FCHS weightlifting program taking shape
Sophomore Kaiden Lewis has twice paced the Franklin County boys weightlifting program this month, taking victories in the 139-pound weight class at a pair of meets at Wakulla High School.
Coach John Cooper, who has intertwined the weightlifting program with football offseason workouts, took 11 lifters to the Feb. 2 meet, where the Seahawks competed against Wakulla and Leon.
Sophomore Sheldon James joined Lewis in the winner’s circle, taking top honors in the 238-pound weight class.
Cooper said the weightlifting program now had a little over 30 athletes, with 20 allowed to compete for points at each weightlifting event. “Due to there being 10 weight classes, two lifters can compete for each weight class,” he said.
At the Feb. 16 dual meet at Wakulla, Lewis again took home top prize in the 139-pound class. Joining him as a champion was sophomore Michael Hill, in the 219-pound weight class, and junior Garyson Millender in the 154-pound weight class.
Taking part in boys weightlifting also include eighth graders Lucas Field and Jeromiah Russ; freshmen Raymond West, Angel Cruz, Bennett McNair, Brayden Brown, Owen Juno, Gavin Page and Eric Smith; sophomores Christopher Russell and Clayton Martina; and juniors Amontaye Austin and Corbin Pritchard.
Workouts are currently Monday through Thursday from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m.
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.