Lifting quartet pumped for states

LAKEWOOD RANCH — They come from different schools and different athletic backgrounds.
They have entirely different strengths and weaknesses.

But there is one common thread that binds Braden River High’s Tevin Bryant and Chris Wong and Lakewood Ranch High’s Steve Birakis and Mike Myers together — they’re all state qualifiers.

Last season, they advanced to the boys weightlifting state finals — Bryant and Wong in Class 1A and Birakis and Myers in Class 2A. Bryant captured the Pirates first state championship, winning the 219-pound weight class with a combined lift of 680 pounds.

Birakis placed second at 183 with a 650-pound lift. Wong finished sixth in 119 with a combined lift of 365 pounds; and Myers finished 11th in 169 with a 560-pound lift. Now in their senior season, the foursome is hoping to once again advance to the state finals with their sights set on bringing home a pair of state championships to their respective schools.

“It’s all or nothing this time,” Birakis said. “Weightlifting is the only sport where four years of hard work can come down to three seconds.”

Wong agreed.

“Hopefully, this year will be my turn,” he said. “Going back to states is the main thing and then I’ll see how I do (once) I get there.”

On March 8, Bryant, Wong, Birakis and Myers showed they know what it’s going to take for them to achieve their goals, as they each won their respective weight classes in a tri-meet between Braden River, Lakewood and Venice.

Wong won the 119-pound weight class with a combined lift of 375 pounds.

“I don’t even know how to explain today,” Wong said. “I was nervous like I always am, but I just came out and started, knowing that I would get (somewhere). After I knew I won with my clean and jerk I decided to go big on my last one and I almost got 200 (pounds).”

Myers won the 183-pound weight class with bench press of 335 pounds and a clean and jerk of 260 pounds. Birakis won the 199-pound weight class with a combined lift of 610 pounds; and Bryant won the 219-pound weight class with a combined lift of 620 pounds.

Braden River’s Alex Valley (139) and Guiellermo Arguellas (154) also were victorious in their respective weight classes.

“We have a lot of young kids who haven’t ever lifted in a meet and I thought they did a really good job,” Braden River coach Chad Choate said. “They’re working hard and we’re progressing each week. Slowly we’re getting to where we want to be.”

Braden River and Lakewood both return to action March 13 at the Booker Invitational. The Pirates won the invitational last season and are looking for a repeat performance. The invitational could also set the stage for the state finals because both Braden River and Lakewood now find themselves in Class 2A.

“We’re going to have to max at Booker, but it’ll be a good (opportunity) to see how we’re going to do at sectionals,” Birakis said.

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].