Wellington’s Ciriaco takes home a second and fourth in state girls weightlifting

Wellington junior Amelia Ciriaco placed second in the 3A Olympic category and fourth in the traditional competition in the 119-pound weight class to earn two medals at the FHSAA girls weightlifting state championship at RP Funding Center in Lakeland from Wednesday through Friday.

The Olympic category consisted of the combined total of the clean-and-jerk and snatch. The traditional competition included the total of the bench press and clean-and-jerk.

Ciriaco recorded a 175 in the clean-and-jerk and 135 in the snatch for a 310 total in the Olympic competition. She also finished with a 145 in the bench press for a 320 total in traditional.

“I felt very accomplished with my performance,” Ciriaco said. “It was very nerve-wracking knowing that I could’ve placed as the state runner-up. It was very important to me to stay calm and keep my focus. My performance at states was one of the best I’ve put out as an athlete.”

Ciriaco placed first in both the Olympic and traditional categories at the regional championship earlier in the season.

Wellington senior Danielle Newell (110 pounds) finished third in traditional with a 285 total and fifth in Olympic with a 265 total while teammate Audrey DellaVecchia (129) placed 10th in traditional.

Wellington placed eighth in both the traditional and Olympic competitions in the 3A state championship.

“I’m so proud of how hard Amelia worked throughout the year to finish strong in a stressful environment,” Wellington coach Peter Callovi said. “Amelia and Danielle both competed so well to earn their medals to cap a championship season for the team.”

Dwyer’s McClean earns 3A Olympic runner-up

Dwyer senior Ianna McClean (129) placed second in the 3A Olympic category with a 335 total. She registered a 190 in the clean-and-jerk and 145 in the snatch. McClean placed ninth in the traditional competition with a 295 total.

Palm Beach Central senior Kimberly Berg (199) earned fourth in Olympic with a 370 total and placed fifth in traditional with a 410 total.

Park Vista senior Jayda Bell (110) placed fifth in traditional while Seminole Ridge’s Carrie Didio (183) placed seventh in traditional.

Pace captured the 3A championship in both the traditional and Olympic events.

St. John Paul II’s Hardy shines in 1A

St. John Paul II junior Faith Hardy (199) placed sixth in both traditional and Olympic at the 1A championship.

Oxbridge Academy’s Sienna Burroughs (101) placed fifth in Olympic and 10th in traditional. Pine Crest’s Cat Farrell (101) placed sixth in Olympic while teammate Maddie Lemieux (101) placed seventh in traditional.

King’s Academy’s Sasha Cousins (154) placed fifth in traditional while teammates Ashlyn Martin (139) placed eighth and T’Nesha Rasmussen (183) finished 10th.

Wewahitchka placed first in both traditional and Olympic at the 1A championship.

Boynton Beach has top performers in 2A

Boynton Beach’s Taikha Jean-Claude (199) placed seventh in the Olympic event at the 2A championship while teammate Clairisha Charles (169) finished ninth in the Olympic category.

Dr. Joaquin Garcia’s Keira Fritz (129) placed 10th in traditional while Atlantic’s Keymaya Louis (183) finished 10th in the Olympic event.

River Ridge won the 2A championship in traditional while Braden River captured the Olympic title.