Topic: News: Nate Sandoval Wins FHSAA 2A State Weightlifting Champs

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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St. Cloud's Bulldog Nate Sandoval Wins FHSAA 2A State Weightlifting Championships in 183lb Class
By Rick Pedone

Nate Sandoval thrust away a year’s worth of frustration Saturday when he easily won the 183-pound Class 2A state weightlifting championship at Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville.

The St. Cloud senior set a state record with a 410-pound bench press and added 305 pounds in the clean and jerk for a 715 total, 40 pounds ahead of second-place Donnie Adams of Spruce Creek.

Last year, Sandoval tied Deland’s Ryan McDaniels for the 169-pound championship with a total lift of 640 pounds, but McDaniels won based on body weight. Even more frustrating for Sandoval was the fact that his last clean and jerk attempt was disqualified.

That is water under the bridge now, however. Sandoval etched his name on the Bulldog state champions list alongside David Stamper (1996, 183 pounds and 1997, 199 pounds), Teddy Wright (2001, 238 pounds), Ben Massey (2000, 219 pounds) and Erick Abadessa (1991, 199 pounds).

“I’ve been confident all year. I said last year that I was going to lift 405 or better (in the bench press),” he said. “It’s also a record at 199 and 219, so it should be around for awhile.”

Sandoval, who weighed in at just under 170 pounds, said many family members were in Gainesville to share his triumph.

“Yeah, just like every year. They always come up and cheer for me, my grandma and everyone,” he said. “It is a great feeling.”

Sandoval tried to break his personal record of 320 pounds in the clean and jerk but he didn’t come close.

“No, by that time I was exhausted,” he said. “But, 715 (his total lift at state) isn’t a bad number. I’m happy with that.”

St. Cloud finished tied for seventh (10) with Lynn Haven Mosley.

St. Cloud’s 238-pounder, Mike Taylor, lifted 355-325-680 to place fourth. James Owens was seventh at 199 pounds with lifts of 320-225-615.

Cade Parkes was 10th at 199 with a total lift of 605 pounds.

“We gave away a couple of points, but it was an okay meet for us with Nate winning and Mike getting fourth,” said St. Cloud Coach Mark Jackson.

Sandoval said the team might have done even better.

“We didn’t hit all of our lifts. If we had, we might have been maybe third or fourth,” said.

Spruce Creek won its 23rd state championship with a total of 26 points, outscoring defending champion Deland (15).

Sandoval, a three-time state qualifier, said he will devote the balance of this school year and much of next year to helping his teammates continue the Bulldogs’ strong weightlifting tradition.

“I’m going to be around this weight room a lot,” he said.