”
Raymond Went, who had coached at Avondale for over 35 years, said that Vettese has had a great career, but has gone through some unexpected troubles in recent weeks. He knows that Vettese is a warrior and capble of coming out of his funk this weekend.
“He’s a great kid, but it’s been tough lately,” noted Went. “We have to get him back to where he needs to be. He’s only the second kid we’ve ever had to make it (to the state meet) all four years.”
This season, Vettese hopes to get back to the championship match. Now wrestling at 135 pounds, Vettese is a fine 40-3, although he was upset in the first round of regionals and had to battle back to finish third just to qualify for the state finals.
“I wasn’t feeling well at all,” admitted Vettese. “I lost really bad, something like 15-4 in my first match. But I had to fight my way through it to get out.”
Vettese suffers from diabetes, which he has fought since he was in sixth grade. It has bothered him throughout the championship season
“It wasn’t really bothering me at the beginning of the season, but it was a little bit recently,” he said. “My (blood sugar) has been off.”
Still, the talented four-time all-stater found away to advance out of his regional after not winning it for the first time in his career.
Vettese is only the second four-time state qualifier in school history, following his brother Angelo Vettese. The eldest Vettese was a two-time state runner-up along with placing fourth and sixth, respectively, in his career.
There is also a youngest sibling, sophomore Dean Vettese, who is a two-time qualifier at 140 with a 42-7 ledger. The middle Vettese brother is still ahead of his siblings in terms of championships — and he has a goal of another.
Vettese took the next step by opening up Thursday with a pin victory over Greenville’s Devon Lehman in the Round of 16. Now in the final eight of the winner’s bracket, he is only a few wins away from his goal.
“I really want to get back to the finals and wrestle for another championships,” said Vettese, who has talked to a few schools about wrestling next season, including Central Michigan. “It’s been tough. I know there is a little bit of pressure and I think people do expect me to do well.
“I know that I can go out (and do this),” he continued. “I’ve worked so hard to get to my senior year. Last season I didn’t wrestle the way I should (at the finals) and finished second. It has made me work hard in the off-season to try to get back.”
And getting back is the winner’s circle, where Vettese has proven to be made for gold.
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Category: Auburn Hills Avondale, BWW Athlete of the Week, High School, Prep Wraps
