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Elgin High School is home to some of the strongest students in the state.
The Elgin girls powerlifting team recently won their third meet of the season, comprising individual and team excellence. Five different Elgin lifters finished atop their respective weight class.
At the Jan. 28 meet hosted at EHS, the Lady Wildcats earned first place with 45 points. Powerlifting phenom Nya Kirk Jones won her weight class by squatting 535 pounds, benching 350 and deadlifting 455. Her combined 1,340 pounds was the most of any lifter at the meet.
Maria Yanez won the 123-pound weight class, lifting a total of 780 pounds – 325 squat, 160 bench and 295 deadlift. Zoey Smith squatted 170, benched 95 and deadlifted 215, totaling 480 pounds en route to first place in the 105-pound weight class.
In addition, Ralyssa Enueshike and Ainsley Orme took home first-place prizes for the Lady Wildcats. Enueshike topped all lifters in the 148-pound weight class with a 390 pound squat, 185 bench press and 415 deadlift (990 total). Orme’s three lifts added up to be 860 pounds between a 350 squat, 200 bench press and 310 deadlift.
Elgin also won the Giddings Invitational convincingly to kick off the season. At the Jan. 7 meet, the Lady Wildcats earned 58 points, which was 17 more than second-place Giddings. Elizabeth Nunez, Yanez, Enueshike, Jones, Orme and Dayla Palacios all finished first in their weight class.
One week later, the Lady Wildcats coasted to victory once more at the Taylor Invitational, racking up 60 points compared to second-place Taylor’s 38. Smith, Yanez, Enueshike, Jones, Orme and Palacios were the top lifters yet again.
Elgin’s one other meet so far this season resulted in a second-place finish. On Jan. 21, the Lady Wildcats earned 39 points as Lehman won with 64 points. Enueshike, Jones and Palacios each received first-place prizes.
Want to read more stories about EHS powerlifting? Visit https://www.elgincourier.com/subscriber-services for continued coverage of the girls team and articles about the boys team.
