By Rick Pedone Sports Editor St. Cloud junior Shaliena Davis describes herself as “average” in the context of weightlifting. Her coach, and others at the state meet, would argue otherwise. Average doesn’t adequately describe a second-year lifter who totaled 320 pounds to place sixth at 169 pounds.  “She did a great job, especially since it was her first time in that atmosphere,” Lady Bulldog Coach Lonnie Beckel said. “A lot of kids can’t handle it, but she did a great job. She hit her lifts and she actually came pretty close to finishing fourth.”

News-Gazette Photo/Andrew Sullivan St. Cloud’s Shaliena Davis placed sixth at the state weightlifting meet in just her second season.

“We thought it would be something fun to try, and the more I did it the more I liked it,” said Davis.

Did she expect to place sixth the state meet in her second season?

“Oh, no. That was a major surprise!” she said. “I was new to it, and it was a big event. I was nervous. You could feel extra pressure.”

Davis said she was proud of her performance.

“You want to do well; it was important to me because you are representing your school,” she said. “I wish I would have hit my last clean and jerk, but I thought I did all right.”

Davis, who is playing for Melissa Jackson’s flag football team this spring, said her goal for next season is to total 400 pounds.

“I think that’s realistic as long as I keep working out. I plan to stick with it all through the year,” she said. “I guess the thing that my coaches tell me the most to work on is my focus; they want me to stay on task.”

Beckel said Davis stays motivated, even during the off-season.

“She’s a good kid and she really works hard every day in the room,” Beckel said. “The sport has evolved to where you really can’t take much time off. It’s something you have to stay with all year, and Shaliena and a lot of our other lifters have been great about coming in every day. Shaliena has a chance to have a great season next year.”