Bayshore, Southeast each win gold at district girls weightlifting championship

The field was small Friday at the Class 1A-District 14 championship, which opened the door for local teams to qualify large numbers for the regional competition. Both Bayshore and Southeast took advantage at Port Charlotte High School.

The Bruins are sending 15 lifters on to the Class 1A-Region 7 championship and the Seminoles, nine.

The top six in each weight class qualified for the region meet Jan. 19 at River Ridge High School in New Port Richey. No weight class Friday had more than eight competitors and four had seven or fewer.

Bayshore and the Noles had one individual weight-class winner each. Elisabelle Polynice followed up a Manatee County championship with a district title in the 183-pound weight class for the Bruins. Southeast’s Lourde Blanc followed her county championship with gold at 169.

The Bruins, who finished second at the county meet last month, settled for third as a team with 49 points, but advanced at least one lifter in all 10 weight classes. The Seminoles finished fourth with 26 points and had lifters advance in every weight class except 101 and 183 pounds. Englewood Lemon Bay claimed the Class 1A-14 title with 72 points and the Pirates finished runner-up with 59.

The best performances for both Bayshore and the Seminoles came in the weight classes they won.

Southeast swept the top two spots in 169 with Blanc totaling 270 pounds to win the district and Cameron Crowell lifting 255 to finish second. Also advancing for the Seminoles were Elizabeth Kirby (4th place, 265-pound total lift) in the unlimited weight class; Wayneshia Powell (6th, 230) at 189 pounds; Ivy Turner (sixth, 200) at 154 pounds; Yomelis Regalado (6th, 200); Briana Zavala (4th, 220); Diana Tristan (6th, 180); Cynd’ll Jean (3rd, 170) at 110 pounds.

The Bruins had two qualifiers in four weight classes. In addition to Polynice’s win in the 183-pound weight class with a 280 total lift, Elyssa Grieco finished sixth with a 210 total lift. Alexis Dorrell (3rd, 250) and Ana Morales (4th, 245) advanced at 154 pounds. Julianna Borkus (2nd, 260) and Susan Blue (3rd, 245) advanced in the 139-pound weight class. Alyssa Page (2nd, 330) and Kate Montoya (5th, 250) advanced in the unlimited class. Bayshore's Lacey Guptill (3rd, 240) qualified out of the 129-pound division, and Rachel Lopez (4th, 280) moved on in the 199-pound weight class.

This story was originally published January 13, 2017 at 11:43 PM with the headline "Bayshore, Southeast each win gold at district girls weightlifting championship."