St. Cloud will challenge Horns

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St. Cloud will challenge Horns

Sports

Wednesday, 15 December 2010 13:35

StCHSmeet310

News-Gazette Photo/Andrew Sullivan

Osceola High senior lifter Zanquina Ellison, being spotted by Coach Eric Pinellas, will attempt to win her second state championship.

Harmony has won the last 3 OBC crowns

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
The county’s weightlifters have plenty of incentive to excel this season because the state tournament will be at the Kissimmee Civic Center Feb. 12.
Harmony has dominated Orange Belt Conference competition recently, but host St. Cloud (60) made an early-season statement by winning a four-team meet last week over Harmony (55), Liberty (21) and Gateway (10).

Harmony
The Lady Longhorns have won the past three conference championships and Coach Jerrad Butler’s team is favored again.
The lineup includes 15 veterans, though Butler warns that it may take some time for the team to peak.
“I think that the product that people will see at the beginning of the year is not the product that will be ready when the OBC and districts roll around,” Butler said.
Among the team’s leaders, Butler said, are Emily Fiorelli, Chelsey Houpt, Melissa Albert, Lexie Allen, Lauren Harris, Addison Hickey, Myrriah Johnson, Kamita Marissiant, Rachel Stawski and Taylor Schroeder.
Albert (139-pound weight class, 260-pound total lift) and Harris (154, 250) won at St. Cloud last week.
Butler anticipates good results from young lifters like Rachel Zewe, Makayla West, Brianna Hachey, Macy Hayes, Keeley Mooney and Brianna Kuzura.
Butler expects his team to be good late in the season, but he said that opponents like Osceola and St. Cloud also will be strong.
“I know that Coach (Eric) Pinellas at OHS loves his team, and St. Cloud is always strong and in the hunt,” he said. “With the sport becoming more popular, it is going to be more competitive across the board.”
St. Cloud
Coach Lonnie Beckel’s team has a good group of returning lifters who will challenge for the conference title.
“Harmony still is the team out front, no question,” Beckel said. “We’re just trying to be competitive.”
The Lady Bulldogs are strong at the lower weight classes, where returnees Annie Barberi, a conference champ, lifts at 110 pounds along with Iliana Bonilla, a conference runner-up, and Briana Benge.
Olivia Falkner is back at 119 along with Jordan Kelly, Ashley Sauer and Niki Benge.
Chelsea Marsdale will lift at 129. Sabrina Lineburg and Terryn O’Donnell return at 139, and Mallory Armstrong competes at 154.
Beckel is concerned about a lack of depth in the upper weight classes, but Alexis Sabillion is back in the unlimited class. Senior Shaliena Davis, the county’s lifter of the year after placing sixth at 169 pounds at the state meet, injured a knee in flag football and won’t compete.
“It won’t help us much this year, but we have about eight real good freshmen lifters coming into the program who will help us score a few points,” Beckel said.
Bonilla (101, 200), Barberi (110, 225), Falkner (119, 220), Axia Machnuk (169, 275) and Sabillion (unlimited, 300) won for the Lady Bulldogs in the season-opening meet.
Beckel said St. Cloud’s victory in the first meet was a morale booster for the team.
“I’m proud of them for all of the hard work they did to prepare for the meet. They lifted hard and did a good job,” he said. “We’ve got a long way to go, but it was a good start for us.”
Osceola
Senior Zanquina Ellison returns for OHS at 129 pounds, where she will be a favorite to win a second state title. She won at 119 pounds in 2009, but did not place at last year’s state meet after suffering a wrist injury at the conference meet.
Coach Eric Pinellas also has a few more veterans on his roster like four-time state track champion Tynia Gaither (119), Karen Handlan (101), Taylor Murphy (101), Sasha Mendez (110), Deshonna Bagwell (129) and Chanel VanFossan (unlimited).
Gaither and Ellison were OBC champions last season.
Newcomers among the 28-girl roster are Liz Lafontant (110), Jameshia Gant (119), Charlie Muzeka (119), Chelsea Thomas (129), Denisha Dickerson (139), Kaley Brisius (154), Kathryn Brown (169) and Jasmine Saunders (unlimited).
Poinciana
Coach Joel Campbell’s squad is led by OBC champion Kandra Anderson (183).
Other promising lifters are Kiera Johnson (154) and Bianca Browne.
Gateway
Coach Derek Knappins and assistant Heather Piper have a large roster to work with.
The lifters are seniors Jessica Corinealdi, Elloni Ellick, Unike Fermin, Melissa Figueroa, Belenda Fils-Alme, Rodjmar Joseph, Nicole Rubie, Ashley Stitt, Ariel Hermitt, Samantha Rivera, Giolette Torres and Jaquala Montalvo.
The juniors are Jadely Batista, Fareesha Ally, Sarai Baez, Akilah Chandler, Amy Lamb, Charnelle Michel, Gina Parra, Rose Porcenat, Katherine Ramirez, Lauren Russo and Chantalle Walker.
The sophomores are Saleesha Ally, Sara Carr, Stephanie Carrillo, Caitlin Ceballos, Fannysha Colas, Jasmin Corinealdi, Amber Jackson and Crystal Laidley. Freshman competing are Acasca Dunkley and Laura Parra.
Mindy Rodriguez (129, 240) won for Gateway at the St. Cloud meet.
“Elloni Ellick and Akikah Chandler are both returning from last year’s team and are extremely hungry to compete for an OBC and district title,” Knappins said. “Both are great students and good leaders, too.”
Liberty
Coach Ray Hines brings a no-nonsense approach to the Lady Chargers as the team begins its first season under his direction.
Hines said the team, the largest in the school’s four-year history, should produce several excellent lifters. He requires that his athletes adhere to a demanding training schedule that he believes will result in success.
Seniors Carissa Porteus, Louissa Nevy, Kyanna Armstrong and Samantha Pauling are among the leaders.
Hines also is impressed with a group of sophomores that includes Lily Augustine, Summer Hartig and Samantha Perez.
Porteus (183, 235) and Kendra Hooks (199, 240) won for the Lady Chargers in the opening meet at St. Cloud
“While we have some depth and leadership, there are no favorites for individual county champion in this group,” Hines, who also coaches football and track at the school, said. “Officially, Liberty has never had the number of weightlifters compete in a meet where we can score team points and be in contention as a team, but with the work ahead, I certainly believe we will be in the hunt and raise a few eyebrows as the time arrives.”
Celebration
The Lady Storm are coached by Deanna Sabol and Christina Dell.