High schools: Two Marion County girls capture weightlifting state championships

For the first time in Marion County history, two FHSAA girls state weightlifting champions have been crowned in the same week.

First, Forest’s Alexis Hogan claimed the Class 3A championship at 154 pounds on Wednesday, and then, less than 24 hours later, Belleview’s Hannah Collett repeated in 2A’s 110-pound class at Port St. Joe High School.

Hogan entered Wednesday’s competition as the No. 1 qualifier in 3A at 154 and won gold comfortably.

She bench pressed 180 and cleaned a personal-best 190 to total 370, 15 pounds better than second-place finisher Amber Lopez of Park Vista.

High schools: 5 questions with Ocala Forest senior weightlifter Alexis Hogan

The top qualifier in her weight class, Collett lifted 145-155-300 to beat runner-up Gabriella Schwarz of Sunlake by 10 pounds.

Collett, who placed third as a freshman and second as a sophomore, lifted the same 145-155-300 to claim her first 2A 110-pound championship in 2021.

With the win, Collett joins North Marion alum Lakitta Johnson as the only girls lifters in county history with multiple state titles. Johnson was the FHSAA’s single-classification unlimited champion in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

And now, Hogan, Forest’s first title winner, has put herself on the exclusive list of state champs from the county that includes Johnson, Collett, Bejay Fray (2014 Lake Weir, single-class, 139 pounds) and Latavia Bagley (2004 West Port, single-class, unlimited).

Belleview’s Isabelle Amparo placed sixth at 154 pounds in the Class 2A meet at Port St. Joe on Friday evening.

Amparo put up 175-155-330 to become one of eight lifters in her weight class to earn points for her team.

Boys basketball

Mount Dora Christian Academy 75, Redeemer Christian 41: At MDCA, the second-seeded Lions (17-9) were defeated Friday night in the District 5-2A final by the top-seeded Bulldogs (25-1). MDCA will host a regional quarterfinal on Thursday, while Redeemer will find out its playoff fate Saturday evening.

HEART 48, Tavares Liberty Christian 44: At HEART, Kyle Warner (21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals), Michael Lusher (12 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks) and Josh King (9 points, 3 steals, 2 rebounds) paced the hosts. The Falcons (12-10) will compete on March 2 in the NACA Tournament in Dayton, Tenn.

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Two Marion County girls capture weightlifting state championships