Wewa dominates Forgotten Coast boys weightlifting
Seven lifters headed to state tourney
The Wewahitchka High School Gators showed they were the top boys weightlifting team in Gulf and Franklin counties, dominating the regionals in Baker last week and sending seven lifters to the state tournament next week.
Under the direction of coach Gene Rollins, the Gators won both the Traditional and Olympic classes, edging out Baker 35-26 in Traditional, while Port St. Joe finished seventh and Franklin County tied for 14th.
In Olympic style, Wewa downed Bloutstown 42-27 for the regional title while Port St. Joe was tied for ninth and Franklin County for 20th.
Traditional results had Wewa’s Brayden Skipper winning in the 119-weight class, with a 355-pound total. Wewa’s Isiah Melvin finished sixth, with a 285-pound total, and Port St. Joe’s Lucas Rodgers was eighth, with a 255-pound total. In that weight class, Franklin County’s Drew Ham and Kamerion Sudduth also competed.
In the 129-pound class, Wewa’s Cole Williams was first with a 430-pound total, and teammate Landon Webb was third with a 415-pound total. Port St. Joe’s Malik O’Neal and Alexander Payne also competed in that weight class in both divisions.
In the 139-pound class, Tiger Shark Ayden Davis was sixth, with a total lift of 375 pounds. Port St. Joe’s Blake Childress also competed.
Port St. Joe’s Devin Cuttino was the victor in the 154-pound weight class, with Wewa’s Bryson Greene finishing fourth. Franklin County’s Kaiden Lewis also competed.
In the 169-pound class, Franklin County’s Eric Smith was evidence of the emergence of the program under Coach John Cooper, as he took fourth place with a 505-pound total.
In the 183-pound class, Wewa’s Tyran Williams took sixth with a total of 485 pounds. Port St. Joe’s Costin Marshall also competed in both styles.
In the 199-pound class, Franklin County’s Michael Hill was the top finisher from the Forgotten Coast, finishing fourth with a total of 545 pounds.
In the 219-pound class, Wewa’s Preston Stacey was second with a 675-pound total, while Port St. Joe’s Camden Focht was fifth with a 515-pound total.
Wewa’s Noah Taunton was the champion of the 238-pound class, with a 620-pound total while Tiger Shark Daniel Alaniz was 10th with a total lift of 490 pounds. Tiger Shark Landry Rowland and Seahawk Sheldon James also competed in both styles in this weight class.
In the Unlimited class, Port St. Joe’s Uwenses Benedict was seventh, with a 575-pound total.
Olympic results had Wewa’s Skipper again winning in the 119-weight class, with a 315-pound total. Wewa’s Melvin finished seventh, with a 235-pound total, and Port St. Joe’s Lucas Rodgers was eighth, with a 220-pound total.
In the 129-pound class, Wewa’s Williams was first with a 385-pound total, just ahead of teammate Webb, who lifted a total of 345 pounds. Franklin County’s Owen Juno was 10th, with a total lift of 255 pounds
In the 139-pound class, Tiger Shark Davis was sixth, with a total lift of 315 pounds. Teammate
Wewa’s Greene was second in the 154-pound weight class, with 425 pounds, ahead of Port St. Joe’s Cuttino, who ran third with a total of 390 pounds.
In the 169-pound class, Franklin County’s Smith took fifth place with a 400-pound total. Wewa’s Peyton Harrell was sixth, lifting a total of 395 pounds.
In the 183-pound class, Wewa’s Williams took fourth with a total of 420 pounds.
In the 199-pound class, Port St. Joe’s Jacob Marshall was fifth with a 425-pound total while teammate Asher Peacock finished 10th, with a total of 390 pounds.
In the 219-pound class, Wewa’s Stacey won with a total of 505 pounds, as Port St. Joe’s King Waters finished seventh with a 405-pound total. Tiger Shark Colton Johnson also competed.
Wewa’s Taunton was the champion of the 238-pound class, with a 515-pound total.
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.