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By STEVE LEE
© St. Petersburg Times, published February 23, 2001
DADE CITY -- Heavyweight lifter Daniel Stallings is back at square one after a six-week layoff resulting from two pulls to his pectoral muscles.
The Pasco senior realizes he cannot afford to strain too much on the bench press as another injury could jeopardize his goals of winning a Sunshine Athletic Conference championship and benching 400 pounds at the state meet.
"I think it's healed," Stallings said. "I've just got to gradually go up (in weight). I can't force it."
Before Stallings approaches the school-record bench press of 390 pounds he set last year, he must feel comfortable lifting a lighter weight. By Wednesday's home meet against River Ridge and Hudson, Stallings hopes to bench 380.
"I've got a bunch of catching up to do before I'm satisfied," Stallings said.
Last year, Stallings was the SAC heavyweight runner-up to Zephyrhills' Craig Merson. In that meet, Stallings had two failed attempts at 400.