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It’s Swamp Strength time for the Rice Raiders which is one of the best events around the county this year.
Multiple kids from multiple schools meet at Rice Consolidated High School to quite literally flex their muscles.
The Raiders take a ton of pride in hosting the Swamp Strength meet, so much so that they took home first place at this year’s event. The Raiders finished with 52 points as a team which was 17 points ahead of second place Columbus.
The Raiders were able to accomplish this because the Raiders had four athletes finish in first place in four different weight classes. In the 114-weight class Jadon Gonzales who lifted a total of 765 pounds.
Next was John Mendoza in the 132-weight class, he lifted a total of 1430 pounds to claim first place. In the 148-weight class Anthony Becerra took home first place after he lifted a total of 1085 pounds.
Finally, Zayde Cunningham took home first place in the 275-pound weight class after he lifted a total of 1505 pounds which was the most in the entire meet.
As for the Rice athletes that did not lock up first place for their weight class also had a great day at Swamp Strength with all of them finishing in the top 5. In the 114-weight class Loranzo Castillo came in 4th place lifting a total of 525 pounds.
In the 148-weight class Joe Morales lifted a total of 1075 pounds and finished in second place behind Becerra. Darwin Bernal also lifted in the 148-weight class and came in fourth place with a total of 995 pounds lifted.
Dawson Simonds was the lone Raider in the 181-weight class, and he took home third place with 1020 pounds lifted. Like Simmonds Draedon Amos was the lone Raiders in the 198-weight class, he came in second place with 1145 pounds lifted.
Lastly in the 220-weight class Ruston Krenek and Diego Ramos came in second and fourth place respectively. Krenek lifted a total of 1195 pounds and Ramos lifted a total of 1075.
This is only the beginning of the Raiders season so they will try to bump those totals up as their season moves along.
John Mendoza squats at the Swamp Strength meet while being spotted by teammate Zayde Cunningham.
