By By Matthew Nascone
What a difference a year makes. At least that is what Northview Lady Chiefs weightlifting coach Stephanie Elowsky believes after her team size went from 10 girls in 2005-06 to 26 this season.
This year the team competed in three meets and a district meet. At the district meet Jan. 10 in Pine Forest, Fla. Rachel Killam, Kasey Baggett, Briana Halteman and Jessica Mothershed placed in the Top 3 of their weight class and moved onto the sectionals competition. Killam grabbed first in her weight class.
"We are proud of them and we hope they do well in the sectionals meet," Elowsky said.
The sectionals competition takes place today at Fort Walton Beach High School and the Top 3 move onto the state competition. This competition pits the girls from NHS against girls from Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties, Fla.
The state competition will be Feb. 10 in Gainesville, Fla. Last year NHS sent Hannah Gunter to the state competition.
Elowsky said the 2006-07 season was a good one for the Lady Chiefs and they had one meet win and two second place finishes.
"In our meet at West Florida we had all our girls placed in their respective weight class," she said. "I enjoy coaching these girls and we can only get better because we are a young team. And it is rewarding when the girls come up to me and say 'Coach I went up 10 pounds' and they are really excited. Overall I am proud of our girls and the steps they have taken to getting better."
Elowsky said the team is young and that is true, as 17 of the 26 girls on the team are sophomores or freshmen.