Local Video
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| Weightlifters take sixth straight title |
By: Jeff Wald, Sports Editor
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Posted: Friday, March 19, 2010 10:21 pm
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Northfield’s Kyle Rasmussen won an individiual state title and set a state record with a combined lift of 158 kilos at the Minnesota State High School Championships last Saturday in Lakeville.
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LAKEVILLE — They had to overcome plenty of adversity to do it, but the Northfield Olympic-style weightlifting team won its sixth consecutive Minnesota State High School Championship last Saturday in Lakeville.
Kyle Rasmussen, who suffered from a lower back injury most of the season, recovered in time and won his 56 kilo-weight class at the National Arnold Classic, then won his second consecutive Minnesota state championship and broke a 10-year-old state record in the process. He dropped down from the 62-kilo weight class to 56 kilos to do it.
Between the clean-and-jerk and the snatch, Rasmussen lifted 158 kilos, or about 347 pounds. The weight is almost three times his body weight with the snatch and clean-and- jerk combined. The previous state record was 157.5 kilos.
“It felt great. I was out for the first three meets of the season so that was disappointing,” Rasmussen said. “It was very, very fun to break the state record.”
Lyndsey Callahan tied the state record for a total at her weight class with a combined lift of 138 kilos. She said going into the meet that the team wasn’t sure if it could win for the sixth straight year.
“We were all really nervous. We didn’t know how some of the other teams stacked up,” Callahan said. “We had to have the confidence that we could go out there and do what we needed to do.”
Northfield was competing in its third meet in as many weeks. Northfield coach Scott Sahli prefers to avoid that type of schedule, but his team got the job done when it mattered.
“This was a very tough competition and we feel very fortunate to emerge as state champions,” said NHS coach Scott Sahli. “ “For some of our kids to go three weeks in a row, it was quite a challenge. We knew it would be tough, but that’s just the way the schedule fell and the Arnold was a very unique experience. The kids loved it.”
Three other weightlifters, Jordan Freeman, Lyndsey Callahan and Tracy Kruchten, also competed for Team Minnesota in the Junior National Championships the week before that. Sahli said in the sport it is best to compete about once a month.
At the Junior National Championships, the Team Minnesota men’s team finished second overall and the women’s team finished third. NHS finished in fourth place in the National Meet at the Arnold Sports Festival.
“Our coaching staff (Dan Meyers, Dr. Larry Meadors and Laura Marks and Sahli) was really proud of our kids the last three weeks of the season,” Sahli said. “That was the most challenging schedule of any team in the country, and they ended the season with a state championship. I am very proud of our kids.”
Winning individual state championships last Saturday for the Raider varsity were Rachel Hanson (48 kilos), Anna Hanson (63 kilos), Erin Melzer (69 kilos), Lydnsey Callahan (75+ kilos), Rasmussen (56 kilos) and Freeman (62 kilos). Taking second were Ashley Winzig, Jasmine Spargaaren and Josh Corbin.
The Raider School Age Team (age 16-and-under) placed second in the state. Winning state championships for the School Age Team were Syndey Farmer and Tucker Meillier. Meillier is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation at 69 kilos.
Placing second for the School Age Team was Mari Arneson, Shelby Callahan and Joe Donahoe. Sydra Smith and Bryan Ehlers placed third.
“The schedule did take its toll on us, a few of our great lifters were a little beaten up and did not produce like they normally do, but everyone gave it everything they had,” Sahli said. “We got very tough mentally. That was great to see.”
— Jeff Wald covers local sports. He can be reached at 645-1111 or jwald@northfieldnews.com.
Minnesota State High School Weightlifting Championships
Kenwood Middle School, Lakeville
Junior Teams
1. Northfield, 50; 2. Lakeville South, 39; 3. Cannon Falls, 20
School Age Teams
1. Cannon Falls 42, 2. Northfield, 30; 3. Lakeville South, 20
Northfield Junior State Champions
Rachel Hanson, Anna Hanson, Erin Melzer, Lyndsey Callahan, Kyle Rasmussen, Jordan Freeman
Northfield School Age State Champions
Sydney Farmer, Tucker Meillier
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