Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The Logan High School girls powerlifting team finished third at the state meet Friday, powered by runner-up finishes from Abby Paris and Kyle Terry.
San Jon’s Dakota Fisher also finished runner-up in her weight class during the meet at the Rio Rancho Events Center.
The Lady Longhorns team finished with 17 points, behind runner-up Estancia’s 20 points and Class 1A-3A champion Legacy Academy’s 32 points. Legacy boasted three individual state champions.
Terry, competing in the 97-pound weight class, lifted a total of 355 pounds in the bench press, squat and dead lift. She was surpassed only by Legacy’s Raelynn Trujillo, who lifted a total of 380 pounds.
Paris lifted a total of 615 pounds in the 198-pound class. She was beaten only by Jadyn Atwater of Des Moines, who totaled 640 pounds.
The Logan girls also received team points from these entrants at the state meet:
— April Lansdell, third, 105-pound class, 390 pounds lifted;
— Makinlee Judd, fourth, 132-pound class, 570 pounds lifted;
— Laramee Shields, fifth, 198-pound class, 560 pounds lifted;
— Kara Bibbs, fifth, 220-pound class, 580 pounds lifted.
Other Logan girls who competed were Bella Coronado and Aaliyah Lansdell.
Logan coach Dwayne Roberts said he knew doing into the meet that the Lady Longhorns team had the potential to do well.
“We had the numbers, and we knew we were in the running,” he said. “We had several that moved up and were able to get a few points. They just performed well as a team. We had a lot of kids at PR (personal record) and just did really well.”
San Jon’s Fisher, competing in the 165-pound weight class, lifted a total of 625 pounds. She was surpassed only by Legacy’s Davina Griffis, who totaled 660 pounds.
Fisher was the only San Jon athlete to finish in the top five in Class 1A-3A, earning five team points for 15th place.
“She’s one of the best competitors I’ve been around in my 35 years of education,” coach Chad Watson said. “She is unselfish, a great teammate and comes to work with a smile on her face every day. She is a joy to coach. If there were more Dakotas in the world, it would be a much better place.”
Perlita Ramirez also competed for San Jon.
Tucumcari’s Isabel Morales was in the girls competition but did not place.
In boys competition Saturday in Class 1A-3A, Tucumcari’s Nolan Ryen finished fourth in the 275-pound weight class. He lifted a total of 1,040 pounds.
Orlando Romero of Robertson won the state title in that division with a total effort of 1,340 pounds — beating his rivals by more than 200 pounds.
Antonio Gonzales also competed for the Rattlers.
Tucumcari coach Matt Benavidez said all three of his lifters “gave it their all.”
“For it being a new environment, they went out and set some new personal records,” he said. “I am beyond proud of them.
“Mrs. Benavidez and I reminded them they deserved to be here. Finishing in the top eight in their division and weight class for their first year is a big accomplishment. We also told them that they are making history as they first ones from Tucumcari to make it to state. Seeing the success and growth we’ve had for our first year has us excited for the future of this sport.”
Tucumcari finished in a tie with Santa Rosa and Escalante with two team points for 20th place.
Surprisingly, the Logan boys were shut out in the team standings and failed to finish with any individuals in the top five.
Even Haden Judd, the defending state champion at 148 points and ranked second in the standings going into the meet, failed to advance.
“The boys had a rough day,” Roberts said.
Other Logan boys who at the state meet were Izaiah Kneitz and Stratton Schoonover.
Roberts said Schoonover didn’t make weight in his class and didn’t compete.
He said Kneitz was hampered by a leg injury.
“He actually went after the state record in the dead lift on his last lift because it’s his senior year,” Roberts said of Kneitz. “He got it halfway up. I mean, it was close. He had no way to get on the podium. So he wanted to try to go out with a bang. And he left it all there.”
Roberts said Judd was in contention much of the day until the dead lift.
“He lifted his first lift at 425, and they said he hitched,” he said. “And then he wasn’t able to get it the next two times. So he bombed out. That hurt because he would have been on the podium.”
Oak Grove Classical Academy tied with Hatch Valley in the team-points lead with 24 points, but Oak Grove earned the title by having more second-place finishers. Cobre was third with 18 points.
This was the first year powerlifting was an officially sanctioned event by the New Mexico Activities Association. It was listed as an activity for several years before.