Topic: News: Bradford's Kelly Leigh Gets 2nd Straight State Medal

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Bradford's Kelly Leigh Gets 2nd Straight State Medal

It was a good way for Bradford High School senior Kelly Leigh to end her third consecutive undefeated regular season-with her highest finish ever in three trips to the Florida High School Athletic Association Girls Weightlifting Finals.

Leigh placed third in the 154-pound class and was the only lifter from Bradford, Keystone Heights or Union County to earn a medal (medals are awarded to the top six finishers in each class).

Bradford coach Deac Story said Leigh is "one of the most dominant lifters I've ever had. She'll be missed."

Leigh, who placed fifth at last year's state finals, had a bench press of 165 pounds and a clean and jerk of 170 pounds for a 335-pound total. That put her behind St. Cloud's Sara Hansell and Spruce Creek's Ashley Fides, who each had a 375-pound total.

Leigh finished 20 pounds ahead of fourth-place lifter Chrstine Alberts of Springstead.

Bradford's only other state qualifier almost captured a medal too. Samantha Schmidt, making her first appearance in the state finals, placed seventh in the 101-pound class.

Story said it was a learning process for Schmidt, who was successful on just two of her six lift attempts.

"Had Sam gone 6-for-6 or even 5-for-6 she probably would've gotten fifth place," Story said.

Schmidt had a 95-pound bench press and a 110-pound clean and jerk for a 205-pound total. That put her just ahead of Keystone Heights' Amanda Wood, another first-time lifter at the state finals. Wood placed eighth with a bench press of 100 pounds and a clean and jerk of 100 pounds for a 200-pound total.

Spruce Creek's Heather Wolfe won the class with a 255-pound total.

The 169-pound class featured Keystone's Paige Cole and Union County's Hannah Tucker. Those lifters-both of whom qualified for the state finals for the first time-earned top-20 finishes. Cole had a 135-pound bench press and a 125-pound clean and jerk for a 260-pound total, while Tucker had a 120-pound bench press and a 135-pound clean and jerk for a 255-pound total.

New Smyrna Beach's Patrice Doemer won the class with a 365-pound total.