Weightlifting pushes for state championship
photo by Chatham Ferrell
Sophmore Daryn Miller on her second clean and jerk attempt during a match against Lyman.
The girls weightlifting team hit the weight room and jumped out to a 5-1 record before the regular season came to a close. The team is currently on a four-match winning streak, and head coach
David Attaway has led the team through another impressive run and another chance at a state championship.
The streak began against Seminole on Nov. 28, which they dominated in a landslide 63-28 win. Senior Cheyanne Ducharme has been leading the team and setting the tone all year.
During the meet, Ducharme set a school record for the bench press in the 110-pound weight class, lifting 160 pounds, with a 335 pound total. Ducharme also hit all of her lifts.
“It meant a lot to me to set the school record. It is really special,” Ducharme said.
Junior Jillian Lawrenson was a contributor from the 169-pound weight class, also lifting 160 pounds on bench, but lifted 200 pounds on clean and jerk, a 360 pounds total.
“My performance was good for clean and jerk,” Lawrenson said. “I took it easy and did numbers I knew I could hit.”
Attaway was pleased with the performance, but knew the team could lift more. Since it is still early in the year, there are no real needs for lifters to go for their personal best this early, hence why the team is still taking it light.
The following week, on Dec. 5, the team matched up against Lyman, with another dominating win, 63-21. To stay prepared for the postseason, the did not strain themselves, hitting numbers they knew they could hit.
Sophomore Olivia Lipari turned in the top performance of the night with a bench of 130 pounds and 160-pound clean and jerk, a 290- pound total. To add on to the win, the team set eight new school records.
“I was happy with my performance [at the meet], I finally hit 160 pounds after attempting it a few meets earlier in the season,” Lipari said. “After putting up good numbers, I’m really excited going into the postseason because increasing my total gives me leverage over girls from other schools.”
In another match on Dec. 12, the girls took on Lake Howell, and once again, followed the trend of winning.
Junior Camilla Pagan of the 169 pound weight class led the girls to a dominant 64-26 win.
This is the team’s fifth consecutive win.
Pagan lifted a total of 285 pounds, with 120 pounds on the bench press and 145 pounds on clean and jerk.
“I’m just happy that I was able to help the team,” Pagan said.
Senior Lane Thompson also did not fall short by hitting a 275-pound total, with 135 pounds on the bench press and 140 pounds on the clean and jerk.
With the postseason in sight, the team knows what needs to be done, and Ducharme is taking the measures to do that. Aside from going 6-6 and 5-6 on making her lifts in back to back weeks, Ducharme is currently struggling to make weight for the meets.
“I am going to buckle down on nutrition and how I eat so I can make weight easier than I have been,” Ducharme said.
The postseason is scheduled to start on Jan. 16 with the district championships at Hagerty.
The state championships, the end goal for the team, are scheduled for Feb. 2.
“We build techniques throughout the year and a lot of strength training,” Attaway said. “All that matters is the conference and district championship at the end of the year, so we are building for that.”
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