Wewa takes boys weightlifting regional title

Just as they had done at the March 29 district tournament, the Wewahitchka boys weightlifting team finished first in both the Snatch and the Traditional events at the Class 1A Region 1 tournament Friday at the Port St. Joe High School gym.

The Gators earned 47 points in Snatch, 12 points better than runner-up North Bay Haven. Wewa narrowly edged out Port St. Joe 35-32 in the Traditional competition. 

The top lifter in each weight class qualifies for the Florida High School Athletic Association state tournament, with the remaining at-large competitors selected from the top six finishers at each of the four regional meets. 

“It’s an advantage for us as the host because we’re set up now and we can leave it set up all the way through the state meet,” Wewa coach and tournament organizer Bobby Johns told WMBB.

The state boys weightlifting tournament, for Class 1A as well as 2A and 3A, will be hosted by Gulf District Schools, Thursday through Saturday, April 21 to 23. 

Port St. Joe coach Tanner Jones said physical education classes, normally held in the gym, would be in the upstairs area or outside until the state tournament begins.

Here is a list of the top local lifters in Snatch: 

• 119 pounds: Wewa’s Cole Williams first with 125 pounds, and Landin Webb second with 110
• 129: Wewa’s Corbin Hysmith third with 115 
• 139: Wewa’s Bryson Greene third with 145 
• 154: Wewa’s Nathan Combs fifth with 150, and Port St. Joe’s Jacob Marshall sixth with 145 
• 169: Wewa’s Avery Davis third with 165, and Tremaine Booker fifth with 160 
• 183: Wewa’s P.J. Garrison first with 185 
• 199: None 
• 219: Wewa’s Braxton Durden fourth with 175 
• 238: Wewa’s Caden Wooten third with 170, and Preston Stacey fourth with 170 
• Unlimited: Wewa’s Noah Taunton fifth with 175 

Top local lifters in Traditional: 

• 119 pounds: Wewa’s Williams first with 325 pounds, and Jake Parker second with 315 
• 129: Wewa’s Hysmith fourth with 360 
• 139: Port St. Joe’s Devin Cuttins second with 450, and Wewa’s Greene fifth with 410 
• 154: None 
• 169: Port St. Joe’s Tad Russell first with 540, and P.J. Jones second with 535; Wewa’s Booker third with 505 
• 183: Wewa’s Joey Salerno first with 550, and Port St. Joe’s Chase Lanford sixth with 505 
• 199: None 
• 219: Port St. Joe’s Aiden Gainer first with 595, and Wewa’s Durden fourth with 550 
• 238: Port St. Joe D.J. Oliver first with 635, and Wewa’s Stacey third with 600 
• Unlimited: None

Port St. Joe junior Sailor Tull, who won the Unlimited traditional competition at the district meet, “tore his pectoral trying 370 on bench,” said Jones. “If he finishes, we win (in Traditional). All he had to do was take fourth.” 

Tull, a mainstay on the Tiger Shark line during football season, was scheduled for an MRI on Monday, April 11. “Fingers crossed,” said Jones. 

Both local schools should be well represented at the FHSAA Class 1A state finals on Saturday, April 23.