Topic: News: Carson Bowman Port Charlotte Lifter of Year

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Bowman Consistent, Lifter of Year: Port Charlotte's Carson Bowman is a Fast Learner.
By Gary Brown

Bowman was only in his second season of weightlifting this past spring, but he still finished sixth in the Class 2A State meet's 219-pound division with a 635-pound overall lift. For his efforts, he is the Sun boys weightlifter of the year.

"My goal at the beginning of the season was to make states," Bowman said. "I went into weightlifting mainly to help myself get ready for football."

Bowman, a senior-to-be noseguard for the Pirate football team, had a best overall lift of 640 pounds. He has a personal best of 340 pounds in the bench press and 320 pounds in the clean and jerk.

"He's got a lot of strength and a low level of gravity," Port Charlotte coach Roger MacIntosh said. "That helps him more with the clean and jerk. He also has a great work ethic."

Last season, Bowman competed in the 238 division but didn't make it to sectionals. This year, he was consistent all the way through the season.

"I switched to the 219 division because I thought I could do better there," the Pirate junior said.

Bowman won the season-beginning Opening Week Invite with a 605 total in the 238 class, then switched to the 219 class. He finished first in the Charlotte County meet with a 640 total and was second in the sectional meet with a 625 total.

The Port Charlotte athlete has high goals for his senior season of weightlifting.

"I would like to finish first or second in the state meet," he said. "I do better in the clean and jerk than the bench press. I want to do as good as I can in that."

Bowman narrowly beat out North Port senior Ricky Sylvester (169 pounds) for the weightlifter of year honor. Sylvester was outstanding all season and finished eighth at the State Class 2A meet. He tied for sixth with two other weightlifters, but weighed more, so he finished eighth.

North Port had five members on the first team and Port Charlotte four. Charlotte has two and DeSoto one. Charlotte led the honorable mention list with five weightlifters.

Weightlifter of Year

Carson Bowman. Port Charlotte, Junior

First team

119- Damon Mayers, Port Charlotte, sophomore. 11th at state, won season-opening meet at North Port and was sectional champion.

129- Harry Rohraff, Port Charlotte, freshman. Won Charlotte County title.

139- (tie)-Mike Budd, Port Charlotte, senior, qualified for sectionals. Ryan Wimberly, Charlotte, junior. Won Charlotte County title.

154- (tie)-Josh Varner, Charlotte, senior, won Charlotte County title, was consistent all season. Mike Cain, North Port, junior. qualified for sectionals, finishing fourth, was consistent all season.

169- Ricky Sylvester, North Port, senior. Won sectional title, eighth at state, but had same overall weight lift as sixth and seventh-place finishers. Lost out in tie-breaker because he weighed more.

183- Mike DeMichele, North Port, senior. Consistent all season. Had a 530 overall lift best.

199- Shawn Nelson, North Port, senior. First place in opening week meet, third in sectionals at 585 pounds and second in Sarasota County meet.

219- Carson Bowman, Port Charlotte, junior. Sixth at state meet. weightlifter of year.

238- Derrick Turner, DeSoto, senior. State qualifier. Second in sections with a 610 total.

Heavyweight- John Thomas, North Port, sophomore. FIrst at opening week invite, fourth in sectional meet.

Honorable mention- Lemon Bay, Chris Shirley, Mike Bruck; North Port, Charlie Wolfrom, Tom Davis; DeSoto, Emmanuel Wiley, Robert Chambers; Charlotte, Fred Lomangino, Eddie Bertinelli, Shelby Hoskins, Josh Surles, Brandon Lieb. Port Charlotte, Jeff Vowell, Justin Smich.