Eagles surprising second to Sunlake
LAND O’ LAKES – For the second time in three seasons, host Sunlake hoisted a district championship trophy at the conclusion of Wednesday’s 12-team, Class 2A, District 3 Boys Weightlifting Meet in the Seahawks’ gymnasium.
The Hawks, who fell to Ocala-Vanguard last season, 42-36, tallied 42 points in the three-plus hour meet.
Stock
Surprising Springstead, with two champions, finished runner-up (31) followed by Ocala-Lake Weir (26), Ocala-Vanguard (25) and Ocala-Forest (24).
The defending five-time Sunshine Athletic Conference-champion Seahawks were paced by sophomore Alex Cremeans’ 265-255-520-pound total at 154 pounds.
Cremeans topped his closest advisory, Leesburg senior Bryan Benton, by 20 pounds.
Only the meet’s 10 individual champions automatically qualify for the 40th FHSAA Finals on April 26 in Osceola County.
“I thought the kids competed really well today,” noted Sunlake skipper Matt Smith, a Springstead alumnus. “I had a lot of kids that went for it all. It’s great to see a sophomore (Cremeans) who works out every day get rewarded.”
Of Springstead’s 11 lifters, eight scored points led by two first-place efforts by senior Austin Stock at 199 and junior Geoff Boettjer at 129.
Remarkably after seven meets, neither Stock nor Boettjer have been beaten. Now both will enter states for the first time.
Boettjer’s 415-pound total was a personal best. He edged Forest junior Xavier Williams by 20 pounds.
“Winning districts tastes as sweet as chocolate fresh from the factory,” said the 16-year-old Boettjer. “Of all the great things that have happened to me this year, going to states is the biggest. It just feels great.”
Stock’s 375-255-630 total bested his previous personal best by 45 pounds. Stock whipped his closest competitor, Clermont-East Ridge senior Alex Angelidis, by a whopping 40 pounds.
“Winning districts is completely different than winning the county meet,” declared the 18-year-old Stock. “This (going to states) is what has been driving me since my freshman season. Right now, it feels really good to be going.”
On whether he has peaked out, “I’m not satisfied until after states,” he replied. “Hopefully, I can get a ring (for state champions). Really nothing compares with going to states.”
Springstead’s 11th-year skipper Mike Garofano was elated with his team’s performance.
“I’ll take second in this building,” said Garofano. “We did a lot better than I expected. We had guys get some totals that exceeded their best totals. More than anything else, I’m so proud that it was a team effort; every guy chipped in.”
“I never expected Stock to throw up that much weight,” said Garofano. “He broke the school record on the bench at 199. His total gives us something to build on at states.”
Class 2A, District 3 Meet
at Sunlake
Final Team Standings
PL TEAM PTS
1. Sunlake (SUN) 42
2. Springstead (SPG) 31
3. Ocala-Lake Weir (LW) 26
4. Ocala-Vanguard (VAN) 25
5. Ocala-Forest (FOR) 24
6. Groveland-South Lake (SL) 17
7 Leesburg (LEE) 15
8. Clermont-East Ridge (ER) 10
8. Lake Minneola (LM) 10
8. Ocala-West Port (WP) 10
11. Wiregrass Ranch (WGR) 9
12. Land O’ Lakes (LOL) 1
13. Mitchell DNP
(Top six score points, based on 7-5-4-3-2-1 system. First-placers automatically qualify for states)
119 – 1. Angel Perez (LM) 155-170-325, 2. Adolfo Salazar (SL) 170-155-325, 3. Steven Torres (SPG) 155-160-315, 4. Nico Barber (ER) 155-135-290, 5. Christian Gomez (LW) 165-120-285, 6. Darrell Nelson (LOL) 145-135-280.
129 – 1. Geoff Boettjer (SPG) 230-195-415, 2. Xavier Williams (OF) 200-195-395, 3. Nicholas McLean (LW) 230-160-390, 4. Michael Roberts (LW) 185-175-360, 5. William Paulus (WGR) 185-170-355, 6. Nawaz Sharif (LM) 140-125-265.
139 – 1. Chris Gwin (LW) 230-210-440, 2. Kenny DeLeon (OF) 215-215-430, 3. Richard Johnson (OV) 215-175-390, 4. Donte Johnson (SNL) 195-195-390, 5. Rashard Laiz (OV) 220-165-385, 6. Anfernee Scott (LEE) 165-175-340.
154 – 1. Alec Cremeans (SNL) 265-255-520, 2. Bryant Benton (LEE) 265-235-500, 3. Naejuan Jackson (SNL) 255-215-470, 4. Kylle Edwards (LW) 240-225-465, 5. Blake Minton (LW) 260-200-460, 6. Dan Fazio (SPG) 260-185-445.
169 – 1. William Revels (OV) 300-240-540, 2. Logan Wolfe (SNL) 265-245-510, 3. Westley Stewart (SNL) 240-265-505, 4. Sebastian Seidita (LW) 300-175-475, 5. Edward Reichart (OF) 265-205-470, 6. Collins McFarlane (LM) 225-205-430. Others: 7. Jake Lewandowski (SPG) 205-185-390.
183 – 1. Mason Life (OV) 325-290-615, 2. Jacob Mickel (OF) 315-265-580, 3. Darius Ballard (WP) 305-240-545, 4. Jeremiah Hunter (LW) 290-245-535, 5. Jacob Mickel (OF) 315-265-580, 6. Natrell Jamerson (OV) 285-230-515. Others: 8. Dylan McLeod (SPG) 265-235-500.
199 – 1. Austin Stock (SPG) 375-255-630, 2. Alex Angelis (ER) 315-275-590, 3. Nathan Johnson (SNL) 300-270-570, 4. Tyler Wallace (WP) 285-265-550, 5. Michael Mitchell (OV) 300-245-545, 6. Zach Honnold (ER) 270-255-525.
219 – 1. Deonte Mayo (OF) 315-245-560, 2. Rhys Armatti (SL) 305-245-550, 3. Ryan Reiss (SNL) 305-245-550, 4. Nathaniel Walker (SPG) 270-260-530, 5. Donte Lerma (OV) 260-245-505, 6. Tommy Speer (SNL) 275-225-500.
238 – 1. Jordan Mutcherson (WGR) 325-255-580, 2. Dylan Franklin (SNL) 330-240-570, 3. Christian Williams (LEE) 315-250-565, 4. Jameson Peppe (SPG) 325-200-525, 5. Nick Pomrenke (SNL) 275-225-500, 6. Logan Harper (LM) 215-215-430.
HWT – 1. Anthony McCoy (SL) 315-275-590, 2. George Dailey (LEE) 320-255-575, 3. Michael Miara (SPG) 310-245-555, 4. Mickey Reagan (WP) 335-215-550, 5. Dylan Heck (SPG) 275-220-495, 6. Will Thompson (ER) 235-215-450.
