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Girls Weightlifting Tourney A Success

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By LARRY BUGG, Tribune correspondent

Published: February 11, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - The Florida Girls State Weightlifting Meet on Saturday was held at River Ridge for the second time and went off without a hitch. Florida is the only state that has a weightlifting competition for high school girls.

There were 270 lifters and about 75 volunteers involved in the activity, along with numerous coaches and family members from around much of the state.With all the details, equipment and people to keep track of , meet director and coach Mike DeGennaro had to be relieved when it was finished.

"It was a lot easier this year than last year," DeGennaro said. "After last year, this was kind of easy. We finished earlier. "I don't think we had any mistakes this year."

There may be more girls state meets to come at River Ridge.

"We are going to talk to FHSAA about this," DeGennaro said. "We like hosting it. It is a good fundraiser. We had six girls make it as lifters and they are underclassman. It pushes them a little harder."
DeGennaro said he couldn't estimate the cost of the event. Last year, he said the school profited around $4,000.

"I thought it went very well," DeGennaro said.

The best River Ridge lifter managed a third place despite a major distraction.

Brianna Hooker had a problem with her neck at the worst time. Her neck was bleeding while she was doing the clean and jerk.

Hooker, a junior, took third in the 110-pound class. She had a bench press of 150 pounds and a clean and jerk of 135 pounds. There was a three-way tie for second and she finished third because of her weight.

She took fourth in her class last year.
DeGennaro said that two weeks ago the bar was sharp at the Belleview sectional. She was cut then and it did not heal.

"You can't be unhappy about third," the coach said.

Gulf's Carmen Figueroa took fourth in the 129-pound class, an improvement over her fourth-place finish in 2007. She had 155 pounds in the bench press. She lifted 145-pound in the clean and jerk, a personal best. She had 300 pounds total

Ridgewood's Christal Rose finished tied for ninth in the 139-pound class. Rose lifted 150 pounds in the bench press and added 145 pounds in the clean and jerk for a 295-pound total.

Port Orange Spruce Creek won the state team title for the fifth straight year, setting a record with 56 points. Navarre and New Smyrna Beach were tied for second with 11 points.

There were 12 Pasco County lifters who showed and did not scratch.

In the 101-pound class, River Ridge's Jessica Diaz had a 210 total. She had a 115 bench and a 95-pound clean and jerk. Land O' Lakes High's Morgan Keppel had a 185 total. Her bench was 105 pounds and her clean was 80 pounds.

In the 110-pound class, Natalie Marenghi of River Ridge had a 230-pound total. She lifted 130 pounds in the bench and 100 pounds in the clean and jerk.

In the 119-pound class, Mitchell's Taneisha Dixon had a 260-pound total. She had a best bench of 130 pounds and a clean and jerk of 130 pounds. In the same class, Danielle Dimarte of River Ridge had a 250-pound total. Dimarte had a 135-pound bench and a 115-pound clean and jerk.

Ridgewood's Breanne Monaco had a 280-pound total in the 129-pound class. Her bench was 145 pounds and her clean was 135 pounds.

In the 139-pound class, Ridgewood's Lauren Heymann had a 270-pound total. She lifted 135 in the bench press and her clean and jerk was 135 pounds.

River Ridge's Stephanie Hull (169) had a 265-pound total. Her bench press was 135 pounds and her clean and jerk was 130 pounds while in the 199-pound class, River Ridge's Megan Shoun had a 275-pound total. Shoun lifted 145 pounds in the bench and 130 pounds in the clean and jerk.

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