BHS qualifies 8 for state, including 4 Region 2 champs
Telegraph Staff Writer
On the strength of four champions and three runners-up, Bradford High School successfully defended its championship from 2021, winning the Region 2-1A girls weightlifting championship on Jan. 29 at Daytona Beach’s Father Lopez Catholic High School.
“This is one of the best days ever,” said Gabby Oliver, who won the 199-pound class.
Bradford had only five points at the conclusion of the first session, which consisted of the 101, 110, 119, 129 and 139 weight classes. The Tornadoes had to make up some ground if they wanted to win the team championship. Coach Bryan Griffis knew he had the lifters in the heavier classes to do it.
“I felt confident,” he said. “I just wanted those girls to go out and perform. They exceeded my expectations.”
The efforts of the lifters in the 154, 169, 183, 199 and unlimited classes resulted in 38 points, putting Bradford in first with 43 points total. Branford was the runner-up with 27 points.
Brianna Jordan (154), Courtney Comer (169) and Mahailya Reeves (unlimited) joined Oliver as champions, with Reeves wowing the crowd as she broke her own state-finals record she set in the bench press two years ago. She lifted 380, surpassing her previous record by 5 pounds.
“I thought we were going to do something light, but we ended up showing out,” Reeves said.
“Light” for Reeves is heavy for every other lifter. The three-time state champ has never been seriously challenged in her high school career. She’s never lost a meet and won this year’s Region 2 title by 170 pounds.
She was one of two lifters who took first place by more than 100 pounds. Comer, the defending state champ in the 169 class, won by 150 pounds.
Jordan, last year’s state runner-up in the 154 class, won by 90 pounds.
“They showed out,” Griffis said. “You don’t even understand how proud I am of these kids.”
Jordan, Comer, Oliver and Reeves automatically qualified for the state finals, which will be held Saturday, Feb. 12, at Port St. Joe High School.
Bradford’s second-place finishers — Hannah McFarland (110), Takeirra Bakken (183) and Jessica Traylor (unlimited) — all earned at-large berths. Mikayla Cooper, who placed eighth in the 119 class, also earned an at-large berth, giving the Tornadoes a total of eight who’ll compete at state — the most in program history after six competed last year.
Reeves, who competed for Union County her first three years of high school, attempted only one clean-and-jerk attempt (185) after her impressive showing in the bench press, finishing with a 565 overall total. Her first bench-press attempt of 345 would’ve been more than enough to give her the championship.
At past regional meets, Reeves has attempted only what she needed to win her class, but this year, Griffis suggested she go ahead and break her own state record.
“It was crazy,” said Reeves, a senior who’s attempting to become the first Florida girls weightlifter to win four state championships. “Today was crazy.”
She took the idea of going for the record in stride. Griffis said when he suggested it, Reeves replied, “All right. Put it on the bar.”
Comer, a junior, has been as dominant as Reeves. In her first two years lifting for Union County, Comer lost only one time — at the 2020 state finals, when she was her class’ runner-up.
At this year’s Region 2 finals, Comer had a bench press of 260, which was 120 pounds more than anyone else in her class. She then had a clean and jerk of 190 to finish with a 450 total.
Jordan, a junior, has been winning by incredible margins, too, but she provided a little drama when she hit herself in the chin with the bar on her first clean-and-jerk attempt. Jordan was visibly dazed, but she was able to step back on the platform for one successful attempt before calling it a day, finishing with a 420 total (235 bench, 185 clean and jerk). Her bench press was the best in her class by 80 pounds.
Oliver, a junior who was a runner-up at last year’s regional finals, had a 350 total (195, 155).
“I felt like I had a really good chance of coming in first,” she said.
Griffis said Oliver is being motivated by the memory of her father, Michael, who passed away last May. Michael Oliver was a friend of Griffis’. The two went to school together.
“Our deal is we are doing this for Mr. Mike,” Griffis said, adding, “When she got up there to do her lifts, every time I was telling her, “This is for Mr. Mike.’
“She won a regional championship. We’ve got one more step.”
Reeves grabs the spotlight in the unlimited class, but the Tornadoes have another lifter in that class who’s having an outstanding season. Traylor, a senior, placed second to Reeves with a 395 total (210, 185), which was 20 pounds ahead of the third-place finisher.
Griffis said it’s huge for a team to be able to take the top two spots in the heaviest class.
“Jessica showed out today,” he said.
Bakken, a junior who was the state runner-up in the 183 class last year, placed second with a 365 total (175, 190), which left her trailing Fernandina Beach’s Marleah Dampier by 15 pounds. She attempted 205 in the clean and jerk, but just missed out on the clean part of the equation. Griffis believes Bakken would’ve pulled off the jerk otherwise, which would’ve allowed Bakken to tie Dampier and win the championship on the weigh-in tiebreaker.
“Takeirra was a quarter of an inch from placing first,” Griffis said.
McFarland, a senior, had a shoulder injury that prevented her from competing at the district meet last year and, thus, moving on to regionals and then, possibly, state. This year, McFarland, after winning the District 5 title in the 110 class, placed second at the Region 2 meet with a 250 total (115, 135). That left her trailing champion Kaylee Carolan of Wolfson by 30 pounds.
“When she came in at the beginning of the season, we were rehabbing her shoulder. She could hardly lift above her head,” Griffis said, adding, “I am so proud of that young’un and what she’s been able to accomplish.”
Cooper, a senior who made state last year, had a 240 total (110, 130) in the 119 class, which was good for eighth place. She unsuccessfully attempted 140 twice in the clean and jerk. If she had gotten it, she would’ve placed fifth.
Still, her total in what proved to be a strong region was good enough for her to advance. Cooper is one of eight Region 2 lifters who will compete at state in the 119 class.
“We’ve got a good team going into state,” Griffis said. “I’m ready to see what these girls can do under some pressure.”
If Oliver is feeling any pressure, she doesn’t show it. She’s confident the Tornadoes have what it takes to add a state-championship trophy to their collection.
“Oh, we’re going to win,” she said. “We’re coming in first. Definitely.”
Another four lifters competed for Bradford at the Region 2 meet: sophomore Presley Acree, who had a 160 total (85, 75) in the 119 class, senior Breann Ponce, who had a 220 total (105, 115) in the 129 class, sophomore Kirsten Hodges, who had a 190 total (100, 90) in the 129 class and junior Emma Franke, who had a 235 total (115, 120) in the 169 class.
