Central, Nature Coast Split GCAC Boys Weightlifting Conference Titles

Central High School and Nature Coast Technical split the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference boys weightlifting titles at a championship meet hosted by Central on March 14, with the Bears claiming the Olympic competition and the Sharks taking the traditional crown by a single point.

Nature Coast won the traditional team title, which combines bench press and clean-and-jerk, 47-46 over Central, the slimmest possible margin. Central countered by winning the Olympic competition, a snatch and clean-and-jerk format, for the third time in five years. Hernando High School finished a competitive third in both disciplines, scoring 43 points in Olympic and 41 in traditional. Springstead placed fourth in each, posting 31 in Olympic and 33 in traditional, while Weeki Wachee rounded out the five-team Hernando County field in fifth with seven Olympic points and 28 in traditional.

Nature Coast's traditional title was built on five individual weight class champions. Jayden Monroe won the 119-pound class with a 340 total, and Logan Boylan took the 129 at 320. Vicent Cusca dominated the 169-pound class with a 560 total, Justin Delery won the 219 at 575, and Jason Turner claimed the 238-pound title at 550.

Central head coach Paul Kern credited the program's depth while acknowledging the tightness of the competition. "We've got a lot younger guys over the years that stuck with it and now they're juniors and some seniors, and it's showing. But we've always had a decent team here," Kern said. He noted that Hernando's performance stood out alongside the expected challenge from Nature Coast. "Going in, as a coach I knew Nature Coast was going to be tough, but Hernando kind of surprised me a little bit."

With conference competition behind them, Kern's attention shifted immediately to districts, where Central is chasing a third consecutive team title. "The biggest thing now is getting our No. 2 guys ready. Because at conference we can only take our top 10. Now the guys behind the No. 1s who can also score points, it's getting them prepared for districts. If we can do three district titles in a row they'll be the ones to help us do it."

Separately, at a Gulf Coast 8 Conference meet held the same week at Lecanto High School in Citrus County, Central edged Nature Coast again, this time 37-34, for the overall team title. Lecanto and Hernando tied for third with 30 points each, Crystal River finished sixth with 25 points, and Citrus placed eighth with seven. Crystal River produced two individual champions: Trenton Clark won the 139-pound class with a bench press of 245 and a clean-and-jerk of 205 for a 450 total, 20 pounds clear of a Springstead runner-up, while Chris Wilson took the 199 with a 295 bench and 275 clean-and-jerk for a 570 total, a margin of 90 pounds over the Nature Coast runner-up. Lecanto's Sam Begin won the 183-pound title for the host Panthers.

Clark, who left a 250-pound bench on the table after a lift went unconfirmed, set a personal record in the clean-and-jerk and already has his sights on the state meet. "A 485 total would put me like top three in states," he said.