Five still alive

For five Hernando County lifters, the season hasn't ended quite yet.

All four local teams took part in the Section V Qualifying Meet at The Villages High on Friday, and three of them saw at least one person earn a state berth. The top three finishers in each weight class advanced.

Three from Springstead, Jennifer Draganchuk, Jennifer Rosino and Adreanna Marks, will join Hernando's Jasmine Sharpe and Nature Coast's Chelsea Roberts at the state meet Feb. 13 at River Ridge High.

The trio of Lady Eagles matched the number they sent to states last year, though none are repeat qualifiers.

Vindicated champs

A year after barely missing out on a trip to states, both Rosino and Draganchuk left no doubt by earning first-place finishes in their respective weight classes.

Rosino, who came five pounds away from third in 2009, won at 169 pounds this time by benching 170 and hoisting 125 in the clean-and-jerk for a 295 total, five pounds ahead of the next two competitors.

"It's awesome," the senior Rosino said. "I worked so hard in the summer and offseason. Every single day I was in the weight room handling my business. All the hard work paid off. I'm one step closer."

Draganchuk, also a senior, came even closer than Rosino to reaching states a year ago. She actually tied for third at 129, but placed fifth because of weight.

In that same weight class on Friday, she posted a 140-135-275 total to take first by 15 pounds.

"I'm so excited. I've been working on it for four year," Draganchuk said. "Last year I was in a three-way tie for third and weighed too much and didn't go. This year: finally.

"I knew coming if I didn't make it, this was my last meet. I didn't want it to be my last meet."

Marks actually tied for first at 183 pounds, producing a 140-130-270. But the senior lost out on weight, leaving her to settle for second.

"Thank God. It's my first time," Marks said of making states. "After my clean, I kept saying thank God.

"....I've been in the weight room every day. The weekends we have practice, the summer we have practice. It hit me when I came to sectionals and I did it and I made it. So I'm thankful."

Fellow Lady Eagle senior Olivia D'Acunto just missed her own state bid in the 154 class, putting together a 140-110-250 that tied for the third-best showing.

However, it was Roberts who snagged the final state spot with the exact same total (115-135-250) thanks to the weight tiebreaker.

"It's my first year doing this, so it means a lot," the senior Roberts said. "It was my last weightlifting meet, so I wanted to go all out, just try something new.

"I always got 130 (in the clean-and-jerk) at the rest of the meets. I wanted to try 135. I struggled, but I got it."

Sharpe is the only member of the Hernando County contingent that won't be making her initial sojourn to states. The senior is now a three-time qualifier, despite a less than satisfactory performance.

She was left shaking her head following a third-place finish at 199 with a 155-130-285, 15 pounds below her total in this event last year and 25 behind the 310 she had in last week's county meet.

"It feels good to go to states," Sharpe said. "It means a lot to me. I just hope I go and bring a medal home. I know if I want to do that, I have to get myself back to where I was at county."

Section V Qualifying Meet
at The Villages
Top 3 in each weight class advance to states
101 - 1. Rashley (CIT) 135-110-245, 2. Keppel (LOL) 115-105-220, 3. Lane (RW) 110-100-210, 4. Bounmysai (NCT) 95-90-185, 12. Monzo (SPG) 0-80-80.
110 - 1. Marenghi (RR) 135-120-255 2. Rodriguez (RW) 110-115-225, 3. Tafoya (CR) 100-110-210, 7. Morales (NCT) 90-105-195, 9. Lukawski (CEN) 80-95-175.
119 - 1. Thomas (CIT) 135-115-250, 2. Groff (HUD) 110-125-235, 3. Snyder (LEC) 105-105-210, 10. Jeffords (SPG) 110-0-110.
129 - 1. Draganchuk (SPG) 140-135-275, 2. Perry (HUD) 135-125-260, 3. Patten (ZEP) 125-130-255, 16. Daniels (NCT) 100-0-100.
139 - 1. Cook (VIL) 145-145-290, 2. Sanders (ZEP) 160-125-285, 3. Reamer (WC) 135-135-270, 8. Szymanski (SPG) 115-110-225, 10. McRae (NCT) 110-115-225, 12. Mannino (SPG) 105-115-220.
154 - 1. Lindell (RR) 135-125-260, 2. Barlow (CIT) 130-130-260, 3. Roberts (NCT) 115-135-250, 4. D'Acunto (SPG) 140-110-250, 7. Johnson (NCT) 105-120-225, 11. Alderman (HER) 125-95-220.
169 - 1. Rosino (SPG) 170-125-295, 2. Goodfellow (CIT) 155-135-290, 3. Clum (RW) 150-140-290.
183 - 1. Kantaras (RW) 150-120-270, 2. Marks (SPG) 140-130-270, 3. Patton (ZEP) 155-110-265, 12. Jennings (HER) 100-75-175.
199 - 1. Shoun (RR) 150-155-305, 2. Bolt (SL) 135-155-290, 3. Sharpe (HER) 155-130-285, 9. Forte (CEN) 135-0-135.
UNL - 1. Rawls (CIT) 180-170-350, 2. Lemkuhl (SL) 165-150-315, 3. Blalock (ZEP) 160-145-305, 6. Barnett (SPG) 150-135-285.
Key: Central (CEN), Citrus (CIT), Crystal River (CR), Hernando (HER), Hudson (HUD), Land O' Lakes (LOL), Lecanto (LEC), Nature Coast (NCT), River Ridge (RR), Ridgewood (RW), Springstead (SPG), Sunlake (SL), The Villages (VIL), Wesley Chapel (WC), Zephyrhills (ZEP).