The Charleston High School girls’ powerlifting team has won the north state championship for an eighth time in the program’s 13-year history in the sport.
The Class II north half meet was held Tuesday, March 1, in the CHS gym.
Both Charleston and Pontotoc scored 37 total points, but the hometown Lady Tigers won out on a tiebreaker by having two athletes place first in their respective events. Pontotoc had one first place finish. Itawamba was third with 34 points. Several other teams also participated.
“We’re kind of in a rebuilding year with a lot of young girls and a few experienced ones, but they just put it together at the right time,” said CHS girls’ head coach Jeff Hollingsworth.
This year’s squad features no seniors. Three of the athletes are eighth-graders.
“Some did what they were supposed to do and some did better than they were supposed to do,” he added.
Six of 11 Charleston girls who competed in the north half performed well enough to qualify for the April 16 state powerlifting championships in Jackson. The top three finishers in each weight class earn that right.
“We’re just going to do the best we can when we get to Jackson,” the coach said. “We’ve got an opportunity. All we can do is try to make the best of the opportunity.”
Charleston’s girls have won six state powerlifting titles — most recently in 2013. Last year, they finished fourth.
Qualifying for state were:
• Eighth-grader Asia Johnson, who won the 105-pound weight class with lifts totaling 400 pounds (120 squat, 80 bench press and 200 deadlift)
• Junior Destini Curtis, who won the 181-pound class with lifts totaling 735 pounds (280 squat, 135 bench and 320 deadlift)
• Junior Deneshia Pittman, who placed second in the 165-pound class with lifts totaling 730 pounds (290 squat, 120 bench and 320 deadlift)
• Sophomore Jasmine Suggs, who finished second in the 181-pound class with lifts of 655 pounds (240 squat, 115 bench and 300 deadlift)
• Junior Mikayla Robinson, who took third in the 97-pound class with lifts totaling 330 pounds (130 squat, 65 bench and 135 deadlift)
• Sophomore Tashyra Truly, who placed third in the 132-pound class with lifts of 550 pounds (200 squat, 100 bench and 250 deadlift)
Other Lady Tigers competing but not advancing were:
• Sophomore Brielle Shegog, who placed fourth in the 165-pound class with lifts of 605 pounds (235 squat, 110 bench and 260 deadlift)
• Junior Destiny Turner, who finished fourth in the 148-pound class with lifts totaling 630 pounds (200 squat, 110 bench and 320 deadlift)
• Eighth-grader Aaliyah Bowen, who placed fifth in the 148-pound class with lifts of 550 pounds (185 squat, 80 bench and 285 deadlift)
• Eighth-grader Tynesha Cosby, who was fifth in the 114-pound class with lifts of 440 pounds (195 squat, 85 bench and 160 deadlift)
• Freshman Latandra Johnson, who placed fifth in the 123-pound class with lifts of 445 pounds (155 squat, 80 bench and 210 deadlift)
CHARLESTON’S BOYS finished as the runners-up at Friday’s Class 3A North Mississippi powerlifting meet, held at Kossuth.
The event was won by Kossuth, which racked up 47 total points. Charleston finished second with 35.
CHS boys’ head coach Scott Martin said he was pleased with the fact that seven of the 10 Tigers who participated in the north half also ended up qualifying for the state meet.
Martin said he was particularly glad to see some of his younger athletes “step up” and qualify to compete for a championship in Jackson.
“Anytime you can qualify seven out of 10 for state, that’s a positive thing for your program,” he noted. “You’ve got a chance [at state].”
The Charleston boys have never won a state powerlifting meet. They tied for first place in 2004 and 2009 but lost out on tiebreakers each time. The squad has placed second on five occasions, most recently in 2015.
Charleston senior Walter Barnes qualified for state with a record-setting performance at last week’s north half meet. Barnes’ first-place-winning 1,525 pounds set a new event record for total weight lifted in the 308-pound weight class. His 650-pound deadlift also set a new mark in the class. Barnes squatted 600 pounds and bench-pressed 275.
Also qualifying for state were:
• Senior Stephon Loggins, who won the 123-pound class with lifts totaling 880 pounds (350 squat, 155 bench and 375 deadlift)
• Senior C.J. Buckley, who placed second in the 220-pound class with lifts totaling 1,385 pounds (525 squat, 285 bench and 575 deadlift)
• Junior Cody Friday, who placed third in the 198-pound class with lifts amounting to 1,065 pounds (365 squat, 225 bench and 475 deadlift)
• Freshman Jeffrey Loston, who placed third in the 148-pound class with lifts totaling 890 pounds (330 squat, 190 bench and 370 deadlift)
• Junior Hakeem Pittman, who placed third in the 275-pound class with lifts totaling 1,280 pounds (465 squat, 315 bench and 500 deadlift)
• Junior Rickey Sutton, who was third in the 181-pound class with lifts totaling 1,160 pounds (460 squat, 215 bench and 485 deadlift)
Other Charleston guys competing at the north half meet but not advancing were junior Jotavious Smith, who placed fourth in the 132-pound class; junior Kili Davis, who was fifth in the 275-pound class; and junior Raheem Wilson, who finished fifth in the 308-pound class.
IN THE PHOTO: Pictured are members of Charleston High School’s north state championship girls’ powerlifting team. From left are Jasmine Suggs, Destiny Turner, Tynesha Cosby, Aaliyah Bowen, Mikayla Robinson, Destini Curtis and Tashyra Truly. Not pictured are Deneshia Pittman, Latandra Johnson, Asia Johnson and Brielle Shegog. (Photo by Megan Cox)
