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Going Back To State

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By LARRY BUGG

Tribune correspondent

Published: February 5, 2009

BELLEVIEW - For Lauren Heymann, there is no place like the state tournament.

The Ridgewood senior earned her second trip to the FHSAA girls state weightlifting meet on Feb. 14 at River Ridge.

Heymann, lifting at the Belleview sectional qualifier on Jan. 31, won the 139-pound class. She had a personal best of 290 pounds on a 140-bench press and a 150-pound clean and jerk.

The previous week, Heymann had won her second straight Sunshine Athletic Conference title.

"I feel amazing," Heymann said. "I can't wait to go to state. I'm so excited. Today, I really wanted to do this. My personal best was 140 in the clean. It felt easy.

"Once I got it up, I knew I could do it."

River Ridge's Jessica Diaz won the 101-pound class. She had 125 pounds on the bench press and 105 pounds on the clean and jerk.

Diaz missed her first attempt at 95 pounds on the clean and jerk, but she came back to win.

"I am lucky," Diaz said. "My bench is a lot easier than I expected. I'm excited for state. I was worried because there was only one qualifier for state. I'm very relieved and happy."

River Ridge senior Brianna Hooker won the 119-pound class with a 145-pound bench and a 125-pound clean and jerk.

This will be Hooker's fourth trip to the state meet. She tied for second last year in her class.

"I did OK," she said. "I did what I had to do. I was more disappointed that I wasn't able to go in the 110-pound weight class - 110 pounds is a little easier. I was set to break some records. It's my last year."

Gulf's Ashley Mizrahi took second in the 119-pound class. The senior had a 140-pound bench and a 125-pound clean and jerk.

"I'm kind of upset," Mizrahi said. "She didn't do what her potential is. I'm happy with what I did."

Zephyrhills' Emily Sanders was second in the 139-pound class. She set a school record with a 155-pound bench press and added a 120-pound clean and jerk.

"One hundred forty five in the bench press was my previous record," Sanders said. "I was worried. I'm pretty happy about going to state."
Kalah St. Pierre, who had to borrow a uniform from another school last week, was wearing a Hudson uniform this week and took second in the 110-pound class. She had a 115-pound bench and a 125-pound clean and jerk for a 240-pound total.

The previous week, she won the Sunshine Athletic Conference title, but she had to wear a Sunlake uniform because she left hers at home.

"I lift better in a Hudson uniform," she said. "It's pretty awesome. It's my senior year. It's exciting. I had to run a lot in two hoodies to make weight."

St. Pierre, nicknamed "The Little Beast" recently earned a cross country scholarship to compete for Pasco-Hernando Community College.

Hudson's Tinna Perry was second in the 129-pound class. She had 120 on the bench and 135 in the clean and jerk.

This gives her a first trip to state.

"This is my first year of doing weightlifting," Perry said. "Excited, happy. Very scary."

Ridgewood's Liz Clum took second in the 169-pound class. She had a 145-pound bench and a 135-pound clean and jerk.

"I didn't think I would get second," Clum said. "I'm really excited about going to state."

River Ridge High sophomore Megan Shoun is going to state again.

She had a bench press of 155 pounds and a clean and jerk of 150 pounds to earn the right to lift on Valentine's Day at her school. She won the 199-pound class by just five pounds.

"I feel really good," Shoun said. "Me and Hernando High's Jasmine Sharpe tied for bench, but my clean and jerk beat her.

"I felt nervous about the 150 pounds. If I didn't get the 150, I would have lost to her."

Zephyrhills' Casey Rogers won the 183-pound class. She had a 150-pound bench and a 110-pound clean and jerk.

Teammate Katherina Patton also had a 260-pound total, but Rogers won because she is six-tenths of a pound lighter.

"It's pretty exciting," Rogers said. "I figured I would place top three, but I didn't expect to win. I set a school record in the bench press. It was nerve-wracking."

The three top qualifiers in each weight class will compete in the state meet.

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