- November 22, 2024
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Flagler Palm Coast's girls weightlifters were still excited after winning both team titles at the Five Star Conference championships Dec. 16.
Then coach Duane Hagstrom delivered the second-best news of the night. He was giving them the entire winter break off.
The Bulldogs defeated runner-up Spruce Creek 49-44 to win the bench press/clean and jerk title. University was third with 32 points, while New Smyrna Beach finished fourth with 31 points.
FPC also won the snatch lift competition, which was added this year.
"Right now it's more of a trial run," Hagstrom said of the FHSAA approving the snatch lift, which is lifting the barbell overhead in one continuous motion. "Even I was hesitant at first. But the kids seem to enjoy it, and I think we have a chance to be among the top two or three teams in snatch, and we haven't focused on it much to this point."
FPC defeated second-place University 49-33 for the snatch lift title. Aryannah Rosa (110-pound classification), Diana Croft (154), Annie Buchanan (199) and Colleen Haaf (unlimited) collected two first-place medals apiece, winning both the snatch lift and bench/clean and jerk titles.
Kelsey Gocking won the 129-pound title in bench/clean and jerk and finished second in the snatch lift.
In the bench/clean and jerk competition, Buchanan, the defending Class 3A state champ at 199 pounds, set a new personal record in clean and jerk with a 220-pound lift. She benched 225 pounds before missing on two attempts at 235. Her 445-pound total was 90 pounds better than second-place finisher Isabella Fortin of New Smyrna Beach.
"We probably have the best chance we've ever had to battle for a state championship."
DUANE HAGSTROM, FPC weightlifting coach
Haaf tied her personal record in the bench press with a 165-pound and lift and also hoisted 165 pounds in the clean and jerk to defeat Kelly Hall of Seabreeze by 10 pounds (330 to 320).
Rosa won by 10 pounds at 110 with a 275 total. Gocking won by 15 pounds at 129 with a 295 total. Croft won handily at 154 with a 345 total, 45 pounds better than the runner-up.
Aun'yale Howard finished second at 139 pounds with a 325 total. Brianna Tucker finished third at 129 pounds with a 275-pound total.
The Bulldogs scored points in seven of 10 events.
"We hit some lifts we hadn't lifted before, which is good, because we had been stagnant for a while," Hagstrom said. "This is such a competitive conference. One lift one way or another could have been the difference."
Hagstrom believes the Bullodgs are on pace to have their best season.
"This is probably one of my best teams overall," he said. "We probably have the best chance we've ever had to battle for a state championship."