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Girl Weightlifters To Compete At River Ridge Today

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By Eric Horchy | The Suncoast News

Published: February 9, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - Florida's top female high school weightlifters will converge on the campus of River Ridge Middle-High School today for the fifth annual state championships.

It is the second consecutive year River Ridge has been host to the event and its 270 qualifiers.

Of those 270, the host school was also able to lock in six entries for Lady Knight lifters. It was something that came as a pleasant surprise to Coach Mike DeGennaro.

"Before the year, I didn't expect that many," he said. "Once we started going though, I ended up being disappointed for a few of the girls. I wanted to get a couple more in."

DeGennaro said his lifters with the greatest chance of placing today are juniors Brianna Hooker, 110 pounds, and Jessica Diaz, 101.

"Hooker has a very good shot at the Top 3," he said of his three-time state qualifier. "Her best total weight is only 10-15 pounds off the top girl" in the competition.

In official competition, lifters compete in two events: the bench press and the clean and jerk. The total weight is then determined by simply adding the two lifts.

DeGennaro thinks Diaz has the ability to medal – which means finishing Top 6 in her respective weight class – and may even be capable of placing Top 3.

River Ridge's other four qualifiers are Natalie Marenghi, 110, Danielle DiMarte, 119, Stephanie Hull, 169, and Megan Shaun, 199.

With only one senior on their roster, DeGennaro said he likes where the young program is heading as it works to build tradition.

So far in the sport's history as a sanctioned Florida High School Athletic Association participant, Pasco County schools have not celebrated much success.

Port Orange Spruce Creek High has won the state championship all four years.

West County schools will be entering this year's competition with perhaps its most potential yet to walk away with at least an individual championship.

Joining the Lady Knight lifters will be participants from: Ridgewood – Chrystal Rose, 139, Lauren Heymann, 139, and Breanne Monaco, 129; Gulf – Carmen Figueroa, 129, and Ashley Mizrahi, 110; and Mitchell – Taneisha Dixon, 119.

Regardless of his lifter's finishes, DeGennaro said the event is always a great experience for competitors and spectators, alike.

"It's pretty exciting to go see," he said. "You will see these little girls walk by, and then you see how strong they are and it's like, 'Wow!'"

"You can be watching one bench, and all of a sudden it gets nuts. So you turn to another bench with a girl putting something up and everyone's cheering. It's fun to watch."

The competition will begin today in the River Ridge gymnasium at 10:30 a.m. with the awards ceremony to follow. Admission for the event is $7.

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