FPC's Buchanan doubles up at regional weightlifting tournament

Palm Coast Observer
Sports

There was never a doubt that Flagler Palm Coast senior Annie Buchanan would return to the state girls weightlifting championships to defend her 2021 title.

Buchanan guaranteed her return by winning the 199-pound titles in the traditional bench press/clean and jerk competition as well as the new snatch lift event at the Region 1-3A meet Jan. 29 at FPC.

FPC state qualifiers

Traditional

With regional place and bench press, clean and jerk and total:

110: Aryanna Rosa, second, 125-140—270 (No. 4 seed). 129: Kelsey Gocking, third, 140-160—300 (No. 5 seed); Brianna Tucker, ninth, 135-145—280. 139: Aun'yale Howard, third, 150-170—320 (No. 4 seed). 154: Diana Croft, third, 175-175—350 (No. 5 seed). 183: Midlyne Thomas, seventh, 140-150—290. 199: Annie Buchanan, first, 250-220—450 (No. 1 seed). Unl: Colleen Haaf, seventh, 170-165—335.

119-pounder Jada Ortiz placed sixth at regional (110-130—240), but did not make the top-16 pool.

Snatch lift

With regional place and lift:

110: Aryanna Rosa, second, 105 (No. 3 seed). 129: Kelsey Gocking, fourth, 115 (No. 6 seed); Brianna Tucker, fifth, 110. 139: Aun'yale Howard, first, 130 (No. 2 seed). 154: Diana Croft, first, 130 (No. 4 seed); Charity Alonso, fifth, 105. 169: Chloe Long, eighth, 105. 183: Midlyne Thomas, fourth, 100. 199: Annie Buchanan, first, 165 (No. 1 seed). Unl: Colleen Haaf, third, 120 (No. 7 seed).

She is one of 11 FPC lifters who have qualified for the Class 3A state championships Feb. 10 at Port St. Joe High School.

Buchanan, Aryannah Rosa (110-pound weight class), Kelsey Gocking (129) Aun'yale Howard (139) and Diana Croft (154) all competed at state last year, and they all qualified to compete in both events this time around.

Brianna Tucker (129), Midlyne Thomas (183) and Colleen Haaf (unlimited) also qualified in both events. Charity Alonso (154), Chole Long (169) and Zoey Gotera (unlimited) qualified for the snatch lift.

Four of the Bulldogs' returning state qualifiers blew their 2021 state totals out of the water at the regional. Buchanan merely matched her state total of 450 pounds. But she won the state championship by 85 pounds last year, so the other Class 3A lifters have had quite a bit of catching up to do.

Buchanan is the top seed at state in both events. Her 450 bench/clean and jerk total is 95 pounds more than the second seed's total. At the regional, Buchanan won the traditional championship by 120 pounds over second-place Abby Routh of Navarre.

Buchanan's snatch lift of 165 pounds was 50 pounds more than second-place Bec Dannemiller of Niceville.

Buchanan benched 230 and clean and jerked 220 at the regional. She likely would have surpassed her state total by five pounds but decided to jump from 230 to 240 on her third bench press attempt and didn't hit it. She successfully benched 235 at districts on Jan. 19.

Rosa finished second in both events at regional. She placed fifth last year in the 110-pound class with a 250 total. She totaled 270 at regional in the traditional event and lifted 105 in snatch.

Howard won the snatch title at regional with a 130-pound lift, and finished third in the traditional event with a 320 total. Howard had a 285 total at state last year.

Croft also won the snatch title at regional with a 130 lift. She was third in the traditional event with 350 total, which is 40 pounds more than her 2021 state total.

Gocking placed third at regional in the traditional event with a 300 total and fourth in snatch with a 115 lift. She lifted a total of 285 pounds in the traditional competition at state last year.

Rosa, Gocking, Howard and Croft are all seeded among the top six in both events at state. Haaf is seeded seventh in snatch.