Mike Ridaught
The Florida Dairy Farmers recognized Keystone Heights head coach Lantz Lowery as the 2022 Boys Weightlifting Coach-of-the-Year.
Lowery was selected as the top coach in the state after leading the Indians to their second straight Class 1A state title in the Traditional competition, along with the inaugural Snatch competition title.
“I am amazed,” Lowery said. “It is the greatest honor that I can achieve as a high school coach.”
Keystone Heights, which defeated Class 3A state champion Flagler Palm Coast during the regular season, finished with 55 points at the state meet in April. West Nassau (Callahan) finished second with 17 points.
The Indians had nine top-three finishes, including three champions in the Traditional, with two winners and four other top-three finishes in the Snatch competition.
“The key to repeating was returning the same team that won it last year, and keeping them focused on each workout,” Lowery said. “Not looking beyond each day’s workout and staying focused on getting better each day.”
Other Keystone Heights state champions in the Traditional competition included Logan Williams (169-pound division), Ulysses Freed (154-pound division), and Mason Dicks (Unlimited weight class). Junior Bryar Schenck won a state title in the 183-pound Snatch competition.
Freed, who also won a state title in the Snatch competition, was a finalist for the Mr. Weightlifting award.
Suwannee’s (Live Oak) Ricardo Garcia, who won both the Traditional and Snatch titles in the Class 2A 119-pound division, was also a finalist for the Mr. Weightlifting award.
Senior Julian Sykes of St. Cloud High School Sykes, who won the 154-pound Class 3A state championship in both the Traditional and Snatch competitions, posted a 315-pound bench press and added a 300-pound lift in the clean-and-jerk for a 615-pound total that bested the runner-up by 70 pounds, was named Mr. Weightlifting.
The Florida Dairy Farmers High School Sports Awards program exemplifies Florida Dairy Farmers’ commitment to the state’s youth. This is the 30th year of these unique awards as we honor the state’s top athletes and coaches in all 32 FHSAA sanctioned and recognized sports. The program also emphasizes to young people the importance of keeping dairy products a primary part of their diet in their overall nutrition plan.