Topic: News: Spruce Creek Wins 6th Straight Girls FL State WL Champs

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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CHS lifters third at state
By TIM KIRBY

Celeste Gomez was state champion the 183-pound weight class and led Columbia High’s girls weightlifting team to third place in the FHSAA Finals competition at River Ridge High in New Port Richey on Saturday.

Gomez’s first-place finish was bolstered by Tara Stephens, who placed second in the 119-pound weight class, and Alaina Timmons, who was third in the

139-pound weight class.

The threesome combined for 16 team points, which put the Lady Tigers close behind New Smyrna Beach High’s second-place total of 19.

Spruce Creek High scored 30 points to extend its run of state titles to six years. Port Charlotte High (11 points) and Southeast High (10) rounded out the top five.

Gomez ranked first in her weight class, after placing second at state last year, and said going in she feared only a competitor sandbagging her qualifying totals.

No need to worry.

Gomez set a new state record of 215 pounds in the clean and jerk and her 425-pound total (bench press was 210) also was a state record for 183 pounds. Her total was 25 pounds better than second place and 90 pounds higher than third.

“Celeste worked so hard for this and it was amazing to see how much respect she had earned the previous two years at state,” CHS head coach Mitch Shoup said. “Everyone there was pulling for her. There was nothing or no one who was going to stand in her way.”

Stephens improved on her third-place finish in 2008 and her 155-160-315 total was 10 pounds above third place. Zanquina Ellison rode a state record 175 bench press to a 330 total, also a state record.

“Tara had the meet of her life,” Shoup said. “Going into this year, she was determined to be a state champion. She worked hard enough to be one, but came up just a little short. It ended up a three-way battle for second and Tara put them away with a 160 clean and jerk.”

Timmons actually finished in a three-way tie with her 155-165-320 total. The tiebreaker is which lifter weighs the least.

“Alaina was one of our girls that qualified for state who did not know what a clean and jerk was three months ago,” Shoup said.

The top six places earn team points. Jennifer Kondrach (145-130-275 at 119 pounds) placed seventh and Jessica Bullock (150-155-305 at 139 pounds) placed eighth.

Phoebe Johnson (115-130-245) was 11th at 110 pounds, while Ashley Shaw and Amber Thomas both lifted 130-140-270 at 129 pounds and placed 14th and 16th, respectively.

“I am proud of each and every one of our girls that lifted,” Shoup said. “They represented our school and our community well.”

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Milton ties for 27th at state meet
By Bill Gamblin

Milton High School finished tied for 27th place at the state girls weightlifting meet on the performance of Sara Roberts.

Roberts, who tied for fourth place in the 183 pound class, scored the only points between Pace and Milton at the State Championships.

After posting a best lift in the bench press of 165 pounds, Roberts was able to move us the standings as she posted a best of 155 in the clean and jerk discipline.

Roberts tied with DeLand’s Kaylyn Freeborough, but was awarded fifth place points due to a tiebreaker.

Freeborough checked in at the official weigh-in at 177 pounds, while Roberts was just four-tenths of a pound heavier.

Pace’s Ariel Henry posted the best finish for the Lady Pats at the meet tying for ninth place with River Ridge’s Jessica Diaz with a total of 220 pounds

Diaz also won the tiebreaker by two pounds.

After the bench press portion Diaz was tied for second overall and 20 pounds ahead of Henry, but she made up the difference in the clean and jerk.

Other finishers at the meet were Jade Horning at 129 pounds. Horning finished in a tie for 14th with a combined total of 270 pounds.

Chelsie Miley tied for 11th at 139 pounds after posting a total of 285 pounds, while Brittany Wooten tied for 15th in the unlimited class with a combined total of 325.

Pace’s Kailee Hattaway seemed to be in contention at 199 pounds, but was unable to complete a successful lift in the clean and jerk. She did post a weight of 125 pounds in the bench press.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Wheeler ninth at state weightlifting meet
Senior breaks school record with 305 total pounds lifted; Chavers finsihes 17th

Gulf Breeze High senior Brittany Wheeler finished ninth out of 27 competitors in the 154-pound weight class at Saturday's 1A state weightlifting meet at River Ridge High School in New Port Richey.

Wheeler bench pressed 145 pounds and lifted 160 pounds for a total of 305 pounds. Her 160 pound clean and jerk lift was tied for fifth best in her weight class. Her 305 total set a new school record, breaking Adrienne Randel's previous record of 300.

Kristian Rainge-Campbell of Spruce Creek set two new state records for her clean and jerk (210) and total weight lifted (410).

Sophomore Meredeth Chavers was 17th out of 27 competitors in the 110-pound class. She bench pressed and cleaned 115 pounds for a 230 pound total. Her total was only 15 pounds away from cracking the top 10.

Wheeler's ninth place finish was the second highest finish for a GBHS weightlifter in school history. Randel, who went to state three times, was fourth in the 183-pound class two years ago.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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TCHS lifters advance to states
By GARY ROBERTS

By most accounts, Stefania Maresca enjoyed an outstanding season last year on the Timber Creek girls weightlifting team. As a freshman, she was selected to lift during the Metro Conference Championships in recognition of her improvement throughout the year. And the girls had a great tournament, winning the conference title.

But as the other girls were celebrating their victory, Maresca could not share in their revelry. Instead, she cried with disappoint because she had not scored any points for her team.
Coach Tyrone Harvey went to console her, but also used the situation to impart one of those lessons in life that often come from athletic competition. He told her to continue her dedication and, if she kept working hard during the next year, she would be one of the best lifters in the state.

“And she proved me right,” Harvey said after Maresca, along with seven of her teammates, advanced all the way to the state finals on Feb. 14 at River Ridge High School in New Port Richey.
Maresca, competing in the 199-pound class, claimed the top spot at the Section 7 qualifier. Even more impressive, her 320-pound total included 180 pounds in the clean and jerk, a school record.
This time around there were only tears of joy for TCHS weightlifters.

Timber Creek was the only school to boast three first-place finishes and to qualify girls in all weight classes at the sectionals, which were hosted by TCHS on Jan. 28.

In addition to Maresca, Kia Miller (101) and Emily Melville (129) also won their weight class. For seniors Miller and Melville, it was their second individual sectional title.

Moreover, Miller achieved a school record in her weight class at this year’s competition by lifting a 230-pound total in the bench press and clean and jerk.

Other TCHS lifters who qualified for states included second-place finishers Hillary Dunn (101), Jennifer Altreche (110) and Courtney Garcia (154); along with third-place finishers Jordan Napoli (129) and Maresca’s older sister, Ida, (119).

The Lady Wolves established several other school standards at the tournament, as well. Ida Maresca broke three school records in the bench press (125 pounds), clean and jerk (140) and total (265). In addition, Melville’s 315-pound total set a new record in her weight class.

Sarah Bradshaw and Karline Pastrana also had outstanding performances
for TCHS at the sectionals, but were not in the top three in their classes to advance to states.
“We had high expectations going in, but the girls really came through,” said Harvey, who is in his fourth year as TCHS weightlifting coach. “There was some great competition from Osceola and West Orange.”

This is a team that not only possessed a lot of talent, but also experience. TCHS finished in seventh place at states last year and returned everyone this season.

It was a particularly rewarding journey for Garcia who, after capturing top honors at sectionals last year, suffered an injury that limited her during offseason workouts.

“She really lifted with her heart at the sectionals and Metro meet,” Harvey said. “It really shows that the heart is the strongest muscle in the body.”

Ida Maresca also had to overcome physical obstacles on her way to the state tournament. After years of playing soccer, Ida was forced to give up the sport due to a medical condition that caused her knees to pop out of place while running.

Looking for another sport in which to compete, Ida tried weightlifting for the first time last year. Her progress to date has surprised everyone.

In just one year Ida went from clearing 80 pounds in the bench press to 130 pounds, and in the clean and jerk raised her personal best from 90 to 140 pounds. She also placed second at the Metro Athletic Conference tournament on Feb. 4, improving on her sixth-place finish a year ago.
“She’s come a long way from being an injured soccer player to becoming one of the best lifters in Orange and Osceola,” Harvey said.

The TCHS girls squad also gave a super performance at the conference meet, which Timber Creek won for the second year in a row.

An uplifting performance

Meanwhile, University High School returns Jameese Nathan to states for the second year in a row. Nathan, competing in the unlimited weight class, placed second at the Metro Conference meet, breaking school records along the way.

Other lifters completing a successful season at the conference tournament for UHS, which placed fifth overall, include Bao-Sam Nguyen (101-pound class), who took third; Deborah Sabedra (154), who finished in fifth place; and Vivian Nweze (183), who placed fourth, each of whom set school marks in their weight class. Also, Ashley Vargas (101), finished sixth at the Metro meet.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Morgan Candage chosen All-Central Florida girls lifter of year
By Joe Williams

With a heritage of weightlifting behind her, it is easy to understand what drove Port Orange Spruce Creek's Morgan Candage to three consecutive individual weight-class state championships: family.

Her older sister, Angela, was a state champion and the Sentinel's All-Central Florida weightlifter of the year before graduating from Port

Orange Spruce Creek in 2005. Her uncle, Barry Candage, lifted at Daytona Beach Mainland and finished second in the state. Her mother, Vicky, was a competitive lifter.

Her father, Jeff, also is a lifter and has served as her coach.

"My whole family has lifted, and they have been very supportive of me," said Morgan, who this year joins her sister as an All-Central Florida weightlifter of the year. "My dad has definitely been one of the biggest motivations in my life. He has always been there for me. My whole family has. I always want to make them proud."

For all that Spruce Creek's team has done -- winning all six state meets that the FHSAA has held -- Candage is the school's first three-time state champion. She won state titles at 139 pounds (when she was a sophomore at Daytona Beach Seabreeze), at 154 pounds as a junior and at 169 this year.

"When it comes to athletes, the really great ones are able to combine their natural ability and combine that with a really good work ethic," Hawks Coach Tom Bennett said. "Morgan has combined genetics with a lot of hard work. That is what has set her apart."

HIGHLIGHTS

Candage moved up a weight class for the betterment of the Spruce Creek team. That allowed teammate Kristian Rainge-Campbell, who placed second to Candage at state last year, to win a state title at 154 pounds this year.

"One thing I hope I am remembered for was not being selfish about my dream," Candage said. "I was happy to give up my weight class to help someone else."

BY THE NUMBERS

0: Number of times Candage had done a 210-pound clean-and-jerk successfully before setting the state record this month.

6: Number of state records set or tied by Candage during her high school career. She tied the state record for total weight (340 pounds) in the 139-pound class as a sophomore. She set state records for the clean-and-jerk (205 pounds) and total (400 pounds) at 154 pounds as a junior and set state records in the bench (215), clean-and-jerk (210) and total (425) at 169 pounds this year.

75: The victory margin at the state meet this year, in pounds, between Candage's 425 total and runner-up Brynn Forsythe of West Orange.

IN HER OWN WORDS

"I love weightlifting. I have gone through guys saying weightlifting is not attractive for girls, but that isn't true. I couldn't give it up. I think it is perfect for girls to do. It helps you with confidence. It helps you mature in high school. It helps to teach you life lessons."

OUTSIDER'S VIEW

"Morgan Candage has shown great dedication and determination over her high school career. Morgan's dedication and success in the offseason [becoming a national champion] has made her a very versatile lifter and a great asset to her team and their continued success." -- Tyrone Harvey, Timber Creek coach

WHAT FUTURE HOLDS

Although her high school career is done, weightlifting will continue to be a part of Candage's life. She hopes to make the U.S. School-Age team that will go to Peru for the Junior Pan-American Championships. After graduating from high school, she plans to join her sister Angela, who is in the Air Force and is stationed in New Jersey, for training and competition. Angela is one of the top lifters in the nation in the 63-kilogram weight class (139 pounds).