BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Jayden Goodman, Trey Jeffries and Wyatt Van Zant won their weight classes in both the Olympic and traditional events, helping the Keystone Heights High School win both events as a team at the March 4 KHHS Boys Weightlifting Invitational.
The Indians, who have won three straight Class 1A traditional state titles, came out on top of 11 other teams, including Fleming Island, which was the Class 2A traditional state champ last season as well as the Olympic runner-up. The field also included Buchholz, Eastside, Gainesville, Matanzas, Middleburg, Oakleaf, Palatka, Ridgeview, West Nassau and Yulee.
Keystone had a score of 60 in the Olympic event, finishing ahead of second-place finisher Oakleaf, which had 45 points. In the traditional event, the Indians and second-place West Nassau had scores of 51 and 37, respectively.
Van Zant won the 129-pound class in the Olympic event with a 430 total (175 snatch, 255 clean and jerk). His clean-and-jerk total and 230 bench press gave him an overall total of 485 in winning the traditional event.
Goodman had a snatch of 205, a clean and jerk of 305 and a bench of 315 to win the 219 class with an Olympic total of 510 and a traditional total of 620.
Jeffries, who won the traditional state title last year in the 219 class, had an Olympic total of 515 and a traditional total of 675 to win the 238 class. He had a 205 snatch, 310 clean and jerk and 365 bench.
Tyler Duncan earned one win with a 490 Olympic total (190 snatch, 300 clean and jerk) in the unlimited class. He also bench pressed 320 to finish with a third-place traditional total of 620.
10 other lifters earn Olympic points
Keystone had three runners-up in the Olympic event as well as seven other lifters who earned points.
Points were awarded for top-six finishes.
Runners-up were Davin Adams with a 395 total (170, 225) in the 154 class, Ben Ulsch with a 460 total (185, 275) in the 169 class and Kyle Perkins with a 405 total (175, 230) in the 183 class.
Bryson Wester was third in the 219 class with a 420 total (155, 265), while two placed fourth: Jed Tisdale with a 325 total (125, 200) in the 129 class and Jackson Herman with a 450 total (185, 265) in the 238 class.
Three earned fifth-place finishes: Declan Shine with a 320 total (135, 185) in the 139 class, Layton Wright with a 390 total (155, 235) in the 183 class and Brayden Wester with a 430 total (155, 275) in the unlimited class.
Colton Hollingsworth had a sixth-place total of 315 (125, 190) in the 129 class.
Also competing were: Tyson Baxter (240 total in 119), Andrew Ulsch (210 total in 119), Braden McCall (320 total in 154), Clayton Shaw (350 total in 169), Zane Leger (340 total in 199) and Trace Wooden (335 total in 199).
11 place 2nd-6th in traditional event
The Indians had two runners-up in the traditional event in Bryson Wester and Brayden Hall. Wester had a bench of 335 for a 600 overall total, while Hall had a clean and jerk of 205 and a bench of 315 for a 520 total in the 238 class.
Joining Duncan as third-place finishers were Hollingsworth, who had a 210 bench and 400 total, and Ben Ulsch, who had a 295 bench and 570 total.
Placing fourth were Perkins with a 250 bench and 480 total and Brayden Wester with a 315 bench and 590 total.
Three finished fifth: Baxter with a 190 bench and 335 total, Tisdale with a 185 bench and 385 total and Adams with a 225 bench and 450 total.
Shine placed sixth with a 205 bench and 390 total.
Also competing were: Andrew Ulsch (240 total), Damian Dunlap (420 total in 154), Shaw (430), Wright (460), Leger (430) and Wooden (385).
Coming up
Keystone, which has only one loss in each of the Olympic and traditional events this season (both to 3A state champ Spruce Creek), will host the Clay County Championships on Friday, March 22, at 4 p.m. The Indians then host the District 7 meet on Wednesday, March 27, at 3 p.m.
