First-year Foundation program sending 4 weightlifters to state finals

Andre Walker won’t sugarcoat it with some sort of idealistic reasoning. Placing four weightlifters in the state finals the first year of Foundation Academy’s program is as surprising to him as it is to anyone else.

What’s even more incredible about the accomplishments of juniors Bryan Thomas, Reggie Jean, and Donovan Branch and sophomore Edward Byrd is that the quartet is also the starting defensive line on the Foundation football team.

“I just sit back in awe thinking what a blessing it is to have all four guys on one team,” said Walker, who is the weightlifting coach and will officially begin his first season as Foundation head football coach Monday with the start of spring practice. “I’m…