The eight-member La Vega powerlifting team made its debut last Saturday when it traveled to Gatesville and placed fourth out of fourteen teams in the Hornets' meet.

Pirate competitors included Paul DeBose in the 144-lb. class with a second-place finish, Dekwaun Hampton second at 123 lbs., barely missing first place by 10 lbs., Abel Rivera winning first place at 148 lbs. (along with being chosen as the outstanding lifter at the meet), Victor Hughes dominating the 242-lb. class, William Harden third in the 275-lb. class, and Daryl Curl finishing fourth in the super heavyweight class.

Power lifting meets have lifters compete in three 600-lb. lifts, squat, bench, and dead lift. A lifter’s place is based on the total of his best lift in each event.

We had two lifters out of town, Tony Salinas and Rey Tovar, who qualified for the regional meet last year and barely missed out on going to state. The team placed third at regionals last year and sent more kids to the state meet than any other school in the region.

The next meet will be at West, followed by one at Connally before regionals and state in Houston.