Topic: News: No Aftertaste for Josh Magrini Winning FL HS Champs

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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No Aftertaste for Josh Magrini Winning Florida High School Championships
By Marty Miller

DAYTONA BEACH-  A year ago in the Boys State Weightlifting Championships in Gainesville, Springstead High's Josh Magrini went into the meet as one of the favorites at Class 2A�s 139 pounds, only to finish a disappointing eighth.

But on Friday at The Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Magrini hit all six of his lifts perfectly to claim the coveted Class 2A State Championship at 139 pounds and give the Eagles' their first-ever weightlifting champion.

Magrini, who came into the state meet as the number one qualifier, connected on all six of his attempts, lifting 320 pounds in his best lift in the bench press and then got 230 pounds in the clean and jerk for a total of 550 to beat a field of 16 and earn a state title.

I've won a couple of weightlifting meets before and I've won some track meets in my middle school days, but I've never won anything this big before, Magrini said after winning the title.

Magrini's showing was the best of Hernando County as Hernando, Central and Springstead had nine lifters make the state finals.

Besides Magrini's first-place finish, his brother Zach finished in 13th place in the Class 2A, 129-pound class with a combined total of 375 pounds in the bench press and the clean and jerk.

Hernando had three lifters in Class 1A as Bradly Hill and Robert Smith both competed in the 154-pound class while Chad McGee was in the 183-pound group.

Hill hit his first lift of 240 pounds in the bench, but then missed the next two lifts. He again made his first lift of 225 pounds in the clean and jerk, but missed his final two tries to finish 15th.

Smith made two of his three attempts in the bench, getting 280 pounds on his final try, but after getting 225 pounds in his first try in the clean and jerk, he had his last two lifts ruled no good by the judges as he wound up 10th overall.

Also for Springstead, Magrini's brother Zach competed in the 129-pound class where he made his opening two lifts in the bench before missing his third and final lift. He then cleared 165 pounds in the clean and jerk for a total of 375 pounds, good for 13th place.

But the story of the day was Josh Magrini, who had to wait out the last competitor in his division before claiming the title.

Josh Hamel of Spruce Creek attempted to lift 280 pounds with his final lift and had he made it, he would have won the event due to weighing less than Magrini.

As Hamel made his attempt, Magrini could only wrap his arms around his brother Zach and hope.

I'll tell you exactly what I was thinking, he said later. I said, "Please God, make this feel like 400 pounds."

Hernando County Boys State Finals Weightlifting Results
Wgt Name School Class Bench C&J Totals Place
139 Josh Magrini SPG 2A 320 230 550 1st
199 Jessie Hartman CEN 2A 330 305 635 7th (tie)
154 Robert Smith HER 1A 280 220 500 10th
129 Zach Magrini SPG 2A 220 155 375 13th
183 Chad McGee HER 1A 285 0 285 13th
154 Bradly Hill HER 1A 240 225 465 15th
129 Donald Linton CEN 2A 205 0 205 16th
183 DuJuan Harris CEN 2A DNC (did not compete)
219 Aaron Bourguignon CEN 2A DNC (did not compete)