ALL-COUNTY GIRLS WEIGHTLIFTING

F.W. Springstead registered it best-ever weightlifting season in 2008-09.
Not only did the Lady Eagles go unbeaten in their dual meet matches (4-0), they also swept the four-team Hernando County Championship Meet for a third consecutive year.
The Lady Eagles also tied county runner-up Hernando with three lifters achieving the sixth annual Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) State Championships at River Ridge Middle/High School in New Port Richey.
Due to Springstead’s outstanding campaign it was no surprise to see SHS pace this year’s Hernando Today All-County Girls Weightlifting all-star team balloting with six selections.
Seniors Lindsay Kuhn (101 pounds), Caroline Monzo (110) and Karlee Burrows (154) were joined by juniors Olivia D’Acunto (169) and Jennifer Rosino (183).
More importantly, Monzo was tabbed by the area coaches and the Hernando Today staff as Lifter of the Year while second-year mentor Mike Garofano was feted as Coach of the Year.
Hernando was represented by seniors Melinda Blount (129), Victoria Ketchum (139) and Ava Baylor (unlimited), and junior Jasmine Sharpe (199).
Rounding out the 11-member squad was Nature Coast senior Marissa Perez (119).

SHS: three repeat choices

Springstead had three repeat selections from the year before including Kuhn, Burrows and Coach Garofano.
Hernando High’s first-year mentor Shaw Bingham explained why Garofano deserved to be Coach of the Year.
“He won the county meet fair and square,” declared Coach Bingham, of the four-way meet held at Hernando High’s weight room. “And Springstead did a real good job in sectionals pushing girls into states. That’s what it’s all about.”
Garofano tried to point out the reasons for the Lady Eagles’ back-to-back-to-back county titles.
“It started three years,” he recalled. “First of all, we’ve had great turnouts. You’ve got to have the kids in the room. And a lot of these girls have stuck it out. They’ve worked so hard, they make me look good.
“There’s a big difference between boys and girls in weightlifting,” added Garofano, who is 9-1 lifetime with the girls program. “When girls see their totals going up, they get excited and work even harder. Getting this many girls recognized as All-County is a testament to their hard work and determination.”

Gold galore

It didn’t hurt that Kuhn, Burrows and D’Acunto each repeated as individual Hernando County champions.
Kuhn, Monzo and senior Frances Pagan (16th at states) represented SHS at River Ridge.
Monzo, the first-year lifter who tied Central’s Hailey Goodwin for first in the county meet, lost in a tiebreaker (she weighed more prior to the meet).
Monzo bounced back to surpass Goodwin’s best by a whopping 40 pounds at states, 250-210. In the process, she just missed placing at River Ridge finishing eighth overall – the best finish of any Hernando County lifter in the state’s elite meet.
Garofano said of Monzo, “I just wish I would have had her for three years. No, make it one more year,” he described. “She definitely peaked at the right time. We worked real hard on her technique, especially with her legs. She has tremendous leg strength. She really came on at the end. I wish she were coming back.”
Kuhn culminated her weightlifting career with a 16th-place finish at states.
On Kuhn, “Another hard worker in a room full of hard workers. I never had to worry about her making weight except last year in sectional; that’s what kept her from going to states in back-to-back years. I will say I was very happy for her to reach (states) this year; she finally got to see the fruits of her labor. And she was a great kid.”
On Burrows,” She was rock solid for a few years. She’d compete in whatever weight I asked her to go to. And she produced. She was a point machine for us. One of my only regrets was that she did not make weight in sectionals this year. She was 3/10ths of a pound over during weigh-ins; otherwise, she also would have made states.”
On D’Acunto, “Just a great athlete. Uncanny natural ability and strength and tremendous intensity. The only level she hasn’t conquered is states. She needs to work on her flexibility and balance, which are keys to power cleans. Otherwise, she scored points wherever we placed her. She was willing do to whatever was needed to help the team.”
On Rosino, “She’s got the perfect body for a lifter. She doesn’t have long arms, so she doesn’t have to go too far with the bar. One of my favorite traits about her is she’s one of the first in the weight room and one of the last to leave. I’m glad she’ll be back next year”

HHS: four all-stars

Though Hernando finished 2-3 overall, four Lady Leopards were individual Hernando County champs and three reached states.
Ironically, Blount (tied for 18th at states), Ketchum and Baylor (16th at states) were all first-year lifters who took home county crowns. Meanwhile, Sharpe (24th at states) repeated as county champ and will go for a rare three-peat next season.
Said Coach Bingham of Blount, “I saw her work week after week. She improved so much on her bench and was coming on in her cleans. And she had a great work ethic. Showing the kids the proper technique went a long way in their improvement.”
On Ketchum, “She caught on very quickly. She was a soccer kid, who had never lifted. Great attitude. She’s another first-year kid I wish had another year of eligibility.”
On Sharpe, “I expect her to do well. She’s been at states twice now. She’s been in the weight room all summer already preparing for next year. I know she was disappointed with what happened at states (she scratched out in three clean-and-jerk attempts), but hopefully she can use that disappointment as motivation for next year.”
On Baylor “She was a first-year lifter who continued lifting even after the season. So it shows how much she liked it. As a coach, I wish I had her for another season.”

NCT: one pick

Like Springstead, Nature Coast Technical enjoyed its best-ever season, finishing 5-1 in dual meets. The Sharks, however, finished third in the Hernando County Championship Meet behind its lone champ, Perez.
NCT had not produced an All-County selection since 2006 when it had two in Danielle Eckert and Kelli Bloom.
Jessica Jufko was the last Shark individual county champion at 154 pounds in 2007.

2009 Hernando Today All-County Girls Weightlifting Team
WGT NAME SCHOOL YR BEN C&J TOT
101 – Lindsay Kuhn**^ Springstead 12th 90 110 200
110 – Caroline Monzo=^ Springstead 12th 125 125 250
119 – Marissa Perez* NCT 12th 105 125 230
129 – Melinda Blount*^ Hernando 12th 135 125 260
139 – Victoria Ketchum* Hernando 12th 120 130 250
154 – Karlee Burrows* Springstead 12th 125 130 255
169 – Olivia D’Acunto** Springstead 11th 130 125 255
183 – Jennifer Rosino* Springstead 11th 135 125 260
199 – Jasmine Sharpe**^^ Hernando 11th 155 145 300
UNL – Ava Baylor*^ Hernando 12th 175 140 315

Lifter of the Year – Caroline Monzo (Springstead)
Coach of the Year – Mike Garofano (Springstead)
^ Denotes two-time state qualifier
^ Denotes state qualifier
** Denotes two-time Hernando County champion
* Denotes Hernando County champion
= Denotes tied for county championship, lost in tiebreaker

2008 Hernando Today All-County Girls Weightlifting Team
WGT NAME SCHOOL YR BEN C&J TOT
101 – Lindsay Kuhn* Springstead 11th 85 100 185
110 – Hailey Goodwin Central 11th 100 115 215
119 – Linda McCarthy* Springstead 12th 105 115 220
129 – Katelin Killory= Springstead 11th 105 120 225
139 – Karlee Burrows* Springstead 11th 110 125 235
154 – Jen Dragonchuk* Springstead 10th 100 120 220
169 – Olivia D’Acunto* Springstead 10th 120 105 225
183 – Kristian Stephens*^ Hernando 12th 215 150 365
199 – Jasmine Sharpe*^ Hernando 10th 145 140 285
UNL – Johnisha Jackson*^ Central 12th 200 150 350
UNL – Johnisha Jackson*^ Central 12th 190 160 350

Lifter of the Year – Kristian Stephens (Hernando)
Coach of the Year – Mike Garofano (Springstead)
^ Denotes state qualifier
* Denotes Hernando County champion
= Denotes tied for county championship, lost in tiebreaker

2007 Hernando Today All-County Girls Weightlifting Team
WGT NAME SCHOOL YR BEN C&J TOT
101 – Emily Calamari* Hernando 10th 80 90 170
110 – Hailey Goodwin* Central 10th 95 110 205
119 – Amanda Warren* Central 12th 110 110 210
129 – Katelin Killory* Springstead 10th 100 110 210
139 – Samantha Pankow* Hernando 11th 120 125 245
154 – Christine Alberts*^ Springstead 12th 165 150 315
169 – Brittany Roundtree* Hernando 11th 125 100 225
183 – Kristian Stephens^ Hernando 11th 150 130 280
199 – Katie Shirley* Central 10th 105 105 210
UNL – Johnisha Jackson*^ Central 11th 205 155 360

Lifter of the Year – Christine Alberts (Springstead)
Coach of the Year – Cecilia Page (Springstead)
^ Denotes state qualifier
* Denotes HCAC/Hernando County champion

2006 Hernando Today All-County Girls Weightlifting Team
WGT NAME SCHOOL YR BEN C&J TOT
101 – Danielle Eckert * NCT 11th 100 90 190
110 – Mindy Zavesky Central 12th 110 130 240
119 – Megan Ryan * Springstead 12th 140 115 255
129 – Rachel Siegel * Springstead 12th 110 110 220
139 – Amber Collard * Springstead 12th 120 115 235
154 – Nikki Weaver *^ Central 12th 130 155 285
169 – Christine Alberts Springstead 11th 165 140 305
183 – Kelli Bloom *^ NCT 12th 155 140 295
199 – Monica Morrill * Hernando 12th 125 105 230
UNL – Valerie Blount *^ Hernando 12th 200 155 355
Lifter of the Year – Valerie Blount (Hernando)
Coach of the Year – Cliff Lohrey (Central)
^ Denotes state qualifier
* Denotes HCAC/Hernando County champion

2005 Hernando Today All-County Girls Weightlifting Team
WGT NAME SCHOOL YR BEN C&J TOT
101 – Danielle Eckert NCT 10th 90 85 175
110 – Mindy Zavesky *^ Central 11th 105 115 220
119 – Kelly Dunham * ^ Central 12th 125 115 240
129 – Megan Ryan *^ Springstead 11th 135 105 240
139 – Christine Alberts *^ Springstead 10th 145 135 280
154 – Jessica Jufko * NCT 10th 105 115 220
169 – Nicole Daignault^ Hernando 10th 140 110 250
183 – Kelli Bloom *^ NCT 11th 130 125 255
199 – Lakeisha Gilyard * Central 11th 100 85 185
UNL – Valerie Blount ^ Hernando 11th 170 150 320
UNL – Johnisha Jackson *^ Springstead 9th 175 145 320
UNL – Johnisha Jackson *^ Springstead 9th 180 140 320

Lifter of the Year – Megan Ryan (Springstead)
Coach of the Year – Cliff Lohrey (Central)
^ Denotes state qualifier
* Denotes HCAC/Hernando County champion

2004 Hernando Today All-County Girls Weightlifting Team
WGT NAME SCHOOL YR BEN C&J TOT
101 – Danielle Eckert *+ NCT 9th 90 90 180
110 – Mindy Zavesky *+^ Central 10th 105 120 225
119 – Megan Ryan *=^ Springstead 10th 135 125 260
129 – Christine Alberts *^ Springstead 9th 140 125 265
139 – Jessica Dobarganes * NCT 9th 90 95 185
154 – Sonia Perez * Springstead 9th 115 115 230
169 – Nicole Daignault *^ Hernando 9th 140 115 255
183 – Megan Ware Central 11th 110 110 220
199 – Rebecca Torres *^ Hernando 12th 140 130 270
UNL – Sabreen Margieh *^ Central 10th 170 130 300

Lifter of the Year – Megan Ryan (Springstead)
Coach of the Year – Jim Derrico (Hernando)
* Denotes Hernando County champion
= GCAC champion
+ GCAC runner-up

2003 Hernando Today All-County Girls Weightlifting Team
WGT NAME SCHOOL YR BEN C&J TOT
101 – Mindy Zavesky * Central 9th 85 105 190
110 – Christi Carlini *= Central 12th 95 115 220
119 – Kelly Dunham * Central 10th 115 105 220
129 – Bianca Nemes *= Springstead 12th 135 120 255
139 – Lani Coates * Central 9th 100 115 215
154 – Shelane Etchison * Central 11th 105 115 220
169 – Carrie Harwell * Springstead 11th 115 120 235
169 – Carrie Harwell * Springstead 11th 110 125 235
183 – Teresa Brown *+ Central 12th 135 150 285
199 – Dionndra Mathis Central 10th 120 100 220
UNL – Carmen Santana Springstead 11th 135 135 270

Lifter of the Year – Teresa Brown (Central)
Coach of the Year – Sharon Elliott (Central)
^ Denotes state qualifier
* Denotes Hernando County champion
= GCAC champion
+ GCAC runner-up

2002 Hernando Today All-County Girls Weightlifting Team
WGT NAME SCHOOL YR BEN C&J TOT
101 – Liesl Eng *= Central 10th 90 80 170
110 – Tiffany Mobley *= Central 12th 140 130 270
119 – Elena Morales *= Central 12th 115 140 255
129 – Jackie Artura *= Springstead 12th 155 140 295
139 – Shanna Jager = Central 12th 155 140 295
154 – Alaya Smiley *= Central 11th 170 160 330
169 – Becky Ellis + Hernando 12th 115 110 225
183 – Karyle Dilts * Springstead 11th 115 110 225
199 – Teresa Brown *= Central 11th 125 135 260
199 – Carmen Santana + Springstead 10th 125 135 260
UNL – Christine Cross Central 10th 130 105 235

Lifter of the Year – Alaya Smiley (Central)
Coach of the Year – Sharon Elliott (Central)
* Denotes Hernando County champion
= GCAC champion
+ GCAC runner-up

Sports Editor Tony Castro can be reached at 352-544-5278 or reached online at [email protected].