Powerlifting: Ladycats qualify 20 for regionals

When the tough gets going, the tough go to regionals.

And in the case of the Aledo Ladycats powerlifting team, 20 will make the trip to Sherman for the regional meet on Feb. 27.

This comes on the heels of five members of the Ladycats posting top-five finishes at the district meet held at Aledo High School on Feb. 14.

Leading the Aledo contingent at district were Byranna Orr and Ari Mathias. Orr took first place in the 132 weight class, lifting 745 total pounds, while Mathias lifted 805 to capture the top spot in the 148 division.

Charlie Soward lifted 610 to place third in the 123 division.

Also posting top-five finishes were Breleigh Mayer with 710 pounds for fourth in the 148 class and Mallory Morgan’s 690 lifted placed her fifth in the 198 division.

The list of regional qualifiers and their weight classes includes:

• 105 pounds: Lilly Carruthers, Kylie Dernovich
• 123: Soward, Ashlynn Durnill
• 132: Orr, Kyla Pierce, Avery Jeter
• 148: Mathias, Mayer, Gracie Smith, Allie Faulkner, Ella Childress, Kendra Potts.
• 165: Claire Moseley, Liberty Pelfrey
• 181: Jayden Staggs, Lily Morris
• 198: Morgan
• 220: Adrianna Lambert
• 242-plus: Kaylin Miller
• Alternates: Tina Lapraim, 132; Hadley Baird, 165

“The team did a great job competing. We were missing a couple athletes that were injured — playing other sports, still trying to break the stigma that they are going to get hurt if they lift,” Aledo coach Josh Morgan said. “One of my main goals for them all individually was to make progress and qualify for regional and that’s what they did.”

To qualify for state, a lifter must place first or second in their weight class at the regional meet or achieve a specific qualifying weight total across their squat, bench press and deadlift in their weight class.

The Girls State Powerlifting Meet is March 14 in Edinburg.

Others posting top-10 finishes at district for the Ladycats were: