The Lady Badger Powerlifters competed at the regional meet in Dublin March 5, placing fourth overall with a total of 17 points, coming in behind Salado, Taylor and the meet champion, Hillsboro. State qualifiers from the meet include freshman Lauren Hollace, sophomore Nimsi Vergara, senior Alyssa Ayers and junior Lila Walling. The state powerlifting meet will be on March 19 in Corpus Christi.

“I thought the girls did very well, with most of them having their best meet of the year,” powerlifting coach and assistant principal Duane Young said in an email. “I would like to see the girls that are going to state to improve on their bench presses.”

Both Ayers and Walling set new school squat records, with Ayers getting 330 pounds and Walling getting 335 pounds, each in their own respective weight classes. Ayers also tied the current school record for total weight, coming in at 850 pounds between squat, bench press and deadlift.

“Squat has always been my weakest lift,” Ayers said. “But this year I’ve been able to get it up, so it’s very gratifying to see my hard work pay off. My only goal for regionals was to secure a good total going into state. I have some tough competition at state, but that’s what makes this sport so much fun, you push each other to be stronger.”

Ayers says that she feels she had no weaknesses to fix from regionals, and that now, she only needs to keep training before the state meet.

“Going to the state championships in itself is really exciting,” Ayers said. “It’s the strongest girls in the state [at the meet], and [it’s] an honor to lift with them.”

 This is Ayers’s fourth year to qualify for state, all the while earning a new regional record for total, as well as claiming Best Squat Light Classes, Best Bench Press Light Classes, Best Deadlift Light Classes and Best Total Light Classes at regionals.

“My goal for my last state meet is the same as it was when I first started powerlifting: to be a state champion,” Ayers said. “However, I know that no matter what place I get, I will have still accomplished more than I ever dreamed of.”