Braden River High duo claims national drill team title

Christina Volpe-Knippel insisted a faulty move during their drill routine was her sister's fault.

Allison Volpe-Knippel didn't want to hear it.

The two Braden River High School students were still practicing their mixed dual exhibition routine two weeks after their season had officially ended with a second-place finish at the Florida State Drill Championships April 1. It was an unlikely start to a national championship run.

Christina, though, wasn't finished after the state tournament. Since it was her senior year, she wanted to take advantage of one final opportunity.

The sisters had qualified for the 2017 National High School Drill Championships that was being held May 6-7 at the Ocean Center Arena and Exhibit Hall in Daytona Beach. Christina saw the competition as a last hurrah to her senior year and her drill career. Allison, a junior, saw it as unwanted torture following the state championships.

Wasn't it time to rest?

Christina kept pushing, though, paying their $150 entry fee into the national championships even though her sister insisted she wasn't going to compete. Command Sgt. Major Alex Figueroa, who coaches the Pirates, agreed to allow the sisters to bring home the school's wooden rifles to practice.

Finally, after Allison said she was "badgered" into agreeing to compete, Christiana was pushing all the wrong buttons.

"She did something wrong, and she blamed it on me," Allison said. "She kept yelling at me, so I left."

The second week in April passed, and then the third. Finally, Allison gave in again because she loves her sister. They had two weeks left to prepare.

Although they both cause friction at times, they are tremendously close, and so they launched into their work once again, They had played on the same teams in volleyball and softball over the years, but they learned to depend on each other at a higher level as drill teammates.

Christina knew her sister was giving her all as the national tourney drew closer. Her sister's forearms were covered with bruises.

"The trigger guard hits right there," Allison said, pointing to a spot on her forearm. She explained she doesn't catch the spinning rifle perfectly the way her sister does, so she pays a price.

It's an interesting part of the competition as the judges stand right on top of the competitors as they go through their routines. While the judges can't see if a rifle is caught perfectly, they can see facial expressions change when pain creeps into the picture.

Christina told a story about the 2016 season when Allison banged herself in the face with a rifle during a routine. "She had tears in her eyes," Christina said. "But she never changed facial expressions."

More than anything, Allison has complete confidence in her sister, and her belief they could win a national title together.

Figueroa felt they could, too. He explained that during the regular season, they had a lot more to worry about than competing together in the mixed dual exhibition. Both were on other drill teams as well for Braden River. At the Nationals, they had only their event together, and a singles exhibition by Christina.

"Our state tournament, we were off," Christina said. "But at nationals, we had a month to prepare on the same routine."

Make that two weeks.

On May 7, the two began their two-minute, 40-second routine in front the judges. They designed their own routine, including difficult maneuvers so they had the potential to score high. It's like gymnasts or ice skater who design their routines with a high degree of difficulty.

Their routine included several throws of the rifle that many of the teams wouldn't attempt, but it was the same routine they performed at the state tournament.

"We didn't want to make it more complicated," Christina said.

The routine was complicated enough. It included overhead throws of the rifle, which the sisters said most teams don't attempt.

Their final overhead throw of the routine came in the final 30 seconds after fatigue has set in. Making it tougher, they do it by starting the rifles on their sides, which is extremely difficult for the maneuver. The rifles start at their sides, and Christina sniffs, which is the tip to Allison to start the trick. They use a sniff because the judges can't detect it.

Allison, by the way, doesn't do any sniffing to start their big move. She said she simply is too tired, so she leaves that to her sister.

Once they start, the rifles are thrown into the air, caught, then brought back to their sides.

It's kind of grand finale move that makes or breaks the routine. Allison admits she struggles with that final catch of the rifle. Christina is well aware. If the catch is made, they are likely to reel in a high score.

"If she catches it, it's going to be OK," Christina said.

With all the pressure of the nationals, Allison caught it.

The sisters couldn't smile, or let out a sigh of relief at that point, because any break in facial expression results in a deduction. But they knew.

The final 30 seconds peeled off the clock, and they finished their routine and were dismissed by the judges. They had to completely leave the field of competition before changing facial expressions.

"They can take off points for being disrespectful," Christina said of leaving the field of competition. "But I knew it was one of our best all year."

The sisters didn't even get their score that day. It was the next day when they received a call from their parents, Scott and Jennifer, as they drove in a friend's car.

They were dropped off, and the moment had finally come. They were national champions after outscoring the second- and third-place teams from Heights High School of Houston, Texas. They looked at each other, and hugged.

They join Carrie Bowman and Candi Poirier in 2010 as the only national champions in school history. Bowman and Poirier won triumphed in the same event.

"I think it just showed the level of commitment they had," Figueroa said of Christina and Allison.

Although Christina said she had a love-hate relationship with the drill team, she was happy they put in the work and proud of their accomplishment.

Allison, who never did actually say 'yes' to her sister about competing at the event, was pretty understated about the accomplishment.

"It's pretty cool, I guess," she said.