FPC holds off New Smyrna Beach for Five Star girls weightlifting title

Led by four individual champions, Flagler Palm Coast reclaimed the Five Star girls weightlifting title late Wednesday.

The Bulldogs totaled 53 points in the team standings, three better than runner-up New Smyrna Beach. University rounded out the top-3 with 34 points, its best performance in program history.

Sisters Anniel and Lexi Buchanan — competing in the 199-pound and unlimited — set conference bench press, clean and jerk and total records for their respective weight divisions. Anniel finished with a 395 total (210 bench/185 clean and jerk) and Lexi comfortably posted the day’s highest total at 515 (280/235).

The Hattani sisters, Jasmine and Nadia, added wins in the 139 and 183 classes.

New Smyrna Beach had five individual champions, headlined by 119-pounder Jillian Malphurs and 154-pounder Marr Desvarieux. Both All-Area first teamers set new Five Star standards in their divisions — Malphurs for bench (170) and total (330), and Desvarieux for the clean and jerk (200).

Kacie Stouffer (110 pounds), Haylee Gamble (129) and Daisha Jarvis (169) were also victorious for the Barracudas.

The only non-FPC or New Smyrna Beach lifter to capture a gold medal was Spruce Creek’s Sofia Cianfarra. The junior posted a 255 total in the 101 division, the lightest of the 10 weight classes.

District meets begin next week. FPC and DeLand will serve as host sites for competitions on Jan. 23 and 24.