FHSAA boys weightlifting regionals: New Smyrna Beach takes traditional team title
State champion-hopeful New Smyrna Beach brought home the Region 2-2A traditional trophy from St. Cloud on Saturday, anchored by five individual winners. Aiden Strong, Ryan Geary, Chris Murphy and Isaiah McCloud rolled in their divisions, each winning by 30 pounds or more, while Isaiah Cotton fended off Leesburg's Jason Nguyen by five pounds to win at 169.
Cotton and McCloud captured Olympic gold as well, though the Barracudas placed second behind Leesburg.
Regional Olympic and traditional champions gain automatic entry into the Florida High School Athletic Association's state finals, where they will be joined by the 12 top wild cards per weight division. The Class 3A meet is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start on April 19 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. Classes 1A and 2A will compete April 20 with flights beginning at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
FIVE STAR TRACK AND FIELD: Top performers as Mainland boys, Spruce Creek girls win team titles
Mainland senior Elijah Walker (715 total) prevailed among the heavyweights in traditional style, sealing victory with a 405-pound bench press. Matanzas' Jaden Sao and Cole Hash produced runner-up traditional finishes and third-place Olympic showings at 129 and 199 pounds.
Atlantic's Winder Altinor scooped up unlimited Olympic silver (480), and Pine Ridge's Billy Faulk was third at 169 Olympic (470).
Region 1-3A
Pace toppled defending FHSAA Class 3A state champion Spruce Creek in Saturday's Region 1-3A championships in Navarre. The Hawks were second in both styles — three points behind Pace in Olympic scoring, and nine behind in traditional.
Zachary Caron, at 238 pounds, was a double champ on the day for Spruce Creek. He hit all nine of his lifts, with a 280 snatch, a 345 clean and jerk and a 360 bench press. Alex Sebastien (515 total) and Bradley Bingham (630) were the Olympic winners in the 183 and unlimited divisions.
Flagler Palm Coast's Nick Groth had another strong day, victorious in both Olympic and traditional in the 169 weight class. He was successful on all of his snatch and bench press attempts, producing triumphant total scores of 545 and 580.
University's Liam Valle edged out Pace's Shawn Morgan on body weight to claim 119 traditional victory. Valle had a perfect 6-for-6 performance, maxing out at 185 in the clean and jerk and 235 on the bench.
Region 3-1A
Taylor senior 238-pounder Francisco Perez brought home the lone individual title from Friday's Region 3-1A meet at The Villages Charter, hitting a 290 clean and jerk and 365 bench press for a 655 total score.
South Sumter swept the team titles in both styles, but the Wildcats placed fourth in traditional with 15 points. Alex Gomez (305 total), Cooper Smith (445) and Tre Gaines (unlimited) each finished fourth in their weight classes: 119, 154 and unlimited, respectively.
Father Lopez teammates Robbie Ridgeway and Maverick Grimm scored in both styles at 169. Ridgeway was second in traditional (500) and third in Olympic (420), and Grimm placed fourth in traditional (475) and fifth in Olympic (390).
Chander Shacklette looks a good bet to represent Trinity Christian at states thanks to a pair of podium finishes. The 238-pound senior picked up a bronze in Olympic (455) and finished fourth in traditional (570).
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: FHSAA boys weightlifting: Volusia-Flagler regional meet roundup
