Three Burnet Lady Dawg powerlifters qualify for state
CAPTION: The Burnet High School girls powerlifting team is third at the Region 2, Class 4A Large School meet thanks to some outstanding individual performances that led to earning numerous medals. Courtesy photo
A record number of Burnet High School Lady Dawg powerlifters competed at the Region 2, Class 4A Large school meet March 1 and didn’t squander opportunities to win medals and qualify for the Class 4A state meet.
That all added up to the Lady Dawgs finishing third overall in the team competition led by a trio of state qualifiers and several alternates.
Returning to state for the fourth year is senior Abby Smith, who won the 123-pound weight division by lifting a combined total of 775 pounds.
“She won the regional last year,” head coach Tyler McIntosh said. “She repeated as regional champ. She upped her total. She lifted 735 last year. This year she lifted 775. We knew she was going to hit the qualifying weight totals. As she was (accumulating points), we knew she was going to get in.”
Smith squatted 320 pounds for a new personal best to finish as the Top Squat Light Platform Lifter.
“We had these numbers set for her, and she blew it out of the water,” the coach said. “She had a really good day.”
Other Lady Dawgs competing in the 123-pound weight division included junior Josie Teague and freshman Lily Rygaard.
“We’re in pretty competitive weight classes,” he said.
Joining Smith at the state meet are senior Maddi Moise, who took gold in the 198-pound weight class thanks to lifting a total of 785 pounds, and sophomore Halle Maxwell, who earned the silver medal in the 105-weight class by lifting a total of 505 pounds. Moise qualified for the state meet in 2023.
“Last year (at state) she finished 11th and her total was 755,” McIntosh said. “She lifted 785 at this meet. She hit (personal records) in the squat and tied in the bench. In the deadlift, we decided to push a PR, but we didn’t have to.
“in Halle’s case, we had to go lift weight she’d never done before,” the coach added. “We knew if we tied, we had to go to tiebreaker rules and crunch the numbers. This one is in our wheelhouse. We think we can do it.”
The opposite happened to Maddy Cardenas from what Moise faced.
“(Cardenas) tried to pull something and ended up finishing third,” the coach said.
Cardenas, Alexis Leatherwood, Teague and Kimberley Watson are alternates in their weight classes.
“(They) had remarkable performances, achieving numerous personal bests and finishing third in their weight classes,” McIntosh said. “Lily Rygaard also brought home hardware in her first regional meet, finishing in fourth place and setting new personal bests.”
McIntosh noted Leatherwood was in a competitive weight class.
“We put the pressure to go pull something she’s never done,” he said. “Lexie pulls her (personal record). (The silver medalist) deadlifted 30 pounds more than Lexie to get the second spot.”
Burnet having 12 Lady Dawgs compete at regionals is a new program record.
“Our girls had a fantastic day, with 8 out of the 12 qualifiers winning medals and contributing to the team’s points,” McIntosh said. “Every year is different. Some years there are really strong girls who come out of nowhere. They’ve gotten a lot strong from last year to this year.”
The state meet is March 13-16 at Comerica Center in Frisco.
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RESULTS
Region 2, Class 4A Large school meet
Girls (squat-bench press-deadlift–total)
105 pounds: 2, Halle Maxwell, 185-95-225–505; 123 pounds: 1, Abby Smith, 320-180-275–775, 3, Josie Teague, 295-150-245–690, 4, Lily Rygaard, 285-135-265–685; 132 pounds: 8, Hailee Beltran, 225-130-235–590; 148 pounds: 7, Gracie Farmer, 220-125-275–620, 10, Amberlyn Glasscock, 240-120-235–595; 165 pounds: 3, Alexis Leatherwood, 295-160-315–770; 181 pounds: 3, Kimberly Watson, 305-155-300–760, 6, Kasey Watson, 220-130-255–605; 198 pounds: 1, Maddi Moise, 280-190-315–785, 3, Maddy Cardenas, 290-170-300–760,
CAPTION: Burnet powerlifters Halle Maxwell (left), Maddi Moise and Abby Smith are headed to the Class 4A state meet to compete with the best in the state. Courtesy photo
