Sha’la McMillan is the all-area girls weightlifter of the year

Lifter of the Year

Girls weightlifting

Palmetto

To her credit: Sha’la McMillan is a record-setter at the national level, but the first goal she set when she joined the Palmetto weightlifting team as a freshman remained elusive until the final meet of her high school career. McMillan first set her sights on the Florida clean-and-jerk record, and with her lift of 275 pounds at the Class 2A championship the senior achieved her goal. Ultimately, McMillan finished second in the unlimited weight class behind Wellington’s LeeAnn Hewitt. Next up for McMillan: The junior World Weightlifting Championships in Japan. She’ll attend State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, for the next two years so she can continue training to break national records at Full Circle Performance in Bradenton.

HONORABLE MENTION

Manatee: Jenna Sypula, senior, 101; Nicole Caruso, senior, 110; Tessa Marquette, freshman, 129; Brooke Schamber, senior, 154. Palmetto: Maryah Collins, sophomore, 119; Elizabeth Atkinson, senior, 183. Braden River: Sierra Rawley, senior, 199; Fayth Walker, sophomore, UNL. Bayshore: Julianna Borkus, junior, 139; Elisabelle Polynice, senior, 183; Rachel Lopez, junior 199; Alyssa Page, senior, UNL. Southeast: Lourde Blanc, senior, 169

This story was originally published April 14, 2017 at 7:19 PM with the headline "Sha’la McMillan is the all-area girls weightlifter of the year."