Marble Falls powerlifting adds more trophies to cabinet

CAPTION: The Marble Falls Mustangs and Lady Mustangs celebrate earning more individual medals and winning the team divisions of the Llano Invitational Jan. 26. Courtesy photo

The Marble Falls High School powerlifting teams competed at the Llano Invitational Jan. 26 with the Mustangs winning the boys division and the Lady Mustangs finishing third in the girls division.

The Mustangs received impressive finishes from several lifters and Chloe Humphreys and Josue Garcia join senior Xavier Lopez on automatically qualifying for the regional meet.

“The boys have had three consecutive (overall) team wins,” head coach Robert Draper said, noting the Lady Mustangs have either won the team championship or finished third at three meets. “They each want to win the weight classes they’re in. So they help push and support each other. We’ve come home with a plaque from every meet so far, either a first or a third.”

In the boys division, Chase Richard won the 123-pound weight class by squatting 345 pounds, bench pressing 225 pounds, and deadlifting 375 pounds for a total of 945 pounds. That total ranks him first in the region.

In the 132-pound weight class, Aaron Arredondo took gold thanks to a 405-pound squat, a 270-pound bench press, and a 415-pound deadlift for a total of 1,090 pounds and rank first in the region; and Atreyu Machacek had a 270-pound squat, a 145-pound bench press, and a 295-pound deadlift for a total of 710 pounds for fifth.

Adon Lopez placed first in the 148-pound weight class by recording a 385-pound squat, a 225-pound bench press, and a 450-pound deadlift for a total of 1,060 pounds.

“Aaron and Chase are coming on strong and doing really well,” Draper said. “Adon is doing really well. He ranks sixth in the region right now.”

In the 181-pound weight class, Josue Garcia recorded a 515-pound squat, a 325-pound bench press, and a 565-pound deadlift for a total of 1,405 pounds to rank second in the region.

In the 198-pound weight class, Xavier Lopez had a 675-pound squat, a 325-pound bench press, and a 725-pound deadlift for a total of 1,345 pounds to win the meet and rank first in the region; and Noah Escandon squatted 515 pounds, bench pressed 310 pounds, and deadlifted 475 pounds for a total of 1,300 pounds to finish fourth.

In the 220-pound division, Jose Solorzano recorded a 505-pound squat, a 310-pound bench press, and a 465-pound deadlift for a total of 1,280 pounds for a gold medal; and Sergio Hernandez had a 465-pound squat, a 230-pound bench press, and a 425-pound deadlift for a total of 1,120 pounds for bronze.

Jose Galvan was sixth in the 242-pound weight class where he had a 375-pound squat, a 185-pound bench press, and a 400-pound deadlift for a total 960 pounds.

Jeremiah Bales placed first in the super heavyweights where he squatted 337 pounds, bench pressed 325 pounds, and deadlifted 420 pounds for a total of 1,245 pounds.

The Lady Mustangs also had some remarkable performances.

In the 259-pound weight class, Paige Kemp took gold because of a 305-pound squat, a 190-pound bench press, and a 300-pound deadlift for a total of 795 pounds; Sophia Trudeau earned bronze thanks to a 280-pound squat, a 180-pound bench press, and a 275-pound deadlift for a total of 735 pounds; and Genesis Lemon was fourth with a 270-pound squat, a 115-pound bench press, and a 280-pound deadlift for a total of 665 pounds.

Stephanie Amezquita had a 170-pound squat, an 85-pound bench press, and a 225-pound deadlift for a total of 480 pounds for a silver medal in the 105-pound weight class.

Cheyenne Blair had a 205-pound squat, a 110-pound bench press, and a 215-pound deadlift for a total of 530 pounds to finish fourth in the 132-pound weight class.

In the 165-pound weight class, Sandra Gonzales recorded a 185-pound squat, a 135-pound bench press, and a 290-pound deadlift for a total of 710 pounds for a bronze medal; Alexis Dalton had a 260-pound squat, a 110-pound bench press, and a 320-pound deadlift for a total of 690 pounds for fourth place; and Jaylinn Hinojosa recorded a 215-pound squat, a 95-pound bench press, and a 205-pound deadlift for a total of 515 pounds for eighth.

In the 181-pound weight class, Humphreys earned a 340-pound squat, a 130-pound bench press, and a 340-pound deadlift for a total of 810 pounds for a silver medal; Isabell Medina had a 260 pound squat, a 120-pound bench press, and a 275-pound deadlift for a total of 655 pounds to finish fifth; and Abigail Ybarra had a 235-pound squat, a 140-pound bench press, and a 260-pound deadlift for a total of 635 pounds for sixth.

“The Llano meet is the first medal Isabell won in anything,” Draper said. “When Stephanie medaled at Lampasas, that was her first medal in anything. To me, it’s fun for those girls to experience those things.”

He noted that if the season ended today, nine Lady Mustangs would qualify for the regional meet. Region rankings don’t always equal a lifter automatically qualifying for the regional meet. And Draper wants to make sure that when they do qualify for regionals, each Marble Falls lifter has an idea of how much more they need to lift to advance to the state meet.

“We’re trying to work to get their totals high,” he said. “That way they have full confidence they’ll qualify for state. We’re setting a target for them to reach so they can push themselves. I think the kids are only going to get stronger. I want the kids to keep pushing themselves and getting better.”

Marble Falls travels to Brady at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9.

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