PNJ All-Area: Meet the 2024 Co-Weightlifters of the Year for boys weightlifting

Escambia and Santa Rosa counties proved their dominance in the world of boys weightlifting this past spring.

The Pace boys weightlifting team claimed its second state championship in program history, sweeping both the Olympic and traditional scoring titles in Lakeland. The Patriots' win made it a season sweep for Pace in Class 3A, which also saw its girls weightlifting team accomplish the same feat in the winter.

Class 3A also saw Navarre and Milton finish with top finishes at state. In Olympic, Milton finished in a tie for second while Navarre came in a three-way tie for fourth. In traditional, Navarre and Milton both tied for second.

The two-county area also saw six weightlifters claim individual state championships in Lakeland, two of which won both the Olympic and traditional scoring titles.

After a memorable 2024 season for area weightlifters, here are the PNJ Co-Weightlifters of the Year.

The All-Area team, with the rest of the spring sports, will be revealed on Sunday, June 30.

Co-Weightlifter of the Year

Kendall Ballou, Pace

Pace’s Kendall Ballou knows how to perform in Lakeland. Ballou claimed his second individual state championship after winning both the traditional and Olympic scoring classifications in the 139-pound weight class. Ballou was the top traditional lifter for Class 3A with a total of 570 pounds (285-pound clean and jerk, 285-pound bench press) and a rating of 450.571. Ballou also had a snatch of 200 pounds for an Olympic total of 485 pounds.

Ballou also claimed individual titles at the Navarre Invitational, District 1-3A meet and Region 1-3A meet along the way.

Connor Mathews, Navarre

Navarre’s Connor Mathews left little to no doubt that he’d be a state champion. In the 199-pound weight class, Mathews took the area by storm after claiming both the Olympic and traditional scoring titles at the Navarre Invitational, the District 1-3A meet and the Region 1-3A meet.

At the state meet, Mathews had a traditional lifting total of 755 pounds (375-pound clean and jerk, 380-pound bench press) – 110 pounds more than second place – and an Olympic lifting total of 635 pounds (260-pound snatch, 375-pound clean and jerk), which was 90 pounds more than second place.

Ben Grieco is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached on X (@BenGriecoSports) and via email at BGrieco@gannett.com.