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Local Weightlifters Flex Muscles

Chris Hoffman/highlands Today

Avon Park's Khadeja Jamison completes her lift in the clean-and-jerk competition during Saturday's district weightlifting meet at Firemen's Field.

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By CHRIS HOFFMAN

Highlands Today

Published: January 19, 2009

SEBRING - If you've ever been a spectator at an Avon Park girls weightlifting meet over the past few years, you probably couldn't help but be drawn to the bubbly persona of Tykeria Wiley.

The Red Devil sophomore's enthusiasm and confidence are as infectious to the spectators as they are to her teammates.

"I just go out and do the best that I know I can do," Wiley said. "I love to compete and am at my best when the pressure is on."

Wiley's best was better than the rest of the field, as the sophomore took home first place in the unlimited class by lifting a combined 285 pounds, while Sebring's Heather Luciano came in second with 260 pounds during Saturday's sub-sectional girls weightlifting meet at Firemen's Field on Saturday.

Both will advance to the sectionals, which will be held at Port Charlotte High School on Jan. 29.

Sebring sent 11 lifters to sectionals, Avon Park had nine and Lake Placid will send two.

Senior Megan Wolfe breezed to a first place finish in the 154-pound weight class by lifting a combined weight of 255 pounds, while Avon Park's Veronica Robinson placed second with 235 pounds and Sebring's Alana Gordon struggled with her technique early, but managed a third-place finish with 230 pounds.

Lake Placid's Sierra Weaver, who competed in the 154-pound class, was proud of her improvement in just her first season in the sport, as she took the initiative to use weightlifting to improve her volleyball game.

"I take weightlifting class at school, so I figured that I would continue the program I was already doing," Weaver said. "I've already noticed that my sets are better and my shots are more powerful as well as more stamina."

Streaks coach Steve Berry was happy with his team's performance and is excited to see how far they can go this season.

"We won all our meets except the Charlotte Invitational and we've been improving as a team in every meet," Berry said. "I look at the totals from the other meets and I see that we're doing better and getting stronger."

Blue Streaks Toni-Ann Dallas and Stephanie Taylor placed first in the 183 and 101-pound weight classes, respectively.

In the 129-pound class, Sebring's Karley Freeland snuck past Lake Placid's Katelyn Dunton by finishing with a combined 225 pounds - 15 pounds more than Dunton - while Sebring's Lauren Welborn finished with the bronze with 195 pounds.

Avon Park took second and third in the 119-pound class, as Nicole Allison won the silver with 200 pounds followed by Terranie Hill, who lifted 190 pounds to advance to the sectionals.

Andejoua Nixon of Avon Park took first in the 169-pound class with a weight of 290, while Sebring's Michelle Bash finished second with 270 pounds and Lake Placid's Taquasha Hawthorne rounded out the top three with a combined weight of 260 pounds.

Bash was frustrated after the meet, as she came so close on her last lift in an attempt to take first place, but faltered in the clean and jerk and had to settle for second.

"I made a technical error and it cost me first place," Bash said. "I've always been in everyone else's shadow and I want to make my mark, so my goal the entire season has been to qualify for state.

"I'm one step closer to that goal.

Avon Park's Zakia Hart finished with the gold in the 139-pound class with a weight of 260 pounds; while Sebring's Jaye Whitehead advanced to sectionals after her weight of 185 pounds was good enough for third place.

"This is a really good sport for the offseason," said Whitehead, who also is a star player for the Streaks volleyball team. "This is my second year lifting and I've been in a lot of competitions already. I'm just really proud of the fact that I'm able to hit my target goal and be competitive."

Another volleyball player, Sebring's Abigail Bone, also advanced to sectionals with a third place finish in the 110-pound category with a combined weight of 175 pounds, while Avon Park took the top two spots with Adriana Ramirez placing first with 200 pounds and Daequanda Kinsey finishing in second with 175 pounds.

Chris Hoffman can be reached at 863-386-5837 or choffman@highlandstoday.com.

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