POWER: Pitts, West excel at State meet
Saturday, competing in the 220-lb. weight class. (Courtesy Photo)
Two Shelby County athletes posted strong climaxes to their 2011 powerlifting season by finishing in the Top 10 in their respective weight classes at the State Powerlifting Meet held Saturday at the Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene.
Center's Kevinski Pitts made a return trip to the State meet, equaling his 2010 finish of seventh in Division 2 (Class 3A) as he bumped up and competed in the 220-pound weight class in 2011.
Shelbyville sophomore Tyler West also had a strong showing at the State competition, placing sixth in the 123-pound weight class of Division 3 (Class 1A-2A), posting the heaviest weight among Class 1A competitors.
Pitts, who placed seventh in the 198-pound class last year with a total of 1,395 pounds, moved up to the 220-pound weight class, exploding past last year's total and finishing the State meet with 1,505 pounds in his quest for the title.
The Roughrider senior improved his Region III total weight of 1,495 by 10 pounds against the state's best.
Darren Stewart of Splendora captured top honors at the State competition in the 220-pound weight class, finishing with 1,685 pounds. Shane Stankus of Bridge City was second, finishing 40 pounds behind the champion with 1,645 pounds. Cameron Medford of Pilot Point was third at 1,615 pounds.
Navasota's Rodney Brown placed fourth with 1,580 pounds, with Glen Rose's Jimmy Johnson tallying 1,555 pounds for fifth and Mark Cavazos of Raymondville, coming in just ahead of Pitts with 1,525 pounds.
Gregory Juarez of Raymondville, the school's second competitor, was nosed out and defeated by Pitts as he lifted 1,500 total pounds.
Stewart 'set the bar' high after the squat competition when he lifted 690 pounds, leading the nearest competitor, Juarez, by 55 pounds. Pitts, who topped out at 545 last year at State in the event and 585 at the Region III Meet recently, went up a notch to 590 on Saturday and was tied for ninth after the first section of the competition.
Pitts lifted 335 in the bench press, which was 10th-best, giving the senior a huge mountain to climb heading into the dead lift. Last year he benched 290 pounds at state, and he topped out at 330 at regional this year. Pilot Point's Medford topped out with a 455.
The Center athlete then saved his best for last, posting the fourth-best weight in the dead lift, a total of 580 pounds. That weight surpassed his 560 at State last season and equaled his top weight in the event at the Region III Meet, giving him a strong finish and the seventh-place finish overall.
West made his second consecutive trip to the Region III event recently, taking top honors in his weight class and facing the state's best in the 123-pound level. He was up against tough competition, as Michael Casarez of Three Rivers won the state title with 1,050 total pounds, with Beau Burleson of Woodville coming in second at 1,035 and Caleb Coates of Lago Vista coming in third with 1,010.
Edna's Jonathon Hardeway placed fourth with 985 pounds and J.D. Franke of Henrietta was fifth with 975 pounds, 35 pounds more than West. Stephen Nelson of Pottsboro finished seventh with 925 pounds, 15 pounds lighter than West.
The only other Class 1A lifter to finish in the Top 10 besides West was Bovina's Andy Duarte, who tallied 860 pounds and placed ninth.
Casarez set the bar in the squat, lifting 425 pounds, with West lifting 375 pounds - his maximum at regional - and placing fifth after the initial section of the three-part state competition.
West also equaled his top lift of 210 pounds in the bench press, which tied for the fourth spot in the event. Hardeway and Burleson had the heaviest weight of 240 pounds.
In the dead lift, West posted just 10 pounds under his maximum of 365 at the Region III Meet, finishing with the eighth-best total of 355 to give him the seventh overall total and the experience that could help give him a return trip next season.
Division 3 (Class 1A-2A) State Powerlifting Results
Division 2 (Class 3A)
State Powerlifting
220-pound Weight Class
Athlete (School) Squat Bench Dead Tot.Wt.
1.Darren Stewart (Splendora) 690-400-595=1,685
2.Shane Stankus (Bridge City) 625-365-655=1,645
3.Cameron Medford (Pilot Point) 615-455-545=1,615
4.Rodney Brown (Navasota) 590-390-600=1,580
5.Jimmy Johnson (Glen Rose) 630-375-550=1,555
6.Mark Cavazos (Raymondville) 585-440-500=1,525
7.Kevinski Pitts (Center) 590-335-580=1,505
8.Gregory Juarez (Raymondville) 635-365-500=1,500
9.Keith Jones (Pilot Point) 580-400-490=1,470
10.Casey Sergent (Quinlan Ford) 625-280-560=1,465
11.Brandon Sanchez (Ft.Stockton) 560-300-550=1,410
12.Ryan Wilkinson (Fairfield) 535-350-520=1,405
13.Miles McKinney (Borger) 450-285-500=1,235
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Division 3 (Class 1A-2A)
State Powerlifting
123-pound Weight Class
Athlete (School) Squat Bench Dead Tot.Wt.
1.Michael Casarez (Three Rivers) 425-210-415=1,050
2.Beau Burleson (Woodville) 405-240-390=1,035
3.Caleb Coates (Lago Vista) 405-230-375=1,010
4.Jonathon Hardeway (Edna) 355-240-390= 985
5.J.D. Franke (Henrietta) 405-205-365= 975
6.Tyler West (Shelbyville) 375-210-355= 940
7.Stephen Nelson (Pottsboro) 365-200-360= 925
8.D. Montre Brown (Cameron Yoe) 335-190-390= 915
9.Andy Duarte (Bovina) 340-190-330= 860
10.Troy Morales (Floydada) 320-190-345= 855