Lake Minneola’s Israel Clovis kept the faith in quest for weightlifting state championship
Israel Clovis didn’t complain about missing out on the 2022 and 2023 weightlifting state meets due to his family’s religious beliefs.
As a devoted follower of messianic Judaism he observed the Shabbat holiday that calls for only religious activities after the sun sets on Friday nights until sunset on Saturday.
“I can read the Bible and pray. I can watch religious videos. I play the guitar at services. God is first, no matter what,” Clovis said of observing the weekly holiday.
But this year the muscle-bound Lake Minneola senior is blessed to finally get his chance to pursue a state championship while abiding by his faith. He’s one of the favorites in the 238-pound weight class in Friday’s Class 3A finals.
“It’s very important. I’m not going to settle for second,” Clovis said.
Competition begins at 1 p.m. at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland and is scheduled to be completed well ahead of sundown.
“I prayed to God and it worked out,” Clovis said between winning lifts at the Region 2 meet two weeks ago. “I’m really happy to be able to compete for a state championship.”
Clovis bench-pressed 340 pounds. He lifted 320 in the clean and jerk and 250 in the snatch to round out his winning totals of 660 in the Traditional lifts and 570 in the Olympic style.
The No. 1 qualifier is Spruce Creek’s Zachary Caron. He totaled 705 in Traditional and 625 in Olympic while winning Region 1 titles.
“I did just enough to win,” Clovis said of his region marks. “I think I’ll be a surprise at states.”
Clovis, 17, was born in the U.S. Virgin Islands. His family of seven moved briefly to Brazil and then Fort Lauderdale before settling down in Clermont when he was 10. He said the family moved to learn more about their religion and strengthen their faith.
Clovis joined Lake Minneola’s weightlifting team as a sophomore and was a natural. He was a state qualifier that year and a district and region champion as a junior and senior.
“I think a big part of his success is with the discipline from his religion,” Lake Minneola coach Sean Wright said. “He takes every ounce of coaching that you give him.”
The Class 2A and 1A finals are Saturday, beginning at 9 a.m.
Leesburg became the first Lake County school to claim a weightlifting team title when it shared last year’s 2A Olympic style championship with Fleming Island. The Yellow Jackets are again a team to beat.
Leesburg’s contingent includes top seeds Jeremy Lacey (119) and Zach Field (199) along with Kayden Adams (129) and Logan Thompson (238).
Other No. 1 qualifiers include Winter Springs senior Kody Taylor, who is in position to sweep the 183 titles in 3A; St. Cloud junior Mikey Ziss, who won two 119 titles last year and is the heavy favorite again; and Oviedo’s Lucas Crawley plus Kissimmee Liberty’s Kevin Hill.
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Upper weight standouts in 2A include Horizon standout linebacker/fullback Bo Kenney and Jones defensive lineman Dallas Coy.
Will Higgins of International Community is the highest ranked area lifter in 1A.
Here are the top area qualifiers in each weight class with their bests from district and region meets:
119 weight class
O: Mikey Ziss, St. Cloud, 455-R
T: Ziss, 475-R
129 weight class
O: Josue Betances, East River, 400-R
O: Kayden Adams, Leesburg, 400-D
T: William Marshall, East River, 445-D
139 weight class
O: Elvie Valmores, Timber Creek, 440-D
T: Valmores, 480-D
154 weight class
O: Will Higgins, International, 480-R
T: Jonathan Morales, St. Cloud, 550-R
T: Vincenzo Pusateri, Windermere, 550-D
169 weight class
O: Kevin Hill, Liberty, 570-R
T: Lucas Crawley, Oviedo, 610-R
183 weight class
O: Kody Taylor, Winter Springs, 590-R
T: Taylor, 675-D
199 weight class
O: Treyvin Clark, Seminole, 555-R
T: Zach Field, Leesburg, 670-R
219 weight class
O: Anthony Rodriguez, Harmony, 565-D
T: Rodriguez, 680-R
238 weight class
O: Israel Clovis, Lake Minneola, 570-R
T: Clovis, 660-R
Unlimited weight class
O: Conner Howes, St. Cloud, 605-D
T: Dallas Coy, Jones, 665-R
(O denotes Olympic; T is Traditional; D denotes a district total; R is a region total)
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Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be reached by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
