BY NATE KOTISSO | STAFF WRITER
The Rio Grande Valley did much of the heavy lifting at last week’s Texas High School Powerlifting Association state meets in Waco and Abilene. Some athletes and teams from Valley schools big and small worked their way onto the medal stand.
Among the big winners were the boys and girls teams from IDEA Edinburg. They are often confused with their sister school in the city, Edinburg IDEA Quest, but there wasn’t any mistaking the Eagles in Waco.
IDEA Edinburg’s girls team won the 3A meet with 20 points thanks to a first-place finish in the 97-pound weight class, a second-place finish in the 259 weight class and third-place finishes in the 123 and 181 weight classes.
“We only started the program three years ago, so it’s still a very young program,” IDEA Edinburg girls coach Aida Gonzalez said. “Ever since then, winning at state has been the ultimate goal that we’ve set for the girls. They’re very determined, because they’ve put in the hours of work.”
Ashley Martinez brought home the gold at 97 by lifting a total of 710 pounds, including a dead lift of 315, which was the heaviest dead lift of any other competitor in her weight class. Gonzalez said Martinez was in the most precarious position coming into Waco.
“Last year, she was ranked No. 1 in the state,” Gonzalez said. “Unfortunately, she was disqualified at the regional meet, which kept her from competing at state. She had to overcome all of that and stay focused to get that gold medal.”
Cristy Gonzalez, Adriana Villafuerte, Priscilla Garza and Monika Morales medaled in their respective classes to give the Eagles a state championship. IDEA Edinburg, San Antonio Brooks Academy and San Diego — all from Region 5 — claimed the top three spots at the state meet.
Other medal-winning girls include La Villa’s Argentina Garcia, Hidalgo’s Nadia Rodriguez, Edcouch-Elsa’s Dulce Ibañez, Donna High’s Corina Yanez, Donna North’s Amanda Olivarez and Valley View’s Brenda Lopez.
Among UIL Class 6A schools, medalists include Edinburg Vela’s Iliana Gamez and Kathy Garza, La Joya Palmview’s Laisha Lopez and Priscilla Hernandez, PSJA North’s Anahi Castro and Alysha Torres, Weslaco East’s Paola Espinoza and Carolina De Leon, PSJA Memorial’s Brittney Salcido, McAllen Memorial’s Itzayanni Martinez and McAllen High’s Isabella Contreras
Edinburg Economedes had three medalists in Odalys Serna, Mitzi De La Cruz and Marlene Martinez, while Edinburg High sent Nora Balladares, Veronica Alanis and Pam Arce to the medal stand.
At the boys meet in Abilene, IDEA Edinburg’s Angel Garcia repeated as an individual state champion in the 114 weight class.
“It was a bittersweet moment when Angel put down the weight and all three white lights lit up,” IDEA Edinburg boys coach Thomas Martinez said. “Bitter in the sense that I knew Angel’s powerlifting career as an IDEA Edinburg Eagle had come to an end, and sweet in the sense that together we accomplished the goals we set at the beginning of the season.”
On Friday nights in the fall, Sharyland Pioneer junior Obed Hernandez lined up as a defensive lineman on the football team. Now he is known by a different description: state champion. Hernandez took first place in the 198 weight class in Division 1.
“Obed put the work in, day in and day out,” Sharyland Pioneer coach Roland Neal said. “This is my second year coaching him in powerlifting, but I’ve coached him before on the football team. He never complains. He does his job. He helps others in the weight room, and I’m more excited for him that his talents were on display.”
With Obed’s gold and Robert Saenz’s silver in the 123 weight class, the Diamondbacks finished third as a team. Edcouch-Elsa and Weslaco East earned the gold and silver medals, respectively.
“People kind of underestimate us in the Valley at times, but we have a lot of strength and really good coaches down here,” Neal said. “It shows the work ethic of the coaches and athletes that we are the strongest region in the state, and we’re going to continue to be that way.”
Other boys medal winners include Edinburg Economedes’ Marcos Garza, La Joya Palmview’s Abraham Hernandez and McAllen High’s Arturo Ochoa.