Cougar lifters take state
Published 11:55 am Monday, February 25, 2013
EA weightlifters are: Top row, from left, Jackson Bonner, Jabe Dawe, Tyler Sells, Drew Parker, Kainoa Gumapac, Garrett Emmons, Darius Brooks, Brice McGhee, Gordon Brooks, middle row; Brad Quimby, Nolan White, J.P. Sawyer, Nate Smith, Tyler Sutton, Austin Ryan, Josh Fields, Bradley Rolin, Steven Wilson, Trey McGhee, Xan McGhee, Layne Pervis, back row; Tadd Huskey, Maleek Salter, Tim Finklea, Dakota Barlow, Scott Bradley, Jamey Vaughan, Kevin Gumapac, Noah Blue, Earls Dibbles, Garrett Nesmith, H.T. Fountain and Chris Colburn.
Led by Brewton native James Fuqua, who lifted the most weight at the meet, the Escambia Academy Cougars won the Alabama Independent Schools’ Association Class 3A state championship Tuesday.
Fuqua, a 6-foot-3-inch sophomore, lifted 495 pounds on a squat, completed a 540-pound dead lift and a 330-pound bench press in the super heavyweight class.
The Cougars were dominant in the one-day meet, taking championships in 10 of the competition’s 20 weight classes.
“I was pleased with them,” said coach Hugh Fountain. “They lifted well and didn’t make mistakes.”
Fountain said the team is made up of athletes from other sports at the school, who lift year-round, but sharpen their focus in December.
“They lift all year because they do it for other sports,” Fountain said. “It’s a year round activity, but we bear down in December.”
In addition to weightlifting, Fuqua competes in track as a discus thrower and shot putter and on the football team as a defensive tackle.
“It was good considering I’m only a sophomore,” Fuqua said of his performance at the meet. “I try not to brag about it but it was good.”
EA’s Alden Lassiter was the lightweight lifting champion at the meet.
Not only did the Cougars take first place in their division, but also took first place overall, beating every school at the competition. It was their first 3A championship ever.
They failed to score in only the 115, 158, 175, 258 and 275 weight classes and won every class in 140 pounds or less, except 115 where they didn’t have a competitor.
The following lifters picked up first-place finishes in their respective divisions: Garrett Nasmith in the 242-pound class, Trae Lee in the 205-pound class, Gordon Brooks in the 165-pound class, J.P. Sawyer in the 140-pound class, Derrius Brooks in the 123-pound class, Kanoia Gumapac in the 105-pound class, Tyler Sells in the 98-pound class and Chase Bell in the 81-pound class.
The following lifters picked up second: Nolan White in the 258-pound class, Cameron Murphy in the 220-pound class, Reid Bell in the 198-pound class, Drew Parker in the 123-pound class, Jackson Bonner in the 98-pound class and Sam Smith in the 81-pound class.
