The quiet, small-town grind paid off in a big way for Keystone Heights High this spring, as weightlifter Elijah Mize powered his way to a breakout Class 1A state title—and pulled his school into Florida’s elite strength sports conversation.
Mize wasn’t the obvious favorite. In fact, most folks outside Clay County didn’t know his name last season. That changed in a hurry. After months of training and a few surprise wins leading up to states, the junior bulldozed his weight class to cap off a Cinderella rise. And he wasn’t alone. The Indians finished with double third-place team finishes at state in both Olympic and Traditional disciplines—an impressive resurgence for a program quietly rebuilding behind the scenes.
One State Champ, a Bunch of Fighters, and a Coach Who Saw It Coming
Ask around Keystone Heights and you’ll hear it again and again—Elijah Mize just put his head down and went to work.
He didn’t come in with the flashy high school accolades. He wasn’t ranked early. But when it counted, Mize delivered a clean and dominant performance that left coaches statewide nodding in respect.
“He’s one of the most coachable kids I’ve had,” said Steve Reynolds, the longtime weightlifting coach who’s seen his fair share of late bloomers. “He stayed humble, stayed consistent, and hit his numbers when it mattered.”
The Class 1A field was deep this year, with Fort White, Baker County, and other upstarts pushing hard. Still, Mize stood tall—literally and figuratively.
Reynolds wasn’t just counting on Mize, though. He had a deep bench and saw top-tier efforts from senior Colton Hollingsworth, who grabbed second and third in two events, and Jackson Herman, who powered to third. That trio became the core of a team that hung tough against rising programs across Florida’s small-school scene.
Why Weightlifting’s Growth Is Fueling Other Sports at Keystone Heights
Reynolds makes no secret of it—weightlifting success isn’t just about trophies.
At Keystone, it’s part of the bigger picture.
“These guys are seeing how strength training can completely change how they perform in football, track, even soccer,” Reynolds said. “It’s not just about lifting weight—it’s about building athletes.”
That strategy seems to be catching on. In the 1A field especially, new programs have sprouted up in unexpected towns, driven by coaches taking a “build-from-scratch” approach and convincing kids of the crossover benefits.
It’s a pattern that’s changing how small schools build athletic departments: start with the weight room, then watch the rest fall into place.
Girls Weightlifting Brings Home Hardware Too
The boys weren’t the only ones racking up medals.
Keystone Heights’ girls weightlifting team tore through their district like a storm. Out of 10 weight classes in the Olympic format, the Indians took home individual titles in eight. In the Traditional events, they won six.
Cadie Bowles, Kaylee Park, Chloe Still, and Ava Herman all double-titled at districts. That kind of performance makes noise—and sets up a scary-good future.
At the regional level:
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Chloe Still finished second in Olympic, third in Traditional
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Ashlyn Brown notched a third-place Traditional finish
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Lily Mitchell and Ava Herman both cracked top-5
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Paige Harrington, Brown, and Park rounded out strong Olympic performances with multiple top-6 finishes
It’s a big haul for a team that, much like the boys, flew under the radar for most of the year.
One sentence here, to breathe.
Baseball: A Deep Roster and Even Deeper Schedule
While the weight room was buzzing, the diamond wasn’t quiet either.
Baseball coach Chris Roach steered the Indians to a 19–9 record and a district championship, all while scheduling absolute monsters.
They didn’t flinch.
Keystone Heights took on powerhouse Clay during the regular season, then ended their playoff run against state No. 5 Bishop Snyder in the region quarterfinals.
That last one stung—but the journey getting there showed this team’s real strength. Roach leaned on aces Ty Mitzel and Gage Barry, both college-bound arms who kept Keystone competitive in every game.
The batting order wasn’t too shabby either.
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Barry batted .420
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Austin Smith followed closely at .400
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The team carried a .300 average across the board
Those kinds of numbers give you a shot in every game. And that confidence built all season.
“The kids believed in each other,” Roach said. “They wanted to prove we belonged on that level.”
Softball and Track Add to the Indians’ Winning Spring
Not to be left out, Keystone Heights’ softball squad showed similar grit, grinding through a tough region and matching up with some of Florida’s best programs.
Their postseason didn’t go as deep, but their competitiveness kept the school on the map in multiple sports—something few 1A programs can say.
And then there’s Ryder Thomas.
The track phenom doubled up with a pair of district titles and looked strong through regionals, giving Keystone yet another reason to believe the spring season belonged to them.
It all adds up to a school quietly putting together one of the most well-rounded small-school athletic years in Florida.
