Manatee High leads way with four representatives at girls state weightlifting meet
Ten Manatee County representatives are at this weekend's state girls weightlifting meet, led by Manatee High's quartet of lifters.
The Class 1A meet is Friday and Class 2A Saturday at the Kissimmee Civic Center.
The Hurricanes' l01-pound duo of Heather Ball and Jenny Sypula have the best chance to medal in 2A, said Manatee head coach Rich Lansky. Also in the running for a top-six finish is Bayshore's Jessica Marcelin in the Class 1A unlimited division.
Finish order is determined by how much total weight each girl lifts in the bench press and clean and jerk. Ball and Sypula earned a berth in the state meet with a weight total of 230 pounds, matching the total of three other girls. The 230 pounds is the fifth-best qualifying total in the weight class.
"Both girls can improve on their 230 and I expect them to do so," Lansky said. "A lot of it depends on how they handle the lights and the crowd. It's the first time both are at states. I believe they have a real good shot at finishing in the top six."
Senior Callie Nichols will represent Manatee High in the 129-pound weight class. The Canes' other representative is Brooke Schamber in the 154-pound division. The qualifying weights for both girls place them in the bottom half of the seedings for the 20-person fields in each weight class.
"Callie's best score is 305. She was injured but is healthy now, and I can see her moving up," Lansky said.
The other representatives in Class 2A are Sierra Rawley from Braden River, who is seeded 15th at 183 pounds, and Palmetto's Elizabeth Atkinson, who is seeded 17th at 199 pounds.
Bayshore has four representatives in the Class 1A Meet, which will be held Friday: Makayla Rivera (139), Elisabelle Polynice (183), Tyra Shelby (199) and Marcelin (unlimited).
Alan Dell, Herald Sports Columnist/Writer, can be reached at 941-745-7056. Follow him on Twitter@ADellSports
This story was originally published February 4, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Manatee High leads way with four representatives at girls state weightlifting meet ."