- April 24, 2024
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FPC's Domonique Bennett, Malakai Grant and Isaiah Rivers. Courtesy Photo.
Matanzas team (featuring Aly Louis-Charles, Nick Morin, Jason Charles, Richard Rigby, Cameron Sleep, Donovan Try and Cole Hash.)Courtesy Photo.
Both the Bulldogs of Flagler Palm Coast and the Pirates of Matanzas sent athletes to this year's boys weightlifting state championships. Matanzas sent seven to the 2A championships on April 23-24 at Port St. Joe High School and FPC sent three to compete on the 24th at St. Cloud High School.
FPC's Domonique Bennett had the highest finish out of the two schools, taking second in the 129-pound boys' weightlifting division. Bennett finished with a total of 470 after clearing 240 lbs for the bench press and 230 lbs for the clean and jerk.
Teammates Isaiah Rivers and Malakai Grant took 5th and 11th in their respective weight divisions at 154 and 199. Rivers benched 285 lbs and 235 lbs for the clean and jerk to finish with a 520 total score, where Grant also benched 285 lbs but hit 260 lbs for the clean and jerk for a total of 545.
As a team, the Bulldog trio finished ninth in the state.
"The guys did everything that was asked of them and left it all on the platform," FPC head coach Duane Hagstrom said. "All of them were laser focused and gave everything they had. To finish in the top 10 in the state with only 3 lifters is a great accomplishment by itself."
For the Pirates, Nick Morin also cracked the top ten, finishing sixth in the heavyweight division to lead the way. Morin cleared 375 lbs for the bench press to tie the Matanzas school record and 295 lbs for the clean and jerk to finish with a 670 total score. Aly Louis-Charles took ninth overall in the 219 division. Louis-Charles cleared 330 lbs for the bench press and 275 lbs for the clean and jerk to finish with a 605 total score.
Jason Charles finished 12th in the 183 division after he cleared 285 lbs for the bench press and 225 lbs for the clean and jerk to finish with a 510 total score. Richard Rigby was 14th in the 199 division after clearing 285 lbs for the bench press and 240 lbs for the clean and jerk to finish with a 525 total score.
Cameron Sleep was 15th in the 119 division after he benched 190 lbs and 135 lbs for the clean and jerk to finish with a 325 total score. Donovan Try took 17th in the 139 division after benching 215 lbs and clearing 205 lbs for the clean and jerk to finish with a 420 total score, whereas Cole Hash finished 18th in the 169 division after he benched 250 lbs and cleared 215 lbs for the clean and jerk to finish with a 465 total score.
"I cannot be more proud of all seven of our guys that qualified for states," Matanzas head coach Matthew Forrest. "Cole Hash was just a freshman. Cameron Sleep PR’d at states, Donovan Try went six for six with two PR’s. Nick Morin placed sixth and tied the school record for bench at 375, Jason Charles, Richard Rigby and Aly Louis-Charles did their best as well."
Matanzas capped of the season with their first district and regional team championships in program history and FPC took third at their district championships.
Both Hagstrom and Forrest share the same sentiment in regard to the future of their respective programs, both already lining the pieces up to continue building for next year. Hagstrom will look to have a good group of rising seniors and Forrest will be able to spend essentially a full year with his returners since many of them will join him back on the football field in the fall.
