Consider it a clean (and jerk) sweep for the St. Cloud boys weightlifting team.
The Bulldogs won team titles in both the traditional and snatch competitions will now send a large contingent of lifters to the FHSAA Class 3A State Championships on April 21 at St. Joe High School in the Florida Panhandle.
St. Cloud (60 points) won the traditional meet over Olympic Heights (35), Harmony (33) and Seminole Ridge (14). Tohopekaliga was fifth (12). The Bulldogs (71) also were the team champions in the snatch, followed by Olympic Heights (63), Harmony (39), Osceola (19) and Forest Hill (11).
“It’s has been a great post-season for us so far, going 6-for-6 in team championships,” Bulldogs Coach Cory Aun said of his team, which swept both team events at districts and the Orange Belt Conference Championships . “Although we did not do as well as expected at 139, we really exceeded all our expectations in the regional meet — winning four of the 10 weight classes in both disciplines.” Regional champions automatically advance to state meet and the next 16 best lift totals in each class — regardless of region — also advance to get to 20 lifters in each of 10 weight classes. “Although we advanced our champions automatically, I think we have a great chance to send 10 total lifters to the traditional meet and hopefully 12 to the snatch competition,” Aun said. Qualifying as
Qualifying as regional champions for the Bulldogs in the traditional meet were Sebastian Pineiro-Jirau (119 pounds), Julian Sykes (154), Nathanael Combs (169) and Noah Carr (199). Sykes, Carr, and Combs also won the snatch to advance in that discipline and will be joined by Ryan Clancy who won the snatch at 183.
Harmony will send Isaac Balado (129) and Daniel Watson (219) to the FHSAA meet as regional champions in the traditional. Both of those lifters also won the snatch and will be joined by teammate Caden Gayle who won the snatch in the unlimi ted.
The only other lifter from Osceola County reaching automatic status was Tohopekaliga’s Pete Rodriguez, who won the traditional at 238. Heading into the state meet, Aun is highly confident that St. Cloud will have at least one state champion. Sykes has been basically untouchable at the 154-pound class, winning every meet this year – usually by 100 pounds or more. He hoisted 300-310-610 in the traditional to beat second place Felipe Moya of Palm Beach by 90 pounds.
“Unless he has a blowout, his first attempts in both the bench and clean-and-jerk should be enough to clinch the state title. He has been absolutely sensational all season and has been getting better each meet,” Aun noted. “With the snatch added this year, he has an outstanding opportunity to win double gold.”
Among the nonchampions that most likely will advance in the traditional are St. Cloud lifters Ty Hodge (3rd-119), Ayden McNulty (3rd-129), Jonathan and Anthony Morales (3rd and 4th at 139), Kibian Contreras (3rd-169) and Clancy (3rd-183). Harmony’s Robert Madril (2nd-129), Ty Amen (3rd-238) and Gayle (3rd-unlimited) should also advance.
Look for St. Cloud lifters McNulty (129), Ferdell Pereya (139), Kevin Hill (154), Contreras (169), and Kaleb Perez (183) to get through as at-large lifters in the snatch and they should be joined by Harmony lifter Marcos Romero (219) and Osceola High lifters Jaden Merilau (199), Jamarcus Brown (238) and Joshua Alamo (unlimited).
In one of the closest Orange Belt Conference championship meets in history, the Bulldogs won five of 10 weight classes and had two lifters go first and second in three weight classes to barely edge out 2021 champion Harmony, 79-77, in the March 25 meet.
St. Cloud’s Sykes was the star of the meet. The reigning county Lifter of the year blew away the competition at 154 pounds, hitting his all six of his lifts. His 300-300-600 total was 125 pounds more than second place Justin Isaraphanich from Harmony and was 60 pounds heavier than his third place lift at state’s last year state championship in the same weight class (270-270-540).
St. Cloud also took firstplace finishes with Pinero-Jirau (119), Arthur Morales (135), Combs (169), and Carr (199). Carr’s victory was one of the keys to St. Cloud’s team title as his lifts of 320-290-610 tied Harmony’s Tyler Montano identical lifts of 320-290-610, with Carr taking first place based on body weight, a two-point swing that played a huge role in the team championship race.
Harmony posted four OBC champions: Balado (129), Brayden Adams (183), Watson (219) and Gayle (unlimited).
With the Bulldogs and Longhorns dominating boy’s weightlifting, only one other school posted a champion. Tohopekaliga’s Rodriguez (280-265-545) took take the crown at 238. In the separate snatch competition, St. Cloud posted five champions to outdistance Harmony (92-79) for the team title. Osceola (32) had two champions.
Balado (129), Watson (219) and Gayle (unlimited) each picked up Longhorn titles; Sykes (154), Combs (169) and Carr (199) where repeat Bulldog winners. Other at 238. champions included Hodge (119) and Clancy (183) for St. Cloud and Osceola’s Jody Salazar (139) and Brown (238).
St. Cloud also hosted the Class 3A, District 13 Championships a week later. The Bulldogs once again edged Harmony (65-56) for the team title in and the snatch (75-53) team titles over the Longhorns. Osceola was third in both.
The script was similar in districts with Penigiro-Jirau (119), Morales (139), Sykes (154), and Combs (169) following their OBC wins with district titles for St. Cloud. Balado (129) and Gayle (unlimited) repeated as district champs for Harmony. Rodriguez also repeated as champion at 238.
