Coral Shores claims district weightlifting titles, Marathon places third

Coral Shores walked out of Key Largo School with both FHSAA 1A District 16 boys weightlifting team titles, and Marathon stayed in the mix with a third-place finish in both divisions as eight Monroe County lifters won gold and moved on to regionals.

The Hurricanes claimed the Olympic and traditional crowns, giving Coral Shores the headline result in a meet that underscored how much strength the Upper Keys continue to produce in a sport where Monroe County fields only two boys programs. Marathon’s third-place team finishes kept the Dolphins on the podium and set up another round of postseason competition for several of their lifters.

Coral Shores was paced by a pair of dual champions. Kyle Derobertis won both events at 129 pounds, posting 280 pounds in Olympic and 325 in traditional. Mason Aussubel also doubled up for the Hurricanes at 238 pounds, lifting 265 in Olympic and 315 in traditional. At 219 pounds, the titles split between Coral Shores teammates Fredy Flores and Nicholas Calderon, with Flores winning traditional at 485 pounds and Calderon taking Olympic at 360. Ekon Edwards added another gold for Coral Shores in the 199-pound Olympic class with a 405-pound lift.

Marathon’s top performance came from Max Childress, who became the Dolphins’ lone dual champion by winning both events at 183 pounds. Childress lifted 540 in traditional and 450 in Olympic, a standout showing that helped anchor Marathon’s run to third place. Isaak Vallejo added a traditional title at 199 pounds, and Matthias Martinez-Velez won traditional gold at 139 pounds.

The eight district champions automatically advanced to regionals, which are scheduled for April 22 at Keys Gate Charter School. For the rest of the field, wildcard berths will depend on how the other district meets shake out, keeping more Keys lifters in the postseason conversation.

The district results fit a familiar pattern for Monroe County weightlifting. In 2025, Coral Shores and Marathon both earned district championships, with the schools sharing the Olympic title and Marathon winning traditional outright. That season produced five district champions, eight total titles, 32 regional qualifiers, two regional champions and four state-meet bids. In 2024, Marathon was runner-up in both district divisions while Coral Shores placed third in Olympic and fourth in traditional, a sign that the county has been competitive well beyond a single banner year.

The 2026 season began Jan. 12, the regular season ran from Feb. 2 through March 27, and the district window ran April 6-11. Regionals follow April 22-25, with the state championships set for May 6-8 at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. For Coral Shores and Marathon, the path is still open, and the Keys remain firmly in the hunt for more hardware.