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Highlands Today

Two Local Weightlifters Power Into State

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By BRIAN GJURGEVICH

Highlands Today

Published: January 31, 2009

PORT CHARLOTTE - Highlands County will be represented by two weightlifters at the upcoming state championships, and fans need only focus on one weight class to follow both.

Avon Park's Andejoua Nixon and Sebring's Michelle Bash finished second and third, respectively, at the Section 8 girls weightlifting meet at Port Charlotte on Thursday , as Nixon lifted 280 pounds and Bash hoisted 275 pounds to qualify for the state meet on Feb. 14 in New Port Richey.

Avon Park coach Pakitta Jones said Nixon is looking to improve her bench by 10 pounds to 170 and clear 150 pounds in the clean-and-jerk at state, a number the coach thinks the Red Devil sophomore can achieve.

"Andejoua's been working real hard," Jones said. "And I know that won't change in the next two weeks."

Sebring coach Steve Berry said Bash, a senior, has shown the ability to reach the 280-pound plateau, and that he's expecting a solid performance out of her at state.

"She could get a little faster with her elbows on the clean," Berry said. "And I know she can go at least five pounds heavier on the bench.

"She's the last one to leave the weight room most days, so she knows what she needs to focus on."

Also involved near the top of the 169-pound class was Lake Placid's Taquasha Hawthorne, who posted a personal best with a 135-pound bench press before injuring herself during the clean-and-jerk.

"She couldn't finish the meet," said Lake Placid coach Donald Ridgeway, who noted his junior was five pounds behind Bash heading into the clean-and-jerk. "She was in a position to make a run for it.

"Still, it's pretty impressive she's qualified for sectionals in the only two years she's lifted."

The Red Devils also had solid performances from junior Adriana Ramirez, who placed fourth at 110 with a total of 205 pounds, including a personal-best 110-pound bench press, and Zakia Hart took fourth at 139, a class Jones said was one of the toughest of the day: "Those girls," the AP coach paused. "'Wow' is all I can say."

AP's Daequanda Kinsey, a sophomore, also had a strong showing at 110, lifting to a fifth-place finish, while junior Terranie Hill lifted to her season-best in the clean-and-jerk and senior Veronica Robinson overcame a season's worth of scratches on the clean-and-jerk by posting a weight.

"It was her last chance," Jones said, "and she stepped up her game."

Sebring junior Stephanie Taylor and senior Megan Wolfe also shined, as Taylor topped her personal best by five pounds in each event and Wolfe hoisted a personal-best 265 pounds.

Berry said the experience his team picked up at sectionals will undoubtedly pay off next year.

"We brought 11 girls to Port Charlotte and seven will be back next year," said Berry, who noted his team didn't really start getting into the groove until the end of the season because of a delayed start due to the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. "We want to get the girls more involved for next year and get them more time in the weight room earlier.

"If we want to take it to that next level, we need to get started a little sooner."

Also lifting for the Dragons was freshman Katelyn Dunton, who soaked up the experience and finish seventh with a 205-pound total at 129.

Dunton will be one of 16 underclassmen returning for Ridgeway next year, and though no other LP lifters competed on Thursday, there were plenty taking in all the action.

"It was good for the girls to experience it and see what the next round's like," Ridgeway said. "Unless you go, you have no clue - last year I went and I was in shock at how strong the girls were."

With that knowledge in hand and the dedication the girls have already shown through the season, Ridgeway - an assistant football coach for the Dragons during the fall - said the program is poised to grow stronger.

"We've done some good things this year," he said, noting the Dragons won their first four home meets, defeating LaBelle, Hardee, DeSoto and Okeechobee before falling to Avon Park. "Being that we're so young, I scheduled some early meets, because I didn't want to throw them into the fire right way with Avon Park or Sebring.

"When they had AP in that last meet, they could see that level of competition."

Brian Gjurgevich can be reached at 863-386-5841 or bgjurgevich@highlandstoday.com.

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