March 26, 2025
South Sumter and Leesburg Share Olympic District Title, Raiders Claim Traditional Crown
By AkersArt
South Sumter and Leesburg Share Olympic District Title, Raiders Claim Traditional Crown
BUSHNELL, Fla. — South Sumter High School and Leesburg High School finished in a dead heat atop the Olympic District Championship Weightlifting sheet on Tuesday, each team amassing 60 points to share the title. The Villages High School took third place with 48 points, while Citrus High School and Mount Dora High School rounded out the top five.
The story shifted in the Traditional District Championship, where South Sumter asserted its dominance with a commanding 66 points to secure the outright title. Leesburg finished as runner-up with 45 points, followed by The Villages in third with 41 points.
(While they would tie Leesburg for the Olympic District Championship, South Sumter would win the Traditional District Championship by a fairly large margin.)
South Sumter’s depth and consistency shone through across both formats, but the Raiders’ performance in traditional lifting—where athletes compete in the bench press and clean-and-jerk—proved decisive. Meanwhile, Leesburg showcased its own strength in the Olympic-style events, which include the snatch and clean-and-jerk, bolstered by standout performances from Jeremy Lacy and Savion Latimore.
The entire is coming together nicely,” Leesburg’s head coach Josh Boyer has said “These guys are going to balance out nicely as we come into Regionals and States. They will peak at the right time and I am confident in what we have.” says Boyer
(The Villages finished in third place in both Traditional and Olympic lifting. Senior Maleek Williams holds the trophy.)
The Villages continued its recent surge, as a program on the rise with strong showings in both competitions. The Villages will be ones to watch in the coming weeks with some standout solo lifters that should compete for Regional and State Championships., Their 48-point haul in the Olympic format and 41 points in traditional lifting signal a bright future ahead.
For South Sumter, the dual success capped a stellar district campaign. As the dust settles, attention now turns to the regional championships. South Sumter, Leesburg, and The Villages are looking primed for big things with some individual lifters for Mount Dora, Eustis and Tavares who should challenge for spots to the State Finals.
