The Wylie girls powerlifting team poses for pictures with the first-place team trophy after winning the Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association Class 6A equipped division state team title for the second year in a row. Courtesy Katie Hathaway
By David Wolman
Wylie and Wylie East’s girls powerlifting teams shared a charter bus to Edinburg last week — and made the long trip home with a haul of medals from the Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association Class 6A state meet.
Each team crowned at least one state champion in the equipped division at Bert Ogden Arena and Wylie repeated as state champion with a dominant performance. The Pirates posted a first-place team score of 45 – almost double the point total of the second-place team, Los Fresnos, which amassed 24 points. Wylie East placed eighth with eight points.
“While we were favored to win, achieving a score of 45 points was beyond what we anticipated,” Wylie head coach Katie Hathaway said. “Regardless of the state classification, they would have come out on top. This outstanding team showcases exceptional talent, focus and resilience to achieve their goals.
“They started preparing for this victory as soon as last year’s competition ended. As back-to-back state champions, they’ve set a standard for future athletes to continue this winning tradition.”
The Lady Pirates crowned two state champions in the equipped division.
Isabella Ortega claimed top honors in the 132-pound class with a 1,005-pound total between the meet’s three events: bench press, deadlift and squat. Her bench press of 275 pounds was a state record for her weight class – a performance that earned her the best Lifter Award for the Light Platforms.
Yanella Munoz won the 181-pound class state title after lifting 1,050 total pounds. She also won the Best Lifter Award for Best Bench Press in the Heavy Platforms.
Wylie East’s Alexandria Davis became the first Lady Raider to win a state championship since 2023. She won a nip-and-tuck battle to claim top honors in the 198-pound division after lifting 1,030 pounds. The top four finishers all lifted at least 1,000 pounds and were separated by just 30 pounds. Davis’ 285-pound bench press proved to be the biggest factor in her capturing first place.
“I am very proud to see her reach her goals,” Wylie East head coach John Mitchell said. “She has worked hard all year. She began the season ranked No. 1 and has been very determined to hold her position.”
Davis was one of two state medalists for Wylie East. Madisyn King captured fifth place at 181 with a 910-pound total, including a personal best lift of 405 pounds in the deadlift.
Wylie finished with 10 equipped state medalists and one unequipped state medalist.
Andrea Nguyen (97-pound division), Thalia Gonzalez (114), Ari DeGuzman (148), Yaritza Munoz (165) and Ari Vindel (181) finished in second place, with Gonzalez setting a new state record with a 225-pound bench press.
Lizzie Vogel captured third place in the 181-pound class with a 965-pound total, Mackayla Davis was fourth at 242 with a total weight lifted of 1,035 pounds, while Reagan Robinson took fifth at 148 with an 885-pound total.
One day later at the unequipped state meet, Merry Gebreselassie earned fifth place in the 148-pound class with a 725-pound total.
Wylie East’s 105-pounder Aliya Aguila tied her personal record on deadlift at the equipped meet, Elle Peeples battled in the 220-pound weight class, and the Lady Raiders’ 242-pounder Serenity Warden and 242-plus pounder Alisabeth Riggins finished just out of placing.
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