Harmony has been class of the OBC

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Harmony has been class of the OBC

Sports

Saturday, 20 March 2010 01:14

By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer
Nine Osceola County weightlifters qualified for the boys state meet last year, led by Harmony’s Christian Ellison (fifth place at 119 pounds).
But he and six of the nine graduated, meaning spots in the state meet, and the Orange Belt Conference, which the Longhorns have claimed the last two years, may be up for the taking.
Poinciana competes in Class A Section 8 with 18 schools from Polk and Hardee counties. The rest of the local schools are in 2A Section 6 with Polk County’s biggest high schools.
Harmony
The Longhorns, under Coach John Wallauer, Jr., graduated five conference champions, but the program’s depth may show this year as the team returns a handful of lifters who placed at the OBC meet last year.
Senior Tyler Mayes won the OBC at 238 pounds and move to heavyweight this year. Hunter White went to state at 219, and junior Dominic DeMunno was second at 129 and is looking for the conference title. Senior Justin McCullough was at 129 and lifts this year at 139, along with Justin Kennedy.
Senior DeJoun Fisher and newcomer C.J. Clayton will lift at 169. Seniors Jared Beekman and Cameron Dulgar return at 183, as do Milton Bronson and Chris Bollinger at 199. Senior Julian Rivera is a returning heavyweight.
Wallauer said the team’s list of goals is short and sweet.
“Repeat as OBC champs, beat our county rivals and qualify four to state,” he said.
Osceola
The Kowboys’ strength, as usual, is in the hard workers from the football team, like seniors Jarell Emanuel at 219 pounds and Rashad Brown at heavyweight.
Coach Jeff Rolson, who Tuesday announced that he was leaving to coach at Springfield Rutherford, said that Johnnie Raver at 139 pounds and Max Mellon at 169 could be in the hunt at the 2A Section 6 meet.
James Delgado will coach the team after Rolson leaves April 1.
Other threats include Deshawn Congreaves at 129, James Hawksworth at 139 and O’Niell Blake at 154.
St. Cloud
The Bulldogs, coached by Brad Lennox, have their usual numbers in the weight room. About 50 lifters have OBC and state meet aspirations.
Ray Scavone, coming off a dislocated elbow late in the football season, is lifting at 169 along with Josh Puryear.
Among other top prospects are Nate Green (154 pounds), Aaron Hoffman (238), Warner Moody (heavyweight) and Brian Spain (129).
“Those guys are working hard,” Lennox said.
Liberty
Louis Cruz, a state qualifier last year at 238, returns. Chargers Coach Dave Benson said a few other lifters could make some noise with improvement in their technique. Among them are Evan Durand and Bernard Cheremont at 199, Victor Martinez at 154 and Orlando Betancourt at 139.
Gateway
Coach Marlin Roberts took his football offseason conditioning program and from that culled over a dozen competitive lifters to go for conference and sectional titles.
One from last year, Brian Rosa, just missed a state meet berth at 129 pounds last year and is eager to get back into contention.
Other lifters poised to go after an OBC title are Roger Allen at 183 pounds, heavyweight Berlan Henri and both lifters named Alex Velez. One lifts at 119, the other at 169.
Celebration
In his fourth year, Matt Benaquisto will be in the running for a 199-pound title, and has his sight set on the state meet, Storm Coach Rick Wiggins said.
Tim Akins (169), Josh Douglas (154) and Cameron Ward (219) could also see the postseason.
Newcomers include freshman David Akins and junior Anass Missouak, “Who can bench press a school bus,” Wiggins said.
“We should compete tough, we would like to qualify at least two guys to state,” he said.
Poinciana
Coach Joel Campbell’s best lifters run the gamut of small (Keith Stevenson, 119 pounds), less-small (Charlie Webb, 154; Tavarus Alcime, 169) and big (Brian Lesniak, 219).
“All these guys have been working extra hard and will be on the top of their game by OBCs,” Campbell said.