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Spruce Creek sweeps Olympic, traditional Five Star Conference boys weightlifting titles

chris boyle, daytona beach news-journal
·2 min read

PORT ORANGE — Defending state champion Spruce Creek completed another double victory Wednesday, fending off New Smyrna Beach, University and a handful of local challengers in the Five Star Conference boys weightlifting championships.

The Hawks tallied 61 points in Olympic scoring (snatch/clean and jerk) and 54 in traditional (clean and jerk/bench press), led by four individuals who swept both competitions — Derrick Hanna (119 pounds), Brian Begnoche (199), Zachary Caron (238) and Bradley Bingham (unlimited).

Begnoche, Caron and Bingham each hit eight of their nine lifts and cleared the rack on the bench press.

Spruce Creek's Bradley Bingham won Olympic and traditional Five Star Conference gold in the heavyweight division.
Spruce Creek's Bradley Bingham won Olympic and traditional Five Star Conference gold in the heavyweight division.

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"It shows us where we are now, and where we need to be. If we go 9-for-9 and set a few (personal records), it means we've got a bright future ahead," Bingham said. "I think it's from our technique and our form. We didn't try to go heavy. We've got to look for our form to be good so we can do heavier weight as we go along."

Landon Diperri (129) and Ken Bui (154) added Olympic victories for the Hawks, Florida's winningest weightlifting program with 29 recognized FHSAA titles.

Two-time state champion Ryan Geary had a perfect day for New Smyrna Beach, winning the 154 traditional title with a 580 total — 60 pounds clear of the field. Isaiah Cotton (169) produced one of the day's highlights with a personal-best 300-pound clean and jerk, a confidence booster as he has his sights set on breaking a state record later this spring.

State champion Ryan Geary, of New Smyrna Beach, was successful on all six of his lifts in the 154-pound traditional competition at the Five Star Conference meet.
State champion Ryan Geary, of New Smyrna Beach, was successful on all six of his lifts in the 154-pound traditional competition at the Five Star Conference meet.

"I definitely felt (the energy of the crowd), but I'm more of a calm lifter," Cotton said. "I like to just walk up, get it done and head on out.

"My clean has going really well. We're going to strengthen up my shoulders and get them solid."

Aiden Strong, an All-Area selection in 2023 after Class 2A 139-pound podium finishes in both Olympic and traditional, scored double gold with 455 and 495 totals.

Atlantic's Windor Altinor finishes a 380-pound bench press, vaulting him into second place in the Five Star Conference traditional heavyweight competition.
Atlantic's Windor Altinor finishes a 380-pound bench press, vaulting him into second place in the Five Star Conference traditional heavyweight competition.

Austin Rosser (219) shined for University by placing first in Olympic and second in traditional, successfully converting each of his final six lifts. Liam Valle (129) and Payton McKenzie (219) added tradtional victories for the Titans.

Flagler Palm Coast's Nick Groth shook off a miss on his first snatch attempt to sweep the 183-pound division. Groth had a 550 score in Olympic and 595 in traditional.

The FHSAA's state series opens with district meets between March 27-30. State championship events are set for April 19-20 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: High school weightlifting: Spruce Creek boys win Five Star title