Lifters second at triangular

The Navarre High School weightlifting team placed second in a three-team meet March 6 with Fort Walton Beach and Choctawhatchee at Fort Walton Beach. (PHOTO: Marvin Darby was one of four weight-division winners for the Raiders).

The Vikings demonstrated why they may be one of the favorites in the upcoming state meet by scoring 50 points. Navarre scored 34 points and Choctaw had 27. Five points were awarded for first place in a weight-division, three for second, two for third and one for fourth.

The Raiders were led with first-place finishes by T.J. Woodberry, Marvin Darby, Jay Warren and Nick Benton.

The Raiders did not place in the 119-pound weight division and were not represented in the 129-pound class. Woodberry won the 139-pound division. His 245-pound bench press was the best lift in his weight class. He just missed a clean-and-jerk of 235 pounds and had to settle for a successful lift of 225 pounds, giving him a 470-pound total.

In the 154-pound weight class, James McCloskey placed fourth as he benched 220 pounds and had a 185-pound clean-and-jerk for a 405-pound combined lift.

In the 169-pound division, Kody Kelley also placed fourth. His 275-pound bench press combined with a 225-pound clean-and-jerk gave him a 500-pound total.

Benton scored the second Raider weight-class win in the 183-pound weight division. He benched 290 pounds and had a 310-pound clean-and-jerk. His 600-pound total tied him with a Fort Walton Beach competitor. However, Benton weighed four pounds less than his opponent and was awarded first place. Mason Mikul placed fourth in the same division. His 255-pound bench press and 245-pound clean-and-jerk gave him a 500-pound combined lift.

Warren and Dre Taylor continued their winning one-two combination in the 199-pound division. Warren had a 325-pound bench press to go with his 280-pound clean-and-jerk, giving him a winning 605-pound total. Taylor benched 305 pounds and had a 265-pound clean-and-jerk. His total of 570 pounds won second place in the division.

In the 219-pound weight class, Colton Mapoles finished in third place. He had a 275-pound bench press and equaled that amount in his last clean-and-jerk attempt, for a 550-pound total.

In the 238-pound division, the other one-two combination of Darby and Mitch Posey continued its domination in the weight class. Darby’s 315-pound bench press and 300-pound clean-and-jerk gave him a 615-pound winning total. Posey placed second with a 305-pound bench press and a 265-pound clean-and-jerk.

Devin Colonel placed third in the heavyweight division. He benched 260 pounds and had a 280-pound clean-and-jerk, for a 540-pound total.

The next meet will be the district championship March 18 at Navarre.