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The Rice Lady Raiders competed in their host powerlifting meet on Friday, Jan. 19, and ended up winning the whole thing.
The Lady Raiders scored 49 points during the meet and edged out second-place Hallettsville, who had 44 points.
The Lady Raiders got things started in the 105-pound weight class as Camila Castillo stepped up to the squat rack. Catillo was the lone Lady Raider in this weight class but contributed to the first-place victory.
Castillo lifted 325 pounds in three different lifts: squat, bench press and dead lift.
The next weight class is where the Lady Raiders made a ton of noise. Three athletes lifted for the Lady Raiders in the 114-weight class, and they had a strong showing.
Taylor Eichelberger, Blanca Molina and Briana Estrada lifted total weights of 555 pounds, 440 pounds and 355 pounds respectively. This earned them 2nd, 3rd and 4th place in the weight class.
The Lady Raiders were just getting started though and had more to show the fans in attendance.
In the 123-weight class, the Lady Raiders had their first athlete secure first place as an individual. Raelee Nelson lifted 353 pounds to take first place in the 123-weight class and finished 20 pounds higher than second place.
Nelson was joined by teammate Leilany Toriz who lifted 430 pounds and added to her team’s totals to help them stay at the top of the standings.
Shortly after, Ava Torres, Karyn James, Reyna Rodgers and Ximena Gonzalez dominated the 132-weight class for the Lady Raiders. Torres lifted 475 pounds, James lifted 465 pounds, Rodgers lifted 445 pounds and Gonzalez lifted 430 pounds.
This earned them 2nd-5th place respectively which only tightened their grip on the top spot in the meet.
Next was the 148-weight class and the Lady Raiders again had the numbers on their side. Four more Lady Raiders competed in this weight class, and they showed out in their home meet.
Breelyn Freeman, Kayla James, Melanie Gutierrez and Julissa Barboza were the Lady Raiders responsible for the dominate showing in the 148-weight class.
Freeman lifted 730 pounds, James lifted 590 pounds, Gutierrez lifted 570 pounds and Barboza lifted 450 pounds. This earned them 2nd, 5th, 6th and 7th place in the weight class.
Faith Thompson, Kasey Eggemeyer, Avery Brown, Citlalli Vasquez, Aundrea Cardenas, Estrella Gonzalez, Alejandra Valles and Marlena Nunn were the remaining Lady Raiders to lift, and their results as follows.
Thompson lifted 500 pounds in the 165-weight class while Eggemeyer lifted 490 pounds. Next was Brown in the 181-weight class lifting 505 pounds, followed by the 198-weight class where Vasquez and Cardenas lifted 580 and 360 pounds, respectively.
Following that up was the 242-weight class where Gonzalez and Valles lifted 480 pounds and 465 pounds. Last but certainly not least was the 242+-weight class where Nunn lifted a staggering 900 pounds to cap off the meet for the Lady Raiders.
The Lady Raiders have one meet win under their belts and will be looking for more as the season rolls along.
