Local Sports
Local lifters fall short at sectionals
Mark Pinson | Highlands Today
Published: January 30, 2013
After doing quite well at their district meets, the Avon Park, Lake Placid and Sebring girl weightlifters ran into some stiff competition at their sectional meet on Saturday in Port Charlotte.Published: January 30, 2013
A total of 19 lifters represented Highlands County in the different weight classes, but none were able to advance to the state finals.
Sebring led the way with 12 girls, and the Blue Streaks best effort came from Denise Constant who finished fourth in the 139-pound weight class with a bench press of 115 pounds and a clean-and-jerk of 130 pounds for a total of 245.
Sebring's Angela Dennard had a personal-best total of 300 pounds after a clean-and-jerk of 135 and a bench press of 165. Ali Sanchez and Monica Tookes also had personal bests during the competition.
"Our girls did the best they could against some very tough competition," said Blue Streak girls weightlifting coach Steve Berry. "We have 10 girls coming back next year and this experience will only help to make them better."
Avon Park's Phara Cherisme competed in the unlimited class and the junior had a clean-and-jerk of 115 and a personal-best 150 in the bench press for a total of 265.
Red Devil junior Jasmine Wilson had a combined total of 245 pounds in the 154 division, while junior Niesha Wilson had a total of 225 pounds in the 169 weight class.
"I'm proud of the girls for giving a good effort," said Avon Park girls weightlifting coach Pakitta Wells-Felix. "We have a few of the girls returning and we should be pretty strong next year."
Lake Placid's Angel Nieto competed in the 101 class, Emily Waldron was also in the 101 division. Bethany Phillips was in the 183 class and Robbye Teal competed at 119.
This is the first time in several years that Highlands County won't have a representative in the state meet, but with all of these talented girls returning next year the future looks bright.
mpinson@highlandstoday.com (863) 386-5837