BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Five placed first or second in helping the Keystone Heights High School girls weightlifting team win the Region 3-1A traditional championship on Jan. 31 at West Nassau High School.
Keystone had 49 points in winning the program’s first regional title. The Indians finished 20 points ahead of runner-up West Nassau.
Kyle Scott and Chloe Still won their weight classes to automatically qualify for the Friday, Feb. 13 state finals. Scott had a 185-pound total (80-pound clean and jerk, 105-pound bench press) to take first in the 101-pound class, while Still topped the 139 class with a 310 total (155, 155).
Scott had the best bench press in her class by 10 pounds and finished tied in overall total with Jackson’s Danielle Hagans. Scott was awarded the championship due to the fact she weighed in at 1 pound less than Hagans.
Still, who finished 30 pounds ahead of Alexia Cyr of Union County, had the best bench press in her class by 40 pounds.
The state meet will be held at the R.J. Funding Center in Lakeland, with competition beginning at 10 a.m.
Keystone will have four additional lifters compete at state in the traditional event as at-large qualifiers, including three who were runners-up in their classes: Kaylee Park, Ashlyn Brown and Ava Herman. Park had a 280 total (150, 130) in the 129 class, Brown a 285 total (145, 140) in the 169 class and Herman a 320 total (155, 165) in the unlimited class.
Tatum Hall also lifted her way to state with a third-place total of 265 (135, 130) in the 154 class.
Alyssa Sanford was a third-place finisher at the Region 3 meet as well with a 220 total (120, 100) in the 119 class, while four lifters earned fourth-place finishes: London Williams with a 170 total (85, 85) in the 101 class, Natalie Layfield with a 230 total (125, 105) in the 129 class, Makenzi Brinson with a 260 total (125, 135) in the 154 class and Morgan Wilson with a 255 total (130, 125) in the 169 class.
Virginia Baxter had a seventh-place total of 145 (70, 75) in the 110 class, while Xana Briley and Bella Woods had ninth- and 10th-place finishes, respectively. Briley had a 200 total (95, 105) in the 183 class, while Woods had a 205 total (100, 105) in the 199 class.
Park, Still qualify for state in Olympic
Keystone was the runner-up in the Olympic event with a score of 30. That left the Indians trailing champion University Christian by seven points.
Park and Still earned at-large bids to state. Park had a second-place total of 255 (105 snatch, 155 clean and jerk), while Still had a fourth-place total of 240 (85, 155).
Layfield’s fourth-place total of 225 (100, 125) left her 5 pounds shy of qualifying for state, while Herman was 10 pounds from advancing with a fifth-place total of 255 (100, 155).
Sanford was also 10 pounds shy of qualifying for state with a third-place total of 215 (95, 120).
Williams was runner-up in her class with a 155 total (70, 85), while Scott was two spots behind her with a fourth-place total of 135 (55, 80).
Hall placed fourth as well with a 235 total (100, 135).
Two lifters placed sixth: Brinson with a 220 total (95, 125) and Wilson with a 225 total (95, 130).
Tayler Buchanan was eighth in the 119 class with a 180 total (75, 105), while two earned ninth-place finishes: Briley with a 165 total (70, 95) and Woods with a 165 total (65, 100).
Keira Miller finished with an 11th-place total of 160 (60, 100) in the 139 class.
