The Aubrey Chaparrals powerlifting team racked their weights for the final time this season, with the last two Chaps standing finishing their seasons at the 4A State Meet in Abilene on March 21.
Senior Toby Davis and sophomore Christian Southard, who both won gold at the regional meet, competed alongside 258 other lifters from across the state, and both finished in the Top 20 of their respective weight classes.
“We had a good showing,” Aubrey head boys powerlifting coach Ellis Hill said. “It wasn’t exactly what we hoped for, but at the end of them getting to the state meet was a big [accomplishment] because only a handful of competitors make it to the state level, so them being in the Top 10% in the whole state is an amazing feat. … I’m proud of them and the overall effort from the team from the start of January to now.”
Davis finished eighth out of 24 lifters in the 181-pound weight class, with an overall weight total of 1,545 pounds.
“I was hoping I could get in the Top 5, but I ended up getting eighth, which out of the whole state is pretty good,” Davis said. “A couple of guys from the 198-class dropped down, so there were definitely some stronger kids this year and there was more competition.”
Davis said, despite not finishing in the Top 5, he was happy with the progress he made in his second appearance at the state meet.
“Making it back to state meant a lot because last year I bombed out,” he said. “This year I wanted to be able to finish things off and be happy with my performance as a se- nior, so this year was great for me.”
Southard did not finish the competition after missing his attempts on the bench press but finished 15th out of 16 in the 114-pound weight class.
“This was my first time at state, so I was pumped,” Southard said. “I was sick beforehand, so I wasn’t at my best, but I worked hard and tried my best. I bombed out, but it was fun, and I’m glad I made it.”
Southard said he appreciated having the chance to compete on the big stage and that he’s already looking forward to next season.
“Making state as a sophomore was a big achievement for me, [but] next year I hope I can get in the Top 3,” he said.
Hill spoke highly of the growth he’s seen from his team and said he’s excited to see where the Chaparrals go from here.
“Last year, we had roughly 15 or 16 guys compete, and this year we doubled that with 33 guys,” he said. “We have more kids that want to compete. … We’re going to have to buy more equipment, but that’s a good problem to have. Hopefully, the sky’s the limit for our program for years to come.”
Hill expressed his gratitude to the Aubrey coaches and the other members of the Chaparrals’ powerlifting team for the hard work they put in this season.
“I want to thank Coach Kye Renton, Coach Nick Brown, Coach Dana Bloedel and Coach Lance Low,” he said. “We couldn’t have done it without those guys, [but] I also want to highlight efforts of the other young men on this team. It’s never about us as coaches. It’s always about the kids, and I’m very [grateful] for them trusting us to help them accomplish their goals.”
