Summerland powerlifters earn team trophy at Lexington Powerlifting Meet

SUBMITTED ARTICLE

Fourteen lifters from the Summerland powerlifting team traveled to Lexington, Saturday, for the Lexington powerlifting Championships.

Coach Jeff Shabram said 130 lifters competed in the event, with a lineup of very stiff competition.

"The Bobcats competed as the smallest school. We can be proud of the representation of our small school," he said.

The Summerland boys', girls' and co-ed teams each finished in third place in their respective divisions.

Columbus High and Lexington finished in the top spots.

Summerland boys finished only nine points short of the second-place Lexington team.

According to Shabram, three individuals won gold medals, including Jacob Behnk in the boy's 242-pound class; Connor Thomson, boy's 114 class and Larissa Thomson, girls 123-pound division.

"Larissa's total of 620 pounds lifted at a body weight of 117.8 pounds earned her the overall female lifter of the meet award, based on strength index (weight lifted divided by body weight)," Shabram said.

Five competitors earned silver medals, including Wyatt Shabram, 114 class; Jaykwon Petite, 148 division; Trevor Thomson, 165 class; Riley Fisher, 275 class and Kylie Hewett, 105 class.

Cody Wickersham earned bronze in the 132-pound class.

Other medal winners included Gunnar Shabram, fourth, 220 class; Gaven Gilsdorf, fourth, 198 division; Colby Hupp, fourth, 242 class; Christian Behnk, fifth, 220 division and Savanna Ferris, fifth, 148 class.

All lifters set personal bests in each lift.

"This outstanding effort even led to every team record being tied or broken," Shabram said.

Larissa Thomson broke all of her own school records in squat, bench press, deadlift, total and strength index.

Jacob Behnk broke the squat, bench press and three-lift total records. Behnk lifted 1,020 pounds.

Trevor Thomson broke the deadlift and strength index records.

The next powerlifting meet currently on the schedule for the Summerland powerlifting team will be the Peru State powerlifting Meet on Feb. 13.

The Class D State powerlifting Meet is scheduled for March 26 at Harvard High School.

The Orchard AAU powerlifting Meet is set for April 10.

On July 17, Summerland will compete in the Cornhusker State Games powerlifting Meet.