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Hernando Today

Times A-Changin'

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By MARTY MILLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: February 18, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - In 1964, musician Bob Dylan penned one of his most lasting lyrics:

"Come mothers and fathers

Throughout the land

And don't criticize

What you don't understand

Your sons and daughters

Are beyond your command

Your old road is rapidly again

Please get out of the new one

If you can't lend a hand

For the times they are a-changin'."

Dylan's words echoed prophetic Saturday at the Florida High School Girls State Weightlifting Finals at River Ridge Middle/High School.

Kristian Stephens of Hernando and Johnisha Jackson of Central combined to do something no other female lifters in Hernando County have ever done -- place in the same meet.

Stephens finished fourth in the 183-pound weight class while Jackson came in third in the unlimited class.

Last season, Springstead High's Christine Alberts became the first Lady Eagle to place at states (fourth).

In no surprise, Spruce Creek won the team title Saturday for the fifth straight year with a team score of 56 points as five of its lifters won individual titles. Navarre and New Smyrna Beach tied for second with 11 points.

Jackson breaks through

Jackson, a senior with the Bears and in her fourth state tournament in a row, lifted 190 pounds in the bench press and 160 in the clean-and-jerk for a 350-pound total to win the first medal in girls weightlifting for the school.

Meanwhile Stephens, a senior in her second state meet, lifted 210 pounds in the bench and 140 in the clean-and-jerk for a 350-pound total to take fourth.

Stephens tied for third place with Talluya McKinnie of Navarre with 350 total pounds, but McKinnie was awarded third place because she weighed less.

Besides the two lifters who won medals in Saturday's meet, Hernando's Jasmine Sharpe tied for 12th place in the 183-pound weight class while the Leopards' Melody Hayes also tied for 12th in the unlimited class.

While both Jackson and Stephens came into the tournament seeded sixth place after their results from the sectional qualifier two weeks ago, both lifters had a better performance Saturday than they did at the section meet.

Jackson came into the tournament weighing 232 pounds and was the lightest lifter of any of the top ten.

In the bench press, Jackson made her first lift of 190 pounds but missed her next two tries at 200. Then in the clean-and-jerk, the Central senior hit on all three of her lifts of 140, 150 and 160 pounds.

"I came in here in sixth place and it was border-line with another lifter. So to move up three places and bring home the first medal ever for Central, it's awesome," said Jackson.

Her coach, Cliff Lohrey, said that he wasn't surprised by Jackson's finish Saturday.

"She's gotten seventh-place finishes as a sophomore and junior," commented Lohrey. "And it's a good end to one of the better careers in Hernando County."

With Lakitta Jackson of North Marion blowing away the competition by lifting 250 pounds in the bench press and 215 in the clean-and-jerk to win the title, Jackson beat her mark at the sectional in the clean-and-jerk by 20 pounds.

"I was thinking this morning I hope I do better, I've been seventh place twice and today, I am going to do better," Jackson said after the awards ceremony. "I wanted to get on the award platform today and I did. I'm excited I ended my career like this and not go home empty-handed."

Hayes tied for 12th place in the unlimited class with lifts of 175-140--315 pounds, but felt that she had done her best.

"I preformed to the best of my abilities and I gave it my all," Hayes said. "I worked hard to get here and I'm happy to be here. I can't get mad or cry, I did my best. I worked hard this year and now I'm off to college."

For Sharpe, the only junior of the four county state qualifiers, states was a disappointment as she had lifts of 145-135-280.

"Yeah, it does bother me, I didn't do as well as I hoped I would," Sharpe said.

Like Hayes, Sharpe had four of her six lifts ruled no good and that did bother her.

"On the first and second lifts in the bench press," Sharpe recalled, "my coach told me she thought they were good but the judges ruled them a scratch."

When asked what she planned to do between now and next season, Sharpe had a quick answer, "Practice, practice, practice. My goal was to make it to the top six and I didn't make it, so next year I will."

For Stephens, Saturday ended with a medal in her second appearance at the state meet. In the finals, Stephens made her opening two lifts in the bench press at 200 and 210 pounds, but missed her third lift at 215.

But she came out of that portion tied for second place and in the clean-and-jerk again made her opening two lifts of 130 and 140 pounds before missing her last lift at 145 pounds.

She also injured her left hamstring on her final lift, but the senior who intends on going to Louisiana State University, settled on fourth place in the end.

"It feels good to finish third (tied)," she said. "It went OK but I'm a little upset about my clean-and-jerk because I thought the last lift was a good one."

Despite having a nagging leg injury, Stephens enjoyed getting a medal Saturday.

"I thought it was fun and I don't regret any of it," she said. "I did it the best I could every year I did it and yeah, I'm going to miss it when I go to college."

Her coach, Judi Decker, thought that all three of her lifters proved something Saturday.

"I think girls sports have changed a lot in the last couple of years. It's not fun and games anymore, I think people are finally seeing it as a sport," Decker said.

So, maybe Dylan was right, the times are a-changin'.

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