Topic: News: Two Deland LIfters Win FHSAA 2A State Championships

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Two Deland LIfters Win FHSAA 2A State Championships

By Buddy Shacklette

GAINESVILLE -- The Volusia/Flagler area continued its dominance of high school weightlifting Saturday, as Spruce Creek reclaimed its position as state champion and three local lifters won individual titles in the Class 2A championships at Santa Fe Community College.

DeLand upset Spruce Creek for the team title a year ago, but Saturday the Hawks won their 23rd state title in the series' 32-year existence on the strength of Josh Hamel's 129-pound title and three runner-up finishes. Creek's win marked the 16th straight year a Volusia County school has brought home a team title.

"We accomplished the overall goal. I'm ecstatic," said Spruce Creek coach Michael Randow. "We had our first individual state championship in two years and three seconds and a third. All of those seconds had a chance to go after it or get it on the bar."

Despite having only five lifters competing, compared to Creek's nine, the Bulldogs took runner-up honors with 15 points -- 11 behind Creek -- and had a pair of state champions in Joey Ray (154) and Dustin Swearingen. Seabreeze placed fifth in the team standings with three state placers.

Both DeLand seniors were eager to atone for some tough luck over the last year.

Ray failed to place at state a year ago, but he left nothing to chance this time around, as his 615-pound total made him DeLand's 38th all-time state champion.

Swearingen, a little over a month removed from an automobile accident, totaled 670 to win by 20 pounds and help DeLand produce a pair of state champions for the second year in a row.

"Considering everything we've gone through this year and for these kids not to give up is just amazing," coach Greg Harper said after his last meet with DeLand. "I'm really proud of what they were able to do."

In the 169-pound class, Seabreeze's Chris Briscoe had been edged by Spruce Creek's Jesse Cochran all season, but the Sandcrabs senior dieted the last two weeks and weighed one-tenth of a pound less than Cochran at state.

That tenth of a pound put more pressure on Cochran to perform -- a winner is determined by their weight if their lifted totals are the same -- and Briscoe won going away as a result. Briscoe benched 350 and his 650-pound total made him the 10th state champion in Seabreeze history and first since Ryan Greenbaum won nine years ago.

"When I saw (I weighed less) I knew that was going to be big," said Briscoe. "He's been lighter than me all year, so I dieted because I knew if he was lighter than me and we tied he'd win."

Creek's lone champion, Hamel, trailed by 30 pounds after the bench press, but the 129-pounder got 245 in the clean and jerk for a 490 total that gave him a 20-pound victory over Seminole's Travaress Bowles.

The victory made Hamel Creek's 79th individual state champion and the program's first one since 2003.

Scoring state runner-up finishes for the Hawks were Jordan Miller (119), Dustin Adams (183) and Mike Mortley (219).

Pine Ridge's Jay Bumgardner placed fourth in the 139-pound class and FPC, and NSB also had lifters score top-six podium finishes.

Weightlifting

CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

At Sante Fe Community College
TEAM SCORES: 1. Spruce Creek 26, 2. DeLand 15, 3. Lake Brantley 14, 3. Tate 14, 5. Seabreeze 13, 13. Pine Ridge 6, 15. Flagler Palm Coast 5, 23. New Syrna Beach 3.

119 lbs.: 1. Garcia (Palatka) 260-245-505, 2. Jordan Miller (SC) 235-215-450, 4. Jamarr Burnett (Pine Ridge) 215-215-430; 129: 1. Josh Hamel (SC) 245-245-490; 10. Mike Brumenschenkel (SC) 185-225-410; 139: 1. Kervin (Tate) 295-235-530, 4. Jay Bumgardner (Pine Ridge) 295-215-510, 6. Josh Cassell (DeLand) 260-250-510, 16. Kyle Crooks (SC) 250-NL--250; 154: 1. Joseph Ray (DeLand) 335-280-615, 5. William Kennedy (Seabreeze) 300-250--550; 169: 1. Chris Briscoe (Seabreeze) 350-300-650, 3. Jesse Cochran (SC) 315-300-615, 7. Brandon Partin (DeLand) 315-260-585; 183: Sandoval (St. Cloud) 400-315-715, 2. Dustin Adams (SC) 380-295-675, 13. Shawn Quinn (NSB) 320-250-570, 15. Alex Kollmer 305-NL--305; 199: 1. Dustin Swearingen (DeLand) 355-315-670, 4. Adam Zhamukhanov (FPC) 335-300-635, 5. Lance Kolodzik (NSB) 345-285--630; 219: 1. Dadouche (Rutherford) 375-305-680; 2. Mike Mortley (SC) 380-295-675, 16. Cody Pellicer (SC) 310-NL--310; 238: 1. Martin (Tate) 440-345-785, 3. A.J. Morosco (Seabreeze) 370-310-680, 5. Michael Meegan (FPC) 365-300-665, 6. Josh Ciccone 345-310--655; HWT: Lark (Oviedo) 440-350--790.