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Bulldogs Win With Numbers

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By LARRY BUGG

Tribune correspondent

Published: January 10, 2009

LAND O' LAKES - The Zephyrhills girls had the numbers and won the "Guilty Pleasures" girls weightlifting meet Wednesday at Sunlake.

The Bulldogs had a team of 25 lifters and won the six-team meet Wednesday with 82 points. Sunlake was second with 44, followed by Wesley Chapel with 39.

"Good meet," said Zephyrhills coach David Brown. "We had a lot of good lifts. A lot of girls set personal records. Stacy Cockill broke the school record of 120 pounds in the bench in December."

While many lifters had good performances, others showed rust from missing workouts during the holiday break. Some sported a few extra pounds on their bodies, but not on the barbells.
KEPPEL WINS 101 CLASS

Land O' Lakes lifter Morgan Keppel won the 101-pound class with a 105-pound bench press and an 80-pound clean and jerk. The junior qualified for the state lifting meet last year and wants to return. She competed in the state cross country meet in November.

"I don't know what happened to me, but the first time when I did the clean and jerk, my mind was not into it," Keppel said. "The second time, I got it up. I probably could have done 85. I did work out with my dad Land O' Lakes cross country coach Kris Keppel in the gym. I am going to train hard the next two weeks."

"Morgan Keppel did a good job," said Gators coach Leslie Stanford. "She still has great potential. She is a little powerhouse. Overall, my team kind of fared well. I think until Sunshine Athletic Conference meet, I expect a lot of improvement. Freshman Krista Sturm made great gains today and improved her personal best" in the 110-pound class.

Wiregrass lifter Elise Houston had a bench press of 90 pounds and a clean and jerk of 90. The senior lifts in the 110-pound class.

"During the two-week holidays, we had about four days just to maintain, not a lot of time to prepare for this meet," said Houston. "I kind of dropped about 10 pounds. By conference, I definitely will be ready to win that title. I most definitely want to go to state my senior year. I had a chance to go to state in cross country and track, so this year I wanted that same pathway. Wiregrass Ranch is growing as a team. I think Coach Jeremy Shobe is a great coach. He is a football coach, and sometimes we have to whip him into shape. We are girls. You can't talk to us like that. He's a great coach."

Wiregrass lifter Christine Andrews wasn't real proud of her effort. She had a 65-pound bench and a 50-pound clean and jerk in the 110-pound class.

"Not the greatest, no," said Andrews. "I have definitely had better competitions. I tried to work out during the holidays, but as always, Christmas, you eat a lot and you are just kind of lazy.

"I like to keep in shape. I love the feeling of being toned and healthy. You get on that mentality that you have to keep in your weight class. I weigh 109 in the 110 weight class. Determination is the name of the game."

Added Shobe: "My girls did really well considering the Christmas break. It kind of held us back. I am proud of them. They showed up and did their best. They are doing good. They have to come to practice the next couple of weeks and bring bagels."

LEHMKUHL TIES BEST
Sunlake High unlimited lifter Melanie Lehmkuhl didn't take off during the holidays. She had a 150-pound bench press and a 110-pound clean and jerk.

"I came to practice during the second week of break and tried my best," Lehmkuhl said. "The 150 tied my best. I should be able to lift 115 pounds in the clean and jerk."

"I am very proud of my girls," said Sunlake coach Denise Garcia. "They stepped up to the plate. They did well. They challenged themselves, and our saying is 'No Limits.' I think Melanie Lehmkuhl did really well.

"Karra Fischer won the 169-pound class. Nicole Bolt and Shirley Tejada did very well. Samantha Dittman worked really hard. Kaylee Canalango is new at this, and she did well."

Pasco's Tiffany Castro had a 115-pound bench and a 105-pound clean and jerk. The senior competes in the 199-pound class.

"I was kind of a little nervous because we didn't work out as much as we usually do during the Christmas break," Castro said. "We were nervous but excited for the first meet."

Pasco was missing sisters Tori and Alyssa Larsen, who were playing soccer that night. Marissa Rivera was suffering from mononucleosis.

"We are a little short-handed," said Pasco coach Brian Walker. "The girls were excited. We had about six or seven at our practices during the holidays. That's OK. Last year was a nightmare."

PHIPPS WINS 154 CLASS

Wesley Chapel's Brittany Phipps won the 154-pound class. She had a 145-pound bench press and a 140-pound clean and jerk.

"I feel I did really good," Phipps said. "The clean and jerk I improved, but on the bench I didn't do my personal best. I worked out Monday and Wednesday."

"We were hoping for top three, and we took third place," said Wesley Chapel coach John Castelamare. "We had a girl who won her class in Phipps. We had some good surprises among the young girls."

Working out during the holidays was a painful experience for one lifter.

"I was much better in December," said Zephyrhills' Cockill, who competes in the 119-pound class. "Working out over the break, I injured my back.

"It's hard for me to walk around school. I have to rest it up and get ready for the SAC meet."

Cockill won the 119-pound class despite the back injury. She had a 115-pound bench and a 95-pound clean and jerk.

RESULTS

SUNLAKE GIRLS MEET

TEAM SCORES

Zephyrhills 82, Sunlake 44, Wesley Chapel 39, Wiregrass Ranch 24, Pasco 17, Land O' Lakes 12

INDIVIDUAL WINNERS

101-Morgan Keppel (LOL) 105-80-185; 110-Shelby Reubens (Z) 100-100-200; 119-Stacy Cockill (Z) 115-95-210; 129-Ashley Washington (WC) 95-90-185; 139-Tiffany Shepler (Z) 120-115-235; 154-Brittany Phipps (WC) 145-140-285; 169-Karra Fischer (SL) 100-105-205; 183-Casey Rogers (SL) 135-110-245; 199-Nicole Bolt (SL) 115-110-225; Unlimited-Brianna Blalock (Z) 150-135-285.

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