Ladycats qualify record five for state

Aledo coach Josh Morgan with state qualifiers (from left), Ari Mathias, Bryanna Orr,Adrianna Lambert, Madison Midmayer, Hannah Clark

A program-record five members of the Aledo Ladycats powerlifting team have advanced to the Texas High School Women's Powerlifting Association Class 5A State Meet at the Comerica Center March 15-16 in Frisco. They qualified following competing in regionals in Sherman this past weekend, in which the program also set a record with 18 competitors.

Aledo qualifiers are Hannah Clark, first in the 132 weight class; Ari Mathias, first in 148 division; Madison Widmayer, second in 132 division; Bryanna Orr, second in 123 division; and Adrianna Lambert, second in 220 division.

Lambert also qualified in 2023, but she scratched from the competition.

Clark and Mathias each lifted a total of 785 pounds. Widmayer hoisted 715, Orr lifted 685 and Lambert's 830 was the most of any Aledo lifter at the meet.

Charlee Soward and Morgan Sehnem narrowly missed joining them at state. Soward was third in the 123 division with 645 lifted and Sehnem placed fourth in the 114 division with 605 lifted.

The powerlifting team with their third place plaque.

As a team, the Ladycats finished third.

"It was a great team meet. The girls came out and started things off the way we needed to on squat and we carried that momentum into bench press. A few of them really had to push themselves and compete as it came down to the end of dead lift," Ladycats coach Josh Morgan said. "They stepped up, performed and we got the most girls we have ever qualified for the state meet."

Also competing for Aledo were:

97 pounds, Lilly Carruthers, fifth place, 430 pounds.

105, Kylie Dernovich 10th place, 345.

114, Zoe LaPraim ninth place, 510.

132, Stella Kendall, seventh place, 605.

148, Breleigh Mayer, seventh place, 645.

198, Ally Gilbert, ninth place, 635.

Bearcat lifters competing at regionals

Three Bearcats are competing this weekend at the regional meet at Abilene Wylie High School. Representing Aledo in their respective weight classes are Cory Tilly, 181; Alex Arana, 220; and Raymond Howard, 275.

Qualifiers will move on to the state meet, also in Abilene at the Taylor County Expo Center, March 22-23.