EDINBURG — Mission High junior Brianna Marquez qualified for the Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association Region V meet the first two years of her high school powerlifting career. Missing weight and bombing out ended her road at regionals each time.
She broke through Wednesday and punched her ticket to state at the THSWPA Region V Division I meet at Bert Ogden Arena by winning the regional championship in the 148-pound weight class with a 445-pound squat, 225-pound bench press and 340-pound deadlift for a combined total of 1,010 pounds, a personal record.
The THSWPA 2022 state championships will take place March 16-19 at American Bank Center Exhibit Hall in Corpus Christi.
“Now that I finally made it to state, I’m extremely happy,” she said. “I’ve always had the numbers, but I didn’t make weight my freshman year and I bombed (out) on squat my sophomore year, but now I finally made it, so I was like, ‘OMG,’ I’m actually going to go. Finally.”
Bombing out is when a competitor doesn’t successfully lift a given weight in any of the three attempts for that particular lift — bench press, squat or deadlift.
Edcouch-Elsa’s girls powerlifting team edged out Los Fresnos 29-28 to win the regional team title. The Falcons, who won last year’s crown, finished in second ahead of Mission High and Edinburg Economedes, who tied for third with 13 points.
Points are awarded for the top five finishes in this manner — 7, 5, 3, 2 and 1. Each lifter goes through three different sets of lifts — squat, bench press and deadlift. The total weight combined from the three lifts determines the winner.
Powerlifters qualified for the state meet in three ways: finishing in the top two in their respective weight class at the regional meet, reaching the weight class’ automatic qualifying total at the regional meet, or being one of the top two lifters in their respective UIL classification at the regional meet.
Georgina Alaniz (132 pounds), Aisha Garcia (259+) and Anabel Matinez (97 pounds) won their respective weight classes to help the Yellow Jackets, the defending Division I Class 5A Small School state champions, claim this year’s regional title.
“Everyone was so nervous, but everyone did really good. Everyone showed off how much work we put in and I’m proud of everyone,” Garcia said of the Yellow Jackets, who qualified 23 lifters to this year’s regional meet.
Garcia and Weslaco High’s Leslie Montelongo were the only two competitors in the 259+ weight class to earn their way to the state meet. Garcia lifted 1,230 pounds (570 squat, 265 bench, 395 deadlift) to take first.
Nine Region V Division I records were broken Wednesday including all four in the 259-pound weight class and three at 198.
Mission High’s Erika Guerrero broke her own regional squat record of 560 pounds with a successful 565-pound lift. She then benched 310 pounds, 5 pounds more than the previous record set by Brownsville Lopez’s Julieann Delgado in 2019.
“I’m a senior; I’m a little bit emotional with my last regional meet. I wanted more on squat, but it’s OK, I broke my record with 565, broke the bench record with 310, and it was a good day overall,” Guerrero said through tears minutes after finishing her final lift of the day.
Brownsville Lopez’s Marleen Salazar set two more records in the 259-pound weight class with a 450-pound deadlift and 1,240 total, which were held by Del Rio’s Dulce Guajardo (440 in 2020) and Donna High’s Roxanne Martinez (1,190 in 2020). Salazar finished first at 259 pounds.
Victoria West’s Alyssa Sauceda broke the squat (515 pounds), bench (320) and total (1,250) records in the 198-pound weight class.
Los Fresnos’ Miranda Escamilla and Hailey Martin finished first in the 123-pound and 114-pound weight classes, respectively. Escamilla’s 405-pound squat topped the previous high set by Port Lavaca Calhoun’s Skyleigh Sears in 2019. Tyler Martin broke the bench press record in the 105-pound weight class with a successful 185-pound lift, besting Edcouch-Elsa’s Genesis Nava’s mark of 180 set in 2020.
“This was the best performance in my three years here. I went 9-for-9 today and it’s a great comeback because I bombed out at state, so now I’m ready to go win state now,” Escamilla said.
First-place finishers include Weslaco East’s Leah Galvan (285 squat, 135 bench, 305 deadlift, 725 total) in the 105-pound weight class, Edinburg Economedes’ Ashley Chavez (430 squat, 270 bench, 365 deadlift, 1,065 total), in the 165-pound weight class, Brownsville Pace’s Kimberly Luna (425 squat, 220 bench, 380 deadlift, 1,025 total) in the 181-pound weight class, Brownsville Porter’s Allyson Gil (415 squat, 235 bench, 355 deadlift, 1,005 total).
GIRLS POWERLIFTING STATE QUALIFIERS
DIVISION I
97 lb. – Anabel Martinez, Edcouch-Elsa (725 total); Jazmeen Reyna, Victoria West (695); Daniela Maximo, Harlingen South (675); Angelina Zuniga, San Benito (640); Zillah Velez, Edcouch-Elsa (610); Karla Linares, Victoria West (620); Brittney Benedetti, PSJA Memorial (605); Arianna Malacara, McAllen Memorial (590); Anna Castro, San Antonio Southwest Legacy (590); Clarissa Rodriguez, Los Fresnos (580); Alondra Tefertiller, Los Fresnos (570); Kambryn Salinas, Los Fresnos (570); Megan Adams, Del Rio (565); Joanne Garza, Rio Grande City (565); Hanna Mercado, San Antonio Southside (555); Analiese Umphres, Victoria West (550); Christy Chester, Floresville (550); Trinity Gonzalez, McAllen High (550); Mia De Los Santos, Brownsville Hanna (550); America Villegas, PSJA Southwest (550); Mia Cantu, Mission Veterans (550)
105 lb. – Leah Galvan, Weslaco East (725); Devany Monsivais, San Antonio East Central (720); Tyler Martin, Los Fresnos (720); Adrienne Anzaldua, Edcouch-Elsa (710); Natalile Martinez, Weslaco East (665); Destiny Torres, Brownsville Lopez (650); Kassandra Falcon, McAllen Memorial (645); Ema Ortiz, Sharyland Pioneer (635); Hailey Aul, Sharyland Pioneer (635); Ashlyn Norton, Victoria West (625); Mikayli Arellano, Los Fresnos (625)
114 lb. – Hailey Martin, Los Fresnos (820); Alexia Zapata, PSJA Southwest (775); Aileen Garza, Roma (760); Ollie Valdez, Brownsville Veterans (760); Dinorah Galvan, La Joya Palmview (705); Ketny Nicoleau, Sharyland Pioneer (700); Julie Tamez, La Joya Palmview (680); Roxanne Cantu, Donna High (675); Luna Cuevas, McAllen Memorial (675); Daniella De La Torre, Brownsville Pace (675); Iliana Perez, San Antonio East Central (675); Kalina Martin, San Antonio East Central (675)
123 lb. – Miranda Escamilla, Los Fresnos (985); Iliana Vasquez, Sharyland Pioneer (900); Rebecca Becerra, Weslaco High (855); Aliyah Castillo, Brownsville Hanna (790); Jennifer Rios, Rio Grande City (785) Regina Botello, Brownsville Lopez (785); Laney Bustos, Gregory-Portland (780); Anguela Carrizales, Los Fresnos (760); Zariah Dean, Victoria West (741); Leah Bazan (735)
132 lb. – Georgina Alaniz, Edcouch-Elsa (965); Crystal Jimenez, Mercedes (885); Valleria Gutierrez, Donna High (865); Kelly Guzman, La Joya High (850); Aleena Chavez, Mission High (840); Analie Ayala, PSJA Southwest (800); Annette Cardenas, Los Fresnos (775); Lauren Jaramillo, Weslaco East (775)
148 lb. – Brianna Marquez, Mission High (1,010); Carol Longoria, Los Fresnos (910); Deseray Rodriguez, Mission Veterans (895); Kassandra Mendiola, McAllen Memorial (880); Amy Aguirre, Edcouch-Elsa (850); Lauren Gomez, Comal Canyon (830); Andrea Rizo, Brownsville Pace (830); Denisse Serna, Edinburg High (810); Julie Valdez, Harlingen High (810); Mia Escamilla (800); Reyleen Garza, PSJA Southwest (800)
165 lb. – Ashley Chavez, Edinburg Economedes (1,065); Mia Gonzalez, Edcouch-Elsa (945); Cassandra Martinez, Mercedes (935); Polet Tijerina, Edinburg Economedes (900); Julissa Nino, San Benito (880); Kayleen Perez, Roma (865); Janelle Aleman, Los Fresnos (855); Madison Garcia, PSJA High (850); Allison Machado, Floresville (840: Ariana Hernandez, San Antonio Southwest (830); Ava Mccann, Edinburg Vela (830); Lynette Herrera, Edinburg High (830); Eleana Canales, PSJA Memorial (825); Eternity De La Garza, McAllen Memorial (825)
181 lb. – Kimberly Luna, Brownsville Pace (1,025); Nicole Cortez, Brownsville Veterans (1,010); Christen Hernandez, Victoria East (980); Angelina Yanez, Donna High (970); Destiny Leandro, Floresville (915); Solia Moreno, Edcouch-Elsa (915); Jaden Ybarra, San Benito (895); Mariana Quiroz, Weslaco High (885); Liz Perez, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln (870); Abigail Moreno, Gregory-Portland (860); Ashlynn Montes, PSJA North (850)
198 lb. – Alyssa Sauceda, Victoria East (1,250); Maria Casillas, PSJA North (1,070); Perla Garza, PSJA Southwest (1,000); Fernanda Vasquez, Gregory-Portland (975); Anahi Garcia, Edinburg Economedes (975); Hailey Gomez, PSJA Memorial (960); Maggie Cepeda, McAllen High (955); Zayda Sanchez, Mission Veterans (935); Emma Garza, Edcouch-Elsa (930); Krystina Infante, Los Fresnos (910); Saida Arreola, Los Fresnos (900); Nayeli Barrera, Weslaco East (890)
220 lb. – Allyson Gill, Brownsville Porter (1,005); Alyse Gonzales, Victoria West (975); Siomara Garcia, Edinburg Economedes (975); Karina Medina, Los Fresnos (965); Alyssa Brock, Los Fresnos (955); Kayleen Garcia, Weslaco East (935); Hailey Cuevas, PSJA North (915); Elisa Butler, San Antonio Wagner (905); Esthela Prado, McAllen Memorial (905); Elsa Raya, Brownsville Hanna (900); Bianca Garcia, PSJA Southwest (900); Dora Gonzalez, Donna High (900)
259 lb. – Marleen Salazar, Brownsville Lopez (1,240); Erika Guerrero, Mission High (1,225); Yaresi Ozuna, McAllen High (1,085); Alexandra Aguilar, Castroville Medina Valley (1,040); Shaylin Franklin, Seguin (1,015); Briana Galvan Weslaco East (945); Kimberly Garza, Roma (930); Sara Arista, PSJA North (925)
259+ lb. – Aisha Garcia, Edcouch-Elsa (1,230); Leslie Montelongo, Weslaco High (1,100)
DIVISION II
97 lb. – Alexa Prado, Hidalgo (650); Eneece Avila, La Feria (550)
105 lb. – Emily Avila, La Feria (630)
114 lb. – Serena Quinones, Rio Hondo (670)
123 lb. – Galilea Rodriguez, La Feria (755)
132 lb. – Abigail Castellanos, Rio Hondo (780)
165 lb. – Lizette Zuniga, Rio Hondo (915)
181 lb. – Zeena Flores, La Feria (925)
220 lb. – Alyssa Ramirez, La Feria (1,275); April Puente, Port Isabel (1,000)
259 lb. – Arisbe Gonzalez, Hidalgo (995)
DIVISION III
97 lb. – Pauline Almazan, La Villa, (580)
114 lb – Alejandra Reyes, Edinburg Quest College Prep (795)
123 lb. – Amaris Garza,, Edinburg IDEA (925)
148 lb. – Leslie Flores, Santa Rosa (825); Karla Rabanales, Edinburg Quest College Prep (800)
165 lb. – Mia Rincones, Edinburg IDEA (1,045)
