CORPUS CHRISTI — The Edcouch-Elsa Yellow Jackets girls powerlifting team added another crown to its collection by winning its second straight state title at the Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association 2022 State Championships on Saturday at American Bank Center.

The Yellow Jackets finished with 37 points from four first-place finishes, one third, two fourths and two fifths. Points are awarded for the top-five finishes in this manner — 7, 5, 3, 2 and 1.

“All it is is we’re one big family. When you learn how to unite with somebody, get along with them and be there for them, you just built up a whole champ right there,” said Georgina Alalniz, Edcouch-Elsa’s back-to-back 132-pound state champion. “This year, we did it for our coaches. They deserve this. They have done so much for us and this is for them”

Alaniz was one of four individual state champions for the Yellow Jackets, along with Anabel Martinez, a two-time gold medal winner at 97 pounds, Adrienne Anzaldua in the 105-pound weight class and Aisha Garcia in the 259+ class.

Edcouch-Elsa’s Georgina Alaniz competes in the squat during the Texas High School Women’s Association State Championships at American Bank Center on Saturday, March 19, 2022, in Corpus Christi. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])

Alaniz was awarded Best Overall Lifter and Best Squat in the lightweight class as she posted a 955 total after completing a 410-pound squat, a 195 bench press and 350 deadlift. Garcia was named Best Overall Lifter and Best Squat in the heavyweight class as she set a state record with a 605-pound squat, topping the previous record of 600 pounds set by Cleburne’s Lexi Harris in 2017. Garcia finished with a 1,250 total.

Totals are determined by the combined weight successfully lifted in three events: squat, bench press and deadlift.

All eyes in the building were on Garcia and her green hair for her 605-pound squat attempt.

“I feel like it brings more adrenaline to my body. I zone everything out. I’m focusing on the weight, I’m not focusing on the people — I’m doing this for me,” she said of her record-breaking lift. “We worked really hard for this.”

Edcouch-Elsa’s Aisha Garcia competes in the squat during the Texas High School Women’s Association State Championships at American Bank Center on Saturday, March 19, 2022, in Corpus Christi. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])

One of the closest races of the day was between two Rio Grande Valley lifters — PSJA Southwest’s Alexia Zapata and Roma’s Aileen Garza in the 114-pound weight class.

Roma’s Aileen Garza competes in the squat during the Texas High School Women’s Association State Championships at American Bank Center on Saturday, March 19, 2022, in Corpus Christi. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])

Entering her final lift of the day — a third attempt on deadlift — Zapata trailed Garza by 25 total pounds. To top it off, Zapata missed her second deadlift attempt of 315 pounds minutes prior. She went for it all on her last attempt — 330 pounds to win the state championship. She pulled the bar off the ground, locked it in, set the weight back on the floor and got the green light for a successful lift to clinch the gold medal at 114 pounds.

“I had to approach it like it was a 185-pound deadlift. It was going to make or break me, and I wasn’t going to let it break me,” Zapata said. “We’ve made a lot of history this year and I’m proud of my team and how far we’ve come.”

PSJA Southwest’s Alexia Zapata attmpts a deadlift as she competes in the Texas High School Women’s Association State Championships at American Bank Center on Saturday, March 19, 2022, in Corpus Christi. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])

Southwest finished second overall in the team standings with two silver medals from Perla Garza in the 198-pound weight class and Bianca Garcia at 220 pounds. Analie Ayala and Reyleen Garza earned fourth at 132 and 148 pounds, respectively, while America Villegas won bronze at 97 pounds.

Mission Veterans sophomore Deseray Rodriguez completed her first season of competitive powerlifting by winning the state championship in the 148-pound weight class. She successfully lifted a 345-pound squat, a 180-pound bench press and a 365-pound deadlift for a total of 890.

“A lot of people had faith in me. I didn’t really have that much confidence; I didn’t see this happening at the beginning of the year,” she said. “I just pushed myself and my coaches and teammates pushed me.”

Mission Veterans’ Deseray Rodriguez competes in the squat Texas High School Women’s Association State Championships at American Bank Center on Saturday, March 19, 2022, in Corpus Christi. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])

Donna High, McAllen High and Memorial each had a state champion after the Class 5A Division I state meet.

Donna’s Valeria Gutierrez finished first in the 132-pound weight class with a 890 total — 375 squat, 195 bench, 320 deadlift. Memorial’s Kassandra Mendiola repeated as the 148-pound state champion with an 890 toal — 380 squat, 165 bench, 345 deadlift. McHi’s Yaresi Ozuna also won gold at 259 with a 1,120 total — 505 squat, 235 bench, 380 deadlift.

Edinburg IDEA also crowned two state champions during the Class 3A state meet Thursday. Mia Rincones took first in the 165-pound weight class with a 1,065 total — 415 squat, 265 bench, 385 deadlift. Teammate Amaris Garza also won gold at 123 pounds with a 950 total — 365 squat, 225 bench, 360 deadlift. Garza and Rincones’ first-place finishes propelled Edinburg IDEA to a second-place team finish with 14 points.

CLASS 5A DIVISION I AND II TOP FIVE FINISHERS

Class 5A Division I: Arianna Malacara, McAllen Memorial (97 pounds, 620 total, 3rd); Joanne Garza, Rio Grande City (97 pounds, 600 total, 5th); Leah Galvan, Weslaco East (105 pounds, 755 total, 2nd); Natalie Martinez, Weslaco East (105 pounds, 695 total, 4th); Ollie Valdez, Brownsville Veterans (114 pounds, 740 total, 2nd); Julie Tamez, La Joya Palmview (114 pounds, 735 total, 3rd); Dinorah Galvan, La Joya Palmview (114 pounds, 710 total, 4th); Luna Cuevas, McAllen Memorial (114 pounds, 695 total, 5th); Jennifer Rios, Rio Grande City (123 pounds, 805 total, 4th); Valeria Gutierrez, Donna High (132 pounds, 890 total, 1st); Kassandra Mendiola, McAllen Memorial (148 pounds, 890 total, 1st); Andrea Rizo, Brownsville Pace (148 pounds, 880 total, 3rd); Mia Escamilla, McAllen Memorial (148 pounds, 810 total, 5th); Eternity De La Garza, McAllen Memorial (165 pounds, 870 total, 3rd); Kimberly Luna, Brownsville Pace (181 pounds, 1,055 total, 1st); Nicole Cortez, Brownsville Veterans (181 pounds, 1,025 total, 2nd); Angelina Yanez, Donna High (181 pounds, 970 total, 4th); Maggie Cepeda, McAllen High (198 pounds, 1,020 total, 3rd); Kayleen Garcia, Weslaco East (220 pounds, 930 total, 5th); Yaresi Ozuna, McAllen High (259 pounds, 1,120 total, 1st); Briana Galvan, Weslaco East (259 pounds, 915 total, 5th); Norma Gonzalez, Brownsville Lopez (259+, 840 total, 4th).

Class 5A Division II: Anabel Martinez, Edcouch-Elsa (97 pounds, 710 total, 1st); America Villegas, PSJA Southwest (97 pounds, 630 total, 3rd); Zillah Velez, Edcouch-Elsa (97 pounds, 600 total, 5th); Adrienne Anzaldua, Edcouch-Elsa (105 pounds, 670 total, 1st); Hailey Aul, Sharyland Pioneer (105 pounds, 660 total, 2nd); Ema Ortiz, Sharyland Pioneer (105 pounds, 650 total, 3rd); Alexia Zapata, PSJA Southwest (114 pounds, 815 total, 1st); Aileen Garza, Roma (114 pounds, 810 total, 2nd); Ketny Nicoleau, Sharyland Pioneer (114 pounds, 735 total, 3rd); Georgina Alaniz, Edcouch-Elsa (132 pounds, 955 total, 1st); Crystal Jimenez, Mercedes (132 pounds, 850 total, 2nd); Analie Ayala, PSJA Southwest (132 pounds, 815 total, 4th); Deseray Rodriguez, Mission Veterans (148 pounds, 890 total, 1st); Reyleen Garza, PSJA Southwest (148 pounds, 840 total, 4th); Cassandra Martinez, Mercedes (165 pounds, 930 total, 2nd); Mia Gonzalez, Edcouch-Elsa (165 pounds, 925 total, 3rd); Kayleen Perez, Roma (165 pounds, 890, 5th); Solia Moreno, Edcouch-Elsa (181 pounds, 935 total, 4th); Perla Garza, PSJA Southwest (198 pounds, 1,035 total, 2nd); Zayda Sanchez, Mission Veterans (198 pounds, 965 total, 3rd); Emma Garza, Edcouch-Elsa (198 pounds, 945 total, 5th); Bianca Garcia, PSJA Southwest (220 pounds, 970 total, 2nd); Yadhira De Los Santos, Edcouch-Elsa (220 pounds, 915 total, 4th); Aisha Garcia, Edcouch-Elsa (259+, 1,250 total, 1st).