State champions are set to be crowned this week as the 2023 Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association State Powerlifting Meets take place Wednesday through Saturday at the Comerica Center in Frisco.
Class 1A-2A starts at 8 a.m. today followed by Class 6A at 1:30 p.m. Class 3A Division II begins at 8 a.m. Thursday followed by Class 3A Division I at 1:30 p.m. Class 4A Division II competes at 8 a.m. Friday followed by Class 4A Division I at 1:30 p.m. Class 5A closes out the state meet with competition beginning at 8 a.m. for Division II and 1:30 p.m. for Division I.
For Edcouch-Elsa senior Georgina Alaniz, she has a chance to three-peat as a state champion in the 132-pound weight class. She enters this year’s Class 5A Division II state meet as the top ranked lifter at 132-pounds with a 1,075-pound total (450 squat, 220 bench, 405 deadlift).
“When I walk into a regional meet or state meet, it’s not, ‘You know what, I got this. I’m relaxed.’ It’s more of ‘I have to be humble to myself and know that anything can be taken away at any moment, so you have to fight for your lifts and work as hard as you can,’” Alaniz said.
| Edcouch-Elsa’s Georgia Alaniz SIXTUM PICTURES |
La Joya High’s Keily Guzman is another powerlifter to watch in the 132-pound weight class as she’ll be competing in Class 6A. She is coming off a regional championship and is only separated by five pounds from 6A’s leader at 132 pounds with a 985 total.
| La Joya’s Keily Guzman concentrates on her lift during a Region V Girls Powerlifting Meet at Bert Ogden Arena Wednesday, March 1, 2023, in Edinburg,Texas. (Delcia Lopez | [email protected]) Delcia Lopez |
Sharyland Pioneer’s Ketny Nicoleau went 4-for-4 in shattering regional records to qualify for the state meet and will look to build off a historical performance. Her 1,005 total ranks first in the state at 114 pounds and now she’s looking to raise the bar again, literally and metaphorically.
“This sets the bar higher,” Nicoleau said after her record-breaking day at regionals. “I know anything I didn’t get today, I know I can set the bar higher. I’m just going to keep putting in the work.”
| Sharyland Pioneer’s Ketny Nicoleau lets out a yell as she broke the regional squat record during a Region V Girls Powerlifting Meet at Bert Ogden Arena Wednesday, March 1, 2023, in Edinburg,Texas. (Delcia Lopez | [email protected]) Delcia Lopez |
San Benito’s Jaslyn Estrella looks to be in a tight race for a state championship in the Class 6A 259+ weight class. Her 1,205 total ranks No. 1 in the state among all classes, five pounds ahead of the next ranked lifter in Class 6A. Estrella is just a junior and hopes another standout performance can lead to opportunities at the next level.
| San Benito’s Jaslyn Estrella pumps herself up before her lift during a Region V Girls Powerlifting Meet at Bert Ogden Arena Wednesday, March 1, 2023, in Edinburg,Texas. (Delcia Lopez | [email protected]) Delcia Lopez |
“I’m trying to put my name out there for myself and hit more personal records,” Estrella said. “It’s something I love doing. As soon as I just got into it, I knew I loved doing it. I want to take it further than just high school, for sure.”
To view a complete list of THSWPA state qualifiers, visit RGVSports.com.