Moriarty’s Lance Volk Finds a Home Away From Home

By RUSSELL HUFFMAN
EAST MOUNTAIN NEWS

MORIARTY — For Lance Volk, the decision to commit to Northwestern College wasn’t just about football facilities; it was about finding a place that felt like home.

Volk, a 295-pound lineman from Moriarty, has signed his letter of intent to continue his football career with the Raiders in Orange City, Iowa. Despite the distance, Volk found an immediate connection with the campus during his visit.

“What attracted me was just the place, the facility that they have,” Volk said. “I went down there, saw the campus, watched the game, and just their atmosphere. It reminds me of Moriarty so much.”

Volk’s journey to the collegiate level began in eighth grade. While he started his career as a heavy player, weighing 260 pounds in middle school—he has spent the last five years transforming his body. Now standing at 295 pounds, Volk notes that the weight he carries now is significantly different.

“I lost it because it was mainly fat and put it back on with muscle,” he explained regarding his physical progression.

On the field, Volk has been a force in the trenches, primarily playing right tackle on offense and rotating between nose guard and defensive end on defense. A fan of the physical nature of the game, he admits that he favors a run-heavy offense where he can impose his will on defenders.

“My favorite play was probably just pancaking people,” Volk said. “Running people over, that was always fun. Or driving people 15 yards up the field, and then the running backs just running right off of me.”

However, he takes his role in pass protection just as seriously: “Whenever we do pass, I protect the quarterback with my life.”

Beyond football, Volk is a multi-sport athlete. He throws shot put and discus for the track team and is currently wrestling as a heavyweight. After a challenging start to his wrestling career, he qualified for the state tournament during his junior year—a testament to his persistence.

Reflecting on his high school career, Volk admits the time passed unexpectedly quickly.

“It flew by way too fast,” he said. “I blinked, and it was gone. I would anything to get it all back.”

Volk credits the bond with his teammates as his favorite part of high school, describing the team as a “second family.” He also noted that difficult moments on the field helped shape his character, recalling a specific game where he was struggling emotionally. His coach told him that his reaction simply showed how much he cared about the sport, a sentiment that stuck with him.

Looking forward to the future, Volk plans to major in sports management at Northwestern. His long-term goal is to return the favor to the next generation of athletes.

“I would probably want to coach,” Volk said. “Either come back here and coach or go to some college or some different high school, because I just want to give back to what the coaches gave to me.”

Lance is the son of Adrienne and Aron Volk..