Charleston High School athletes won two medals at the Mississippi Powerlifting Championships, held March 31 and April 1 in Jackson.
In the Class 2A boys competition, CHS senior Jaylon Brooks captured first place in the 114-pound weight class with best lifts totaling 800 pounds, including a squat of 315, a bench press of 135 and a deadlift of 350. A year ago, Brooks had placed second in the weight class at state. He set up his state win this year by taking first place at the 2A North half meet.
Charleston sophomore lifter Calvin Westbrooks earned a second-place medal in the 308-pound weight class at the recent state competition. His best lifts totaled 1,260 pounds, including a squat of 500, a bench press of 220 and a deadlift of 540.
Those performances went a long way toward helping the small CHS team score 15 points and finish sixth among the 21 Class 2A boys powerlifting squads scoring at state.
Velma Jackson was the boys 2A winner with 42 points, followed by runner-up Scott Central, with 21, and third-place finisher Calhoun City with 18.
Two other CHS lifters competed and placed.
Junior Montra Sanford placed fourth in the 242-pound weight class with best lifts totaling 1,240 pounds, including a 475-pound squat, a bench press of 225 and a deadlift of 540.
Sophomore Kameron Andrews was fifth in the 198-pound class. His best lifts totaled 1,020 pounds, with a squat of 360, a bench press of 180 and a deadlift of 480,.
In Class I girls powerlifting, the lone CHS competitor, sophomore TaNeriea Brooks, placed sixth in the 242-pound weight class. She had best lifts totaling 680 pounds, including a squat of 275 pounds, bench press of 130 and deadlift of 275.
With 51 team points, East Union won the Class I girls state championship. Myrtle, with 39 points, finished second. Velma Jackson and Bruce scored 25 points apiece, but Velma Jackson was awarded third place on a tiebreaker decision.
