Six Natalia Lady Mustangs are Waco Bound this Saturday, as they will compete in the Texas High School Womens Powerlifting State Championship. This has been a record setting season for the girls in blue, as they broke records for the most to advance to regional and state.
The third record of the season that could be broken with a little work and good will, would be for Natalia to claim more than one state champion this season.
Last year, Lady Mustang Graduate Jasmine Vasquez claimed Natalia’s first state champion in powerlifting and she was also the first female athlete since the 80s or early 90s to claim an individual state title.
State Preview
“Our six lifter team will be led by returning state lifter, junior Julianna Morales,” Natalia Head Coach Ilyan Martinez said. “We have a young team this year with only two seniors, so we are excited to see what is in store.”
Morales enters the state meet ranked 3rd in her 132 lb. weight class with a 790 lb. best total. Her total includes a 290 lb. squat, a 165 lb. bench press and a 335 lb. dead lift.
The only two athletes ahead of Morales include Van Alstyne’s Alyssa Hill who has a 340-165-340-845 lb. total and Dilley’s Alee Ruiz who has 355-145-335-835 lb. total. There are a total of 24 lifters in her division.
Looking at the 97 lb. weight class, Natalia sophomore Sam Sanchez enters the meet ranked 11th out of 22 lifters with a 565 lb. total. Her total includes a 210 lb. squat, a 115 lb. bench press and a 240 lb. dead lift.
Junior Anastasia Rodriguez ranks 15th entering the meet also in the 97 lb. weight class with a 550 lb. total. Rodriguez used a 215 lb. squat, a 135 lb. bench press and a 200 lb. dead lift to account for her total.
Lady Mustang senior Regina Garza who is in her first ever lifting season, is state bound and ranks #1 in the 105 lb. weight class out of the entire state. Garza had a 710 lb. total which includes a 275 lb. squat, a 135 lb. bench press and a 300 lb. dead lift. There will be a total of 25 lifters competing in this weight class.
Looking at the 114 lb. weight class, sophomore Iris Cantu enters the state meet tied for 7th with four other girls with a 690 lb. total. Her total includes a 300 lb. squat, a 140 lb. bench press and a 250 lb. dead lift.
Senior Jasmine Gomez will also compete in the 114 lb. weight class where she is tied with three other girls for 13th place with a 675 lb. total. Her total includes a 275 lb. squat, a 145 lb. bench press and a 255 lb. dead lift.
“We plan to show up to compete the only way we know how and allow the rest to take care of itself,” Martinez said.
State Meet Saturday
The State Meet is this Saturday in Waco at the Extraco Center and will begin at 8:00 a.m.
By Eric Smith
Staff Writer