Battle of the Blue vs. White

The Maclay Varsity Boys Weightlifting Team Hosts the “Blue vs. White” Preseason Meet

Photo by Brooke Nohle/Maclay Andalusian

On Jan. 24, the Maclay varsity boys weightlifting team hosted their first preseason meet of the year. The “Blue vs. White” weightlifting meet is a meet in which the entirety of the boys weightlifting team is split into two teams. They then compete against each other, attempting to score as many points as possible. The goal of this meet is to get comfortable with competing to ensure smooth running meets in the regular season.

As the meet began, each lifter warmed up as they waited for the weight to be called. Each lifter competed in three lifts: clean and jerk, bench and snatch. The weight classes are divided into 10 weight classes: 119 lbs, 129 lbs, 139 lbs, 154 lbs, 169 lbs, 183 lbs, 199 lbs, 219 lbs, 238 lbs and Heavyweight. 

Even though this is the first meet of the season, the lifters put up impressive weights. Senior Will O’Connor finished with a snatch of 175 lbs and 235 lbs on clean and jerk.

“I thought I did really well for the first meet of the season,” O’Connor said. “I think it [the intersquad meet] helps us run through the motions; especially for the new people to figure out how a meet works.”

Bench is a favorite among the boys weightlifting team. Senior Jack Grooters maxed out at 210 lbs on the pause bench, which is much more difficult than the regular bench. He also had a 185 lbs clean and jerk. Sophomore Keaton Beech lifted the heaviest weight on the pause bench that afternoon, maxing out at 260 lbs.

“I felt pretty good,” Beech said. “I know I am able to do [lift] a lot more than last year the more I practice.”

The team as a whole laid down heavy weights, which helps them for the regular season meets. Sophomore Manny Arisso had a good meet, as he hopes for a promising future at states.

“I think I performed decently; I didn’t try to push myself,” Arisso said. “I think the [intersquad] meet is great because it helps for everyone to be prepared for the regular season.”

The meet as a whole ran just as the team hoped– smoothly. As the boys weightlifting time heads into the regular season, they will continue to practice three times a week and challenge themselves daily.