STAFF REPORTS
Once again, Los Fresnos is the top school in girls powerlifting.
The Lady Falcons claimed their second consecutive 6A state title on the strength of four individual titles, three of which set or tied state lift records in the process at the 2016 Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association state meet on Friday at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi.
Los Fresnos’ Ally Highful (97-pound class) — 305 in the squat (that tied a state record), 120 bench and 275 deadlift, Mandy Sanchez (105) — 280, 125, 275, Julissa Torres (148) — 405, 230 (a new state record), 370, and Julie Torres (198) — 405, 210, 405 (also a new state record) all claimed state titles for the Lady Falcons.
Julianna Delgado of Lopez also claimed an individual state title in the 220 class — 420, 185, 405.
Runner-up finishes for Alexis Torres (114), Stephanie Trevino (148) and Jesed Castro (181) helped Los Fresnos secure 46 points, 11 points better than runner-up Weslaco East for a second straight team title. The Lady Falcons also had a fourth place finish for Joanna Philo (114) and Daniela Perez (97) earned fifth place.
Highful tied a state record in the squat at 305, but needed her deadlift to clinch the title by five pounds over second place.
“It feels really good, it was really tough,” she said. “I knew I had to get that, it was all or nothing.”
Sanchez trailed Alexa Alaniz of Hanna after his first two lifts and needed the deadlift to capture the title.
“It feels absolutely amazing,” Sanchez said. “It’s my first year, so to win a state championship is an honor.”
Julissa Torres, who set a new state record in the bench at 230, topped teammate Trevino to claim the title and credited her coaches for helping the team win another championship.
“I worked really hard all year,” Julissa Torres said. “We’re really good friends. It’s just competition, it’s always head-to-head, we’ve always motivated each other. The coaches pushed us to our full potential and we all gave it our best and it got us first place again (at state).”
Julie Torres also set a new state record in the deadlift and topped the second place total by 35 pounds during her senior season.
“It feels amazing, I never thought I would win a state title, it’s a blessing, it really is,” she said. “I knew I had to get 405 and I wanted to break the state record. I’m very happy.”
Delgado, a freshman, won it with her deadlift at 405, just five pounds off the state record.
“It was my first time at state and getting first place and that final lift, it was the best thing ever,” she said already excited to try to repeat the feat next year. “It’s something I’m going to be doing throughout high school. I love it, I love powerlifting.”
Hanna had a runner-up with Alaniz (105) and a third place finish for Alexandra Chavez (148).
“I’m happy with both of their efforts,” Hanna coach Mike Chavez said. “There’s no regrets because I know for a fact they gave it everything they had and can walk away from this meet knowing that they did everything they could to pull it out, they just came up a little short.”
The Lady Golden Eagles also got a fifth place finish for Maya Perez (198).
Los Fresnos was challenged by the coaches to win another state title, not just be satisfied with a championship during the previous year.
“It feels wonderful, just the whole day and hoping everything would work out in the end,” Los Fresnos coach Mike Evans said. “The goal is always to win a state title. We told this year’s team, ‘we’re not the same team as we were last year, the team last year won a state title, this team hasn’t done that yet.’ So they had a chip on their shoulder and wanted to be a team that won a state title, they couldn’t live off last year’s team.”