Marble Falls powerlifting wins season opening meet
CAPTION: The 2026 Marble Falls High School powerlifters are Julio Gaytan (front row, left), David Dominguez, Caydence Bielfeldt, Montserrat Fregoso, Ava Martin; Tyler McIntyre (back row, left), Daniel Dominguez, Josue Fonseca, Arnulfo Salazar, Xavier Soza, Adrian Arredondo, Brandon Seely; Zane Matlock (back row, left), Keaton Proctor and Jaxson Bales. Courtesy photo
The Marble Falls High School boys powerlifting team set the bar for the season in winning the Countdown City Liftoff hosted by Comal Pieper Jan. 10 to begin the 2026 season.
The Mustangs edged Buda Johnson 27-26 in total points to win the gold medal.
“I think it was a good start to the season,” head coach Karl “Beef” Bielfeldt said. “All the lifters were able to really see where they’re at once they got equipment on. I’m happy with how everybody came out from this meet.”
The Mustangs brought home two individual gold medals.
Arnulfo Salazar won the 198-pound weight class with a 505-pound squat, a 390-pound bench press and a 555-pound deadlift for a total of 1,450 pounds. David Dominguez won the 123-pound division with a 425-pound squat, a 210-pound bench press and a 425-pound deadlift for a total of 1,060 pounds.
Salazar also was the outstanding lifter for the heavy platforms where calculates his actual weight plus the weight he lifted. Basically the lifters who weigh the least in their weight class but pump the most weight has the best chance of being in the running for outstanding lifter.
“He was two pounds over the 181-pound weight class,” Bielfeldt said. “He was the lightest lifter (in the 198-pound weight class). They run through the computation. They find out who the best lifter was pound for pound.”
Tyler McIntyre and Adrian Arredondo each won silver medals.
McIntyre competed in the 114-pound weight division where he had a 275-pound squat, a 150-pound bench press and a 365-pound deadlift for a total of 790 pounds. Arredondo was in the 148-pound weight class where he had a 485-pound squat, a 265-pound bench press and a 405-pound deadlift for a total of 1,155 pounds.
Arredondo, the younger brother of 2024 graduate Aaron Arredondo, set a new personal best in the squat. Aaron Arredondo finished eighth at the 2024 state meet in the 148-pound weight division.
“And (Adrian is) just a sophomore,” the coach said. “He comes from Mustang powerlifting royalty. I tell him that he’s forging his own path.”
Josue Fonseca was fourth in the 165-pound weight class with a 455-pound squat, a 275-pound bench press and a 445-pound deadlift for a total of 1,175 pounds.
“If you can spread lifters across weight divisions and everybody places, it’s just like a track meet,” Bielfeldt said. “The more individual places you have, the higher the (team) points (total).”
Two athletes scored for the Lady Mustangs – Caydence Bielfeldt and Montserrat Fregoso. Fregoso won the 242-pound weight division with a 235-pound squat, 135-pound bench press, and a 245-pound deadlift for a total of 615 pounds.
“I think we have a good group to make a push towards regionals and then onto state,” the coach said. “On the ladies’ side, we’re still trying to build that team up. It’s kind of a catch-22. A lot of our ladies who would potentially lift are playing other sports as well. We have great participation. It’s hard to get everything to work.”
The coach said the most important objective for each lifter was to get scores for all three lifts at each of the three stations.
“My biggest goal for all of them was just to go 9 for 9,” he said. “Winning first place was just kind of an icing on the cake. It wasn’t something I was striving for I guess. I’m a little weird that way. I’m more focused on making sure the individual lifter has their best possible meet and let that fall where it may and keep them healthy and safe. So when we get the team accolades, it’s fantastic and but at the end of the day, as long as we can walk out of a meet and there’s no injuries and no setbacks and we went 9 for 9, then that’s a good meet.”
Marble Falls will host the Stronger Things Powerlifting Meet at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, at Marble Falls High School.
RESULTS
Boys
114 – 2, Tyler McIntyre, 275-150-365–790; 123 – 1, David Dominguez, 425-210-425–1,060; 148 – 2, Adrian Arredondo, 485-265-405–1,155; 165 – 4, Josue Fonseca, 455-275-445–1,175; 198 – 1, Arnulfo Salazar, 505-390-555–1,450, 6, Julio Gayton, 405-205-440–1,050, 11, Brandon Seely, 255-175-315–745; 242 – 6, Xavier Soza, 405-275-405–1,085; 308 – 5, Zane Matlock, 305-235-405–945
Girls
132 – 7, Caydence Bielfeldt, 190-125-225–540; 242 – 1, Montserrat Fregoso, 235-135-245–615
