POWER: Pitts leads Region III finishers
Powerlifting Meet a year ago, will be making a return trip after totaling
1,495 pounds in the 220-pound weight class last weekend. (Photo courtesy
of Donna Shannon)
Area powerlifters competed against the best in all Region III classifications last weekend as they battled to qualify for a position in the coveted Texas High School Powerlifting Association State Meet. Center's Kevinski Pitts earned the right to return to the annual event for the second straight year after finishing second in the 220-pound weight class last Saturday in Rusk.
As a team, Center finished 10th in Class 3A Region III with 10 points, with Carthage placing 21st with one point. Paris took top team honors with 23 points Kemp second at 20 points and Liberty-Eylau third with 20 points.
The State meet is set for Saturday, March 26, at the Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene.
Center's Pitts finished second in the 220-pound weight class of Class 3A (White Division), posting a total weight of 1,495 pounds. He was a close second to Casey Sergent of Quinlan Ford, who posted a total weight of 1,500 pounds.
Pitts topped out at 585 in the squat, which left him 25 pounds behind Sergent, who lifted 610 pounds. Both athletes lifted 330 pounds in the bench press and Pitts topped out at 580 in the dead lift, while Sergent could only manage 560 pounds. But it was good enough to edge out the Center athlete for top honors at the Class 3A Region III Meet.
Pitts placed seventh at the State meet a year ago in the 198-pound class. He deadlifted 560 pounds, 290 in the bench press and 545 pounds in the squat in the state competition. Overall, he lifted 1,395 pounds.
Center Aaron Liker placed fourth in the 220-pound weight class at the Region III Meet, lifting 1,330 pounds. He topped out at 515 pounds in the squad, 310 pounds in the bench press and 505 in the dead lift.
Ryan Wilkinson of Fairfield grabbed the third and final spot in the weight class, finishing with 1,450 pounds of total weight.
Center Roughrider Melvin Suell placed third in the 123-pound weight class of 3A, tallying 880 pounds. He lifted 325 in the squat, 175 pounds in the bench press and 380 in the dead lift.
Hunter Skelton of Bullard took top honors in the weight class in 3A, with 980 total pounds, with Jage Smith of Kaufman placing second at 950 pounds.
Carthage's David Patterson placed fifth in the 165-pound weight class of Region III, lifting 1,155 total pounds. He topped out at 445 pounds in the squat lift, 255 pounds in the bench press and 455 pounds in the dead lift.
Matt Thompson of Paris took top honors in the Region in the weight class with 1,270 total pounds to qualify for State. Johnny Kilgore of Kempt was second and a State qualifier with 1,265 pounds. Justin Lawler of Kempt tallied 1,225 pounds and Jason Haley of Liberty-Eylau was fourth with 1,215 pounds.
Carthage's D.K. Calloway was ninth in the 165-pound weight class with 430 pounds in the squat, 260 pounds in the bench press and 415 pounds in the dead lift, for 1,105 total pounds.
Center's Jevaris Rankin also participated at the Region III Meet, in the 242-pound weight class. However after a top weight of 465 pounds in the squat and 265 pounds in the bench press, he scratched.
In other area lifters' results, Joaquin's Austin Underbrink competed in the 275-pound weight class of the Region III Green Division, tallying 1,235 pounds and placing ninth. He topped out at 500 pounds in the squat lift, 310 pounds in the bench press and 425 pounds in the dead lift.
Chance Edwards of Redwater won the weight class with 1,465 pounds, with Shakeem Woodberry of Clarksville placing second with an identical 1,465 pounds.