State lifting: Arnold enters as Class 1A favorites
If only every rebuilding year ended up like Arnold’s weightlifting season.
The Marlins returned just two boys from last year’s second-place team at the FHSAA Finals, leading Coach Bill Thomas to lower his expectations for this season.
Thomas, however, couldn’t have been more wrong.
Arnold overcame injuries and inexperience to enter Friday’s state weightlifting meet at River Ridge High School in New Port Richey as the overall favorite in Class 1A.
“The kids are willing to do the work that I’m asking them to do,” Thomas said. “Those guys overcame those injuries and worked extra to make it up. Probably the most improved bunch I’ve never had.”
Thomas believes four Marlins could contend for a state championship and seven of the 12 lifters who qualified for state are ranked in the Top 7 of their respective classes.
Cullen Thompson is the lone Marlin ranked first, as he sits atop the 219-pound class with a seed total of 650 pounds. Not far behind him is teammate Cody Willows, who is tied for second with 630 pounds.
The internal rivalry has pushed both boys into competing against each other for a state title, Thomas said.
“I think that’s really played into making them better,” he said. “It seems when one gets a little bit better than the other the other one doesn’t let up.“
Joel Ensminger at 119 pounds and Tyler Reeves at 169 pounds are the other two who Thomas believes can win a state crown.
Offseason injuries to Ensminger, Reeves, Willows, Taylor Reed and Will Bruce put a run at a third team state championship in question, but all five recovered in time for the season.
“I didn’t expect those guys to be top-notch lifters or to reach their full potential, so I thought we were going to be really young,” Thomas said.
Thomas has his team is working out seven days per week and said he instituted a 9:30 p.m. curfew this week.
Bay’s Ka’Ron Harvis qualified for the state meet 14th in the 238-pound class with a lift of 570 pounds. Wade Landon of Bozeman will compete in the 183-pound class from the seventh seed.
Rutherford’s Nick Smith is one of two Rams competing Friday, along with Dieton West, but may have the most hectic travel schedule of anyone in the meet. Smith will lift early Friday morning and then Rutherford coach Mark Stanton will drive Smith four hours to Jacksonville so he can compete with Rutherford’s 4x100-meter relay team in the Region 1-2A track and field meet.
Smith is ranked fifth in the 183-pound class with 585 pounds. West is 18th in the 154-pound class with 470 pounds.
In Class 2A, which will be held Saturday, Mosley has two lifters entered.
Phuocan Nguyen is ranked second 119 pounds with a total of 410 pounds and J.J. Mincey is tied for fifth at 219 pounds with 670.
“Well they’re both sitting in positions to score points so I’m fairly hopeful,” Mosley coach Bill Graff said. “If they can get their lifts in we can come out of this in pretty good shape.”
