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TCPalm Winter All-Area: Meet the area's top girls weightlifters from the 2023-24 season

patrick bernadeau, treasure coast newspapers
·6 min read

Welcome to the TCPalm Winter All-Area season.

From playoffs runs, district champions and athletes standing at the top of the podium, the Treasure Coast’s top athletes and coaches will be honored throughout the week. The stars from basketball, soccer and wrestling will be revealed soon, but girls weightlifting takes center stage today.

Following yet another season where the program had a lifter come home with the gold, Vero Beach earned both superlative awards and led the area with five lifters represented on the First Team. The Indians were followed by Treasure Coast and South Fork with fourth and two selections, respectively.

State Weightlifting: Enyjai Tyson continues string of Vero Beach champions, wins pair of state titles

Girls State Weightlifting: Vero Beach's Tyson, Jensen Beach's O'Hara primed to bring home gold

Without further ado, here are this season’s Lifter of the Year, Coach of the Year, All-Area First Team and lifters who received Honorable Mention.

Lifter of the Year

Enyjai Tyson, Vero Beach

Vero Beach's Enyjai Tyson competes in the clean-and-jerk event as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
Vero Beach's Enyjai Tyson competes in the clean-and-jerk event as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

The Indians senior swept Olympic and traditional competitions at the 169-pound weight classes. She became the seventh lifter ever from Vero Beach High School to claim an individual state title. Entering the tournament as the top seed in traditional, Tyson won the event comfortably with total lifts of 440 pounds, 80 more than her nearest competitor. She was seeded second at Olympic and won the event with total lifts of 395 pounds, including tying the state record in snatch at 175 pounds.

Coach of the Year

Pete Deluke, Vero Beach

Vero Beach coaches Pete DeLuke (far left), Helaina Thompson (left) and Brian Secrest (far right) poses for pictures with senior Enyjai Tyson after she won a pair of state individual titles at the Class 3A state meet on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 from the RP Funding Center.
Vero Beach coaches Pete DeLuke (far left), Helaina Thompson (left) and Brian Secrest (far right) poses for pictures with senior Enyjai Tyson after she won a pair of state individual titles at the Class 3A state meet on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 from the RP Funding Center.

Producing yet another state champion, Deluke led the Indians to a pair of top-10 team finishes at state. They placed tied for eighth in Olympic competition with nine points and were tied for ninth in traditional with seven points. Vero Beach had nine state qualifiers, eight of which competed in both events. The team produced four top-10 finishers in both Olympic and traditional. That all comes after the program added more team trophies to its trophy case by sweeping districts and regionals.

First Team

Paisley Bergen, South Fork

South Fork's Paisley Bergen competes in the clean-and-jerk event as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
South Fork's Paisley Bergen competes in the clean-and-jerk event as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

Weight class: 110

Highlights: Crowned a champion at districts and regionals in traditional competition, Bergen wrapped up her junior winter season by placing third at state with total lifts of 285 pounds.

Sophie Bergie, Fort Pierce Central

Weight class: 129

Highlights: The Cobras sophomore was victorious in traditional competition at both regionals and districts before earning eighth at state (315 pounds). She also earned third-place finishes at districts and regionals in Olympic.

Cayle Bihl, Vero Beach

Vero Beach's Cayle Bihl competes in the snatch event as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
Vero Beach's Cayle Bihl competes in the snatch event as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

Weight class: 101

Highlights: One of five lifters from the area’s best squad to make the First Team, the junior matched her placements in traditional and Olympic competitions throughout the postseason. Bihl won each event at districts, picked up a pair of runner-up finishes at regionals and two 10th-place results at state.

Liansy Delgado, Treasure Coast

Weight class: 129 pounds

Highlights: The first of four Titans to make the First Team, Delgado took home the Olympic regional championship. She was also a regional traditional runner-up and earned second place finishes in both events at districts.

Jedia Feliz, Treasure Coast

Weight class: 199

Highlights: The first of four Titans to earn a spot on the First Team, Feliz’ top highlight was an eighth-place Olympic finish at state after being a district and regional champion in the event. She also won the district title in traditional and was second at regionals.

Amaiyah Lee, Treasure Coast

Weight class: Unlimited

Highlights: Another Titans double state qualifier, Lee earned a sixth-place finish in traditional competition (370 pounds) and a seventh-place result in Olympic (320 pounds). She won district and regional titles in both events.

Kendall Lopez, St. Lucie West Centennial

Centennial's Kendall Lopez competes in the snatch event as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
Centennial's Kendall Lopez competes in the snatch event as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

Weight class: 101

Highlights: Winning a regional title and claiming second at districts, the Eagles senior took home a fifth-place finish in traditional at state (245). She put a clean-and-jerk lift of 130 pounds and a bench press of 115 pounds.

Aliciana McCloyne, Treasure Coast

Treasure Coast's Aliciana McCloyne competes in the clean-and-jerk event as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
Treasure Coast's Aliciana McCloyne competes in the clean-and-jerk event as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

Weight class: 154

Highlights: A district champion in both traditional and Olympic competition, the junior repeated those feats at regionals before sealing two top-10 results at state. McCloyne earned a fourth at Olympic (350) and was sixth in traditional (350).

Madison Montgomery, Martin County

Martin County's Madison Montgomery competes in the clean-and-jerk event as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
Martin County's Madison Montgomery competes in the clean-and-jerk event as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

Weight class: 139

Highlights: The lone Tigers state qualifier claimed district and regional titles in both Olympic and traditional events. The senior capped her career at state with a fifth in traditional (345 pounds) and a seventh in Olympic (310 pounds).

Jada Mosley, Vero Beach

Vero Beach's Jada Mosley competes in the clean-and-jerk as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
Vero Beach's Jada Mosley competes in the clean-and-jerk as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

Weight class: 183

Highlights: Going 4-for-4 at districts and regionals, the junior had a fifth-place finish in traditional competition (340 pounds) before following that with an eighth in Olympic at state (345 pounds). She makes the team this season after being an honorable mention last season.

Carolina O’Hara, Jensen Beach

Jensen Beach senior Carolina O'Hara competes during the District 15-2A meet on Jan. 26, 2024 from Sebastian River High School.
Jensen Beach senior Carolina O'Hara competes during the District 15-2A meet on Jan. 26, 2024 from Sebastian River High School.

Weight class: 101

Highlights: O’Hara entered state seeded first and second, respectively in traditional and Olympic competitions. At the end of the year’s final meet, the senior stood near the top of the podium in each event, taking the traditional runner-up (255 pounds) and placing third in Olympic (240 pounds). O’Hara swept districts before winning the region title in traditional and earning regional runner-up honors in Olympic.

Jayden Short, Vero Beach

Vero Beach's Jayden Short competes in the snatch event as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
Vero Beach's Jayden Short competes in the snatch event as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

Weight class: 139

Highlights: Another double state qualifier for the Indians, Short claimed eighth in traditional (305 pounds). She took home runner-up honors in Olympic and a third in traditional at regionals. Prior to that, she earned two runner-up finishes at districts.

Enyjai Tyson, Vero Beach

Weight class: 169

Highlights: After earning top-five finishes at state as the junior, Tyson extended a stretch of an Indians lifter being named TCPalm Lifter of the Year to seven years.

Devoney Villanueva, Vero Beach

Weight class: 119

Highlights: Villanueva was the district champion at traditional and Olympic competition. She placed third in Olympic and fourth in traditional at regionals before concluding the year. Qualifying for both events at state, Villanueva wrapped up the year with an eighth-place showing in traditional (295 pounds).

Bliss Weiler, South Fork

South Fork's Bliss Weiler competes in the clean-and-jerk event as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
South Fork's Bliss Weiler competes in the clean-and-jerk event as part of the Olympic lifts portion of the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting Championships that took place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

Weight class: 129

Highlights: Weiler placed seventh in traditional (290 pounds) and ninth in Olympic (265 pounds) at Class 2A state meet. The senior swept the two events at districts and earned a pair of third-place results at regionals.

Honorable Mention

Joey Rose Castle, Vero Beach - Unlimited

Zara Chowdhury, Fort Pierce Central - 119 pounds

Mallory Collier, Okeechobee - 199 pounds

Ella Eacker, Vero Beach - 199 pounds

Olivia Henriquez, St. Lucie West Centennial - 119 pounds

Joniah Holson, Sebastian River - Unlimited

Kaley McElligott, South Fork - 129 pounds

Charlize Narcisse, Sebastian River - 154 pounds

Ariadne Rodriguez, John Carroll Catholic - 169 pounds

Ashli Sivalls, Treasure Coast - 119 pounds

Molly Santiago, Jensen Beach - 154 pounds

Riley Scheurer, Vero Beach - 101 pounds

Ava Sesack, Vero Beach - 139 pounds

Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for Treasure Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at (772) 985-9692, on X at @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: 2023-24 TCPalm Winter All-Area: Who was the Girls Weightlifter of the Year?