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Winning isn't everything

By STEVE LEE
Published January 19, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - One team champion and 10 individual winners were crowned in Wednesday's Sunshine Athletic Conference meet at Ridgewood.

But the host Rams winning the title, led by three-time conference champion Meghan Seltman, is only part of the story. Each individual had a reason to compete.

And not all included winning a weight class.

Heather Paone, Hudson

While Paone lifted her way to a second straight 154-pound title, teammates in another sport she plays won a Class 4A, District 8 semifinal.

A 7-1 defeat of Zephyrhills made Hudson's girls soccer team the first in school history to qualify for the playoffs. The Cobras take on Springstead in tonight's district final.

"I wish I was there, just to support them," Paone said between bench-pressing 135 pounds and hoisting 135 in the clean and jerk. "They know my heart's there."

Taking on numerous sports is nothing new to the senior, who has competed in gymnastics, tae kwon do, volleyball and track and field pole vault, hurdles.

Sara Ippolito, Land O'Lakes

Not everyone is "in it to win it," so to speak.

Ippolito came out for the sport to shut up "guys who don't think girls should do weightlifting. They think girls are wusses, but they're not."

The Land O'Lakes senior and third-year lifter again failed to crack the top three. And it had nothing to do with scratching on one of her bench-press lifts for wearing a hair tie on her wrist. What it really was about is Ippolito's priorities.

Instead of training during the holidays, she took a trip to Nicaragua. As one of 23 adults and teens from Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in Land O'Lakes, Ippolito was part of a mission to an impoverished area.

"I got to see people who didn't have clothes on their backs and they were real happy," said Ippolito, who also spent eight years in gymnastics. "If you gave them a sticker, they'd have the biggest smiles on their faces."

Brianna Hooker, River Ridge

In two seasons, the sophomore has won every meet (excluding state) she has competed in the 101 class. On Wednesday, she won her debut at 119 to claim a second SAC title.

"Hooker's the best," teammate Jacqueline Vukcevic said. "I've never seen anyone beat her. She focuses. Weightlifting's 60 percent mental, 40 percent physical. You have to think about it."

Placing seventh in last year's state meet is something Hooker thinks about - and it drives her.

"I got a little upset," Hooker said of coming up one place shy of a medal at state.

Like numerous lifters, Hooker is a gymnast. She also runs cross country. Asked for her choice of favorite sports, she listed gymnastics first, but rated weightlifting and cross country as a tie for second.

Steve Lee can be reached at lee@sptimes.com or (352) 521-6517.

[Last modified January 19, 2007, 07:14:29]