- May 5, 2024
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Spruce Creek poses with the regional championship trophy. Photo by Ray Boone
The Hawks' Cale Jansen does the clean-and-jerk in the regional meet. Photo by Ray Boone
Spruce Creek's 238-pounder, Isaac Attias, prepares to do the clean-and-jerk. Photo by Ray Boone
Spruce Creek's Nick Yaeger tightens his wrist wrap prior to the bench press. Photo by Ray Boone
The Hawks' Nick Yaeger does the bench press in the regional meet. Photo by Ray Boone
Displayed prominently on a wall in Spruce Creek’s weight room is a tall sheet of paper. On that paper are 13 goals for the Hawks’ boys weightlifting team. Sitting at the very top of the list, the Hawks’ No. 1 priority: winning the state championship on April 7.
After winning the district title nearly two weeks ago, the Hawks handily won the Region 4-2A title on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 21, at Spruce Creek High School, dominating the competition with a total score of 54. New Smyrna Beach, which finished second, had 30 points.
Spruce Creek coach David Nelson was not impressed.
“Overall, today was not our best day,” said Nelson, citing the numerous missed lifts his team had throughout the meet. “We did enough to win the region, but our goal is to peak at states.”
Four Spruce Creek lifters captured individual titles on Wednesday. Caleb Guthrie (119 pounds), Vinny Sneed (154), Nick Yaeger (183) and Isaac Attias (238) each finished atop their respective weight classes.
Attias, who bench pressed 370 and clean-and-jerked 270, said he held back during the meet. He wants to fly under the radar heading into the state meet.
“I know I’m capable of a lot more than I did,” he said. “I didn’t necessarily want to give my best effort now because I want to peak at states. Hopefully, I have a shot to win.”
Yaeger, who lifts in one of the most competitive weight classes in the state, woke up Wednesday morning one pound over weight. He spent the rest of the morning filling two bottles with spit in order to shed the extra weight.
“Basically, I felt like crap,” he said.
However, all of the lifters in his class were finished with the bench press by the time he took his first attempt at 340 pounds. He finished with a 355 on bench and clean-and-jerked 315.
“I felt like I didn’t have my best stuff today,” he said.
He hopes his best comes on April 7.
“If I don’t, I feel like I won’t have a chance to win.”
