When it comes to local domination, it’s more than time to add St. Cloud weightlifting to Osceola football and boys basketball and Celebration boys soccer as the best in the county. In a sport that receives little recognition, the Lady Bulldogs overwhelmed the competition in winning their 12th consecutive Orange Belt Conference title with 84 team points Friday night.
The team point total was double that of second-0place Celebration (42). Harmony was third (30); while Tohopekaliga (29) edged Osceola (29) for fourth based on tiebreakers.
The Bulldogs finished the event with five individual champions, including Michelle Ziss (101 pounds) with a 190-pound bench press and clean-and-jerk total. Other individual champions for the Lady Bulldogs included Abby Davis (110, 310 total), Kaitlyn Gallagher (119, 315) Layla Lara (129, 305) and Morgan Van Auken (183, 285)
Gallagher’s total lifts of 170-145-315 in the 119-pound class were particularly impressive as she weighed in at just 110 pounds and her totals would have won five different weight classes – including the 198-pound class. Likewise, Davis – who weighed in at 108, also lifted almost three times her actual body weight and would have won multiple weight classes above her.
Depth was a key to St. Cloud’s dominant performance. Each school could enter two scoring lifters in each weight class and the Lady Bulldogs scored multiple points in eight of the 10 weight classes – including three classes where they finished 1-2. An example of that depth included Ashley Aun, who placed second at 110 with lifts of 135-130-265. She is expected to move down to the 101-pound weight class for districts – where she will be among the favorites to advance and place at state competition.
Celebration posted three individual champions: Indiana Ramos (unlimited, 325), Yomileanys Lopez (199, 310) and Fabiana Millan (154, 305). Tohopekaliga (Alexa Woodman at 139, 165-135-300)
and Harmony (Natalie DeJesus, 169, 145-130-275) had one champion each.
As the FHSAA continues to ponder a move to eliminate the bench press for the snatch lift in order align with Olympic weightlifting, a separate OBC competition was held featuring those two disciplines. For a second year in a row, St. Cloud also dominated that team competition – finishing first with 83 points. Celebration (40) was second, followed by Harmony (37), Osceola (29) and Tohopekaliga (27).
“On the scoreboard, it looks really good but frankly I think we were a little disappointed with some of our performances, “St. Cloud coach Cory Aun said. “Several of our lifters did not hit the totals they were capable of. The good news is this was regular season meet and we can continue to work on it.
“I really don’t mean to sound negative though. Five champions in both the traditional and Olympic events and multiple point scorers at practically every weight class is a solid achievement and I am proud of our entire team.”
St. Cloud will participate in district competition Friday beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Harmony, where Osceola, Tohopekaliga, Celebration will join Lake Nona and Cypress Creek. The winner in each district automatically advances, as well as the next 16 best totals in each region. St. Cloud will enter 23 lifters in the two competitions and he hopes to have “all 23 advance to regionals” that will be held the following weekend in Port Charlotte.
