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sports
New faces, same goals Ava West
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MAXING OUT Senior Hope Lusher completes her clean and jerk of 130 pounds. The girls weightlifting team lost to Winter Springs on Wednesday, Nov. 3. photo by Jada Llamido
Cross country 15th at states Seymour takes third, Leon takes 12th to lead team at Tallahassee meet
said. “I think these results put me in a great position for upcoming years seeing as I am only a sophomore.” Seymour has led the team with multiple first place wins, along with breaking the school Angelica Mendez 5k record back in September at the Hagerty Staff Reporter Invitational. He managed to overcome his With a second place finish at championships nerves before the meet and was one of the top already accomplished, the boys’ varsity cross state runners. country team ran their way to their seventh “I feel very pleased about my performance,” place finish at the 4A Region 1 Championship Seymour said. “I exceeded my goals and ran on Nov. 6. The teams seventh a solid time on a true cross “States help[ed] place finish, on a 16 team field, country course.” qualifying them for their goal boost my confidence The team’s challenging of reaching state finals. weekly practices helped play The team’s top runners, and understand that a leading role in the team’s junior Brayden Seymour with I am more capable success. Their final week of a time of 16:01 and sophomore practice consisted of a 50 minute than I think.” Jonathan Leon running a 16:16 long run, a speed workout, and led them to states. Along with Jonathan Leon, 10 a recovery run followed by an racing against tough teams like ice bath and stretching. Creekside high school, the boys battled tough “The stretch run workouts focus on weather conditions while running. anaerobic threshold and allowing the body to “The boys conquered the worst recover quickly,” Getty said. conditions I have ever experienced at a cross The team ran their final race of the country meet,” coach Jay Getty said. season with mostly underclassmen and few On Nov. 12, the team took the field at upperclassmen. The top athletes for the season Apalachee Regional Park for the 4A FHSAA were Seymour, Leon, and sophomore Marek state finals. The team finished in fifteenth place Orr, who will all be back for the upcoming and was led by Seymour, who had a time of years. 15:38 and finished in third place, and Leon with “We were very pleased with the development a 16:00 in twelfth. of the youth in the program to be able to step “My results at states help[ed] boost my up to support our already established leaders,” confidence and help[ed] me understand that I Getty said. “With the team earning a bid to the am a lot more capable than I think I am,” Leon state finals it adds clarity to our success.”
Staff Reporter
enior Mari McCluskey chalked up her hands getting ready to do a clean and jerk. She knew she could take it easier during the meet because she was only competing against one opponent, but she grabbed the metal bar and used all of her power to complete the lift. Only her bench press was left, and McCluskey won the ultimate weight class benching 115 pounds and lifting 134 pounds for the clean and jerk. “I am proud of what I was able to complete at the meet,” McCluskey said. “There were some things that I could have done better, but it tells me what I can improve on for the future.” The girls varsity weightlifting team is looking to continue a tradition of district and state excellence, and they competed in their first meet of the season against Lake Howell on Wednesday, Nov. 3. The team won 63-12 and members came away impressed. “I think the meet went great considering it was the start of the season and how many new girls joined the team this year,” senior Kailey Tedeschi said. “Everyone lifted great and supported each other the whole meet.” Not only did the team win, but multiple girls won their weight class. Like McCluskey, senior Chloe Varady also won her 169 weight class, benching 135 pounds and lifting 125 pounds for the clean and jerk. Both girls were able to win with minimal competition because only a few people participated in the meet. “I didn’t have any competition in my weight class – I was the only one competing,” Varady said. “I was able to get an easy win for myself and the team.” While the first meet against Lake Howell was expected to be a win, the real challenge
would come against Winter Springs, an opponent the weightlifting team consistently competes against for district and regional championships. The girls fell to Winter Springs 59-31 making their record 1-1. The team viewed both meets as an opportunity to see where they are at and how they will be able to improve in the future. It also serves as a benchmark for the season. “The meets showed us where we currently are and where we can be,” McCluskey said. One of the main goals for the team would be to win districts, regionals, and get to states. “I feel like we are well prepared for the rest of the season,” head coach David Attaway said. “We did fantastic this past meet so I have high hopes we will go far in districts and regionals.” One of the other goals for the team would be to support and be there for their teammates and get closer with each other outside of only talking about practice according to the lifters. “During breaks in the meet, we will all sit together and get to know each other while talking,” Tedeschi said. The girls practice every day, even before meets, and compete on Wednesdays. Practices consist of dynamic stretches to warm-up followed by a program made up of certain things to work on for the meet. These specific programs include working on their lifting technique by targeting a certain muscle group like the arms or legs. The team has a shorter season this year with only six more meets left until districts. The girls have high hopes that they will make it far this year based on past success, even if the majority of the team is new. “I think we are going to do great in the postseason,” McCluskey said. “We have a lot of new girls this year and they are starting out incredibly strong. It is very impressive to see.”
sports shorts
Girls basketball falls to Wekiva
On Thursday, Nov. 11 the girls varsity basketball team traveled to Wekiva High School for their second preseason game. The top performer from the game was junior Hannah Kohn, who scored 12 points, but the team lost 76-28. The team is 0-2 in the preseason with a loss to Colonial High School. Freshman Celine Merlin (pictured), a center on varsity, is one of several new faces on the team, coached by Joshua Johns. The team went 12-13 last season, and the first official game of this season is on Tuesday, Nov. 16 against Seminole High School at home.
Athletes commit on signing day
On Wednesday, Nov. 10, nine athletes participated in National Signing Day. Stewart Puckett committed to UCF for baseball, Cameron King and Schyler Arroyo committed to Bethune Cookman for baseball, Zoe Thornsbury committed to Indian River State College for softball, Averi Munoz committed to Queens University of Charlotte for softball, Jasmine Beckett committed to Lindenwood for lacrosse, Carly Bitner committed to St. Leo for lacrosse, Hannah Thomas committed to Anderson for lacrosse, and Olivia Price committed to Anderson for volleyball.
Lopez, Zinck top swim regionals
On Nov. 1-6, sophomore Jenna Lopez and senior Griffin Zinck both placed twelfth in their events at the regional championships. Zinck placed in the 50 yard backstroke while Lopez placed in diving. Lopez also placed third in districts on Oct. 25-30. Zinck and Lopez led their teams in the end-of-the-season competition. Lopez was the one out of two divers to compete for districts, and the only one to compete for regionals. “I originally did gymnastics but quit diving,” Lopez said. “The background and strength I got from gymnastics really helps me.”