At 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Lamia Miller and the Pine Forest High girls weightlifting team were hard at work.
The clanging of barbells and thud of hip-hop music could be heard throughout the halls of the Ann Caro Suarez Gymnasium as the Eagles lifted weights and fought through push-ups.
Miller was right at home.
"I love weightlifting," said Miller, a senior who enters Saturday's FHSAA state weightlifting finals in Kissimmee as the No. 1 seed in the 199-pound weightclass. "I love the competition. I love the praise I get -- especially from the boys saying, 'Wow, you can lift more than I can.' I'm in their 200 club now because I can bench 200 pounds."
Her Eagles teammates have a similar attitude. That's why seven Pine Forest girls were able to qualify for state -- the most Eagles to compete in the finals in school history.
"The most I've taken (to state) these past couple of years has been just a couple of girls," Eagles weightlifting coach Jason McDonald said. "This is definitely the most girls we've ever had qualify. They're excited about going to state, and they've worked hard these last few weeks. So, we're ready to get on the road and see what we can do."
Especially Miller, who also throws discus and shot put for the track and field team.
She broke the school record in the bench press (190 pounds) and clean and jerk (185) during the state qualifying meet. Now, she's ready to break another school record at state.
"My goal is to win a state championship," Miller said. "This means so much to me just to have this chance and workout with this team."
Navarre High -- which finished second at state the past three seasons -- also is taking a bevy of athletes to Kissimmee. Senior Amanda Friar, who competes in the 110-pound weightclass, looks to lead 11 total Raiders who will join the Eagles at state.
Friar also is a No. 1 seed and benched 160 pounds and lifted 145 at qualifying for a 305 total -- 25 pounds more than the No. 2 seed. Friar's 160 bench press ties the state record for her weight class.
"Amanda, she's amazing," Raiders coach Garrett Bagley said. "She's just a workhorse, and as long as she does a good job, she should win at state."
The Raiders' Praise Pettus is another favorite for a state title. Competing in the 139-pound weightclass, Pettus can bench 175 pounds and lift 180 in the clean and jerk.
"Praise is another strong senior, and she is just really special," Bagley said. "She has a special work ethic, she never misses practice and is always on time. She just works hard.
"We feel really good about state. We have a handful of senior girls who are exceptionally strong and battling for first place, which is a lot of points. But we try not to get caught up too much in where we're ranked and all the expectations."
That's also Pine Forest's approach -- especially considering, for many of the Eagles, this will be their first time competing in Kissimmee.
"It's just a big accomplishment to get to state," McDonald said. "I told the girls, you're already among the top 30 girls in your weightclass in the entire state. We just want to medal. If they end up getting in the top six, that's a big accomplishment."
