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Monzo: Hopes for Best Day at States

MVP PROFILE

Caroline Monzo

By MARTY MILLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: February 14, 2009

After one season on the Springstead High girls weightlifting team, senior Caroline Monzo hopes Saturday she can return to Spring Hill with a medal from the State Championship meet at River Ridge.
The Eagle senior is one of three Springstead lifters trying to take home medals from the state meet and believes that she has put in the time and effort to do that.
"I've been working out since my freshman year and I've had weightlifting classes," said the active Eagle senior who also runs track, cross country and plays soccer.
"For four years I've been getting better and better and this year coach (Mike) Garofano told me I should come out for it. I mean, it did look kind of boring, just lifting weights," recalled Monzo. "Now I have a lot more fun doing it."
Monzo competes in the 110-pound weight class and came in third in the Section V meet held in late January in Belleview.
With her lifts of 110 pounds in the bench press and 115 in the clean-and-jerk, her 225-pound total seeds her 20th entering states.
"I would like to place Saturday and I've been working really, really hard in the last few weeks to get my weights up," she said. "So I'm looking for a top-six finish.
"We're shooting for a 250-pound total and that would be her best day ever," said second-year Head Coach Garofano. "If she has a good day, she could come home with a medal and she deserves it because she's really worked for it."
The Springstead first-year lifter says she is a little concerned about the state meet Saturday.
"I'm a little nervous, but I'm excited and my coach has prepared me well," she added. "It's difficult because you only get three lifts in both the bench and clean-and-jerk."
Monzo already has a career path in mind for herself. She plans to attend school at Florida Atlantic University and major in communications.
"Right now I'm trying to get an internship at ESPN," she shared. "I'm not sure if it will be in front or behind the camera, but I really want to try it."