BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Two Union County High School girls weightlifters earned medals in the traditional event at the Feb. 13 Florida High School Athletic Association Class 1A Finals, with Briena Haight placing second in her class.
Haight, competing in the 199-pound class, had a clean and jerk of 170 and a bench press of 210 to finish with an overall total of 380 pounds, leaving her trailing champion Stephanie Griffith of Jacksonville’s Cedar Creek Christian by 45 pounds. Third-place finisher Lesleigh Cox of Wewahitchka finished 40 pounds behind Haight.
Only two lifters in the class bench pressed more than 200 pounds — Haight and Griffith, with Haight being the only one of the two to start out at 200 on her first attempt. Haight then did 210 on her second attempt before an unsuccessful third attempt at 220. Her best lift was 5 pounds better than Griffith, who was successful on attempts of 195 and 205 after missing 185 on her first try.
Haight, who lifted in the 169 class in 2024 and 2025, has improved her overall total by approximately 100 pounds. She had a 275 total at the 2024 district level and in her first appearance at state in 2025, she had a 300 total.
The state runner-up finish gave Haight her first-ever state medal.
Haight also won her first-ever district championship in 2026, which also saw her earn a second-place finish at the regional level.
Also competing for the Tigers at this year’s state meet was Alexia Cyr, who placed fifth in the 139 class. She had a clean and jerk of 135 and a bench of 150 to finish with a 285 total.
It was Cyr’s third straight trip to state, which resulted in her first-ever medal.
During the past three seasons, Cyr has earned two district championships, one regional title, a district runner-up finish and a regional runner-up finish.
