By Lee Trawick Riverbend News
Coming into the season, Suwannee High School varsity weightlifting coach Dan Marsee wasn't sure what the realistic expectations were for this year's team coming off of a COVID stricken season, where the expectations were understandably high with such a loaded high quality class of seniors and leadership skills displayed by the upperclassmen. It was easy to look ahead for the class of 2020. Unfortunately, COVID derailed the season before their goals and shot at districts and beyond could be reached. However, this year's team had so many questions coming into the season, plus the reclassification from 1A to 2A brought even more questions and hesitations to it. With so many perennial powerhouses, this year seemed to be a possible rebuilding season for the Suwannee High School boys weightlifting team.
But the boys came in with a workman’s attitude and wanted to be good this season. Coach Marsee never expected to be in the position his boys have put themselves in. On Friday, April 2 Coach Marsee took his boys into the district championships with workhorse mentality. "They have completely exceeded our expectations coming into the season. Never did I think we could win Districts, especially moving up in classes against such powerhouses like Baker, Columbia, Wakulla and Lincoln. So to win five classes and qualify 16 for regionals is awesome!" Now the boys are gearing up for their toughest challenge yet, running up against the toughest region in the state due to being in the region of state favorites, Pace and Ridgeview, next Friday, April 9. But Suwannee isn't backing down and looking forward to the work ahead of them, riding the momentum of District Champions and being considered one of the top three teams in the state now. "I have learned to never question this bunch,” Coach Marsee said. “So who knows where we will be when the dust settles. Right now we currently have five or six kids that have a chance to score at state and a couple possible state winners. It's going to be fun."