McAdams finished fourth in the boys’ 1A state powerlifting meet and fifth in the girls Class I meet for 1A and 2A schools. Ethel boys were eighth in 1A.
The highlight for McAdams from two long days of competition at the Mississippi Coliseum was two individual championships — junior Tydarrius Williams in the 132-pound weight class and sophomore Chris Harmon at 165.
Williams finished behind Windell Cousin of Vardaman at the South State meet a month earlier but reversed the order at the state meet. With a 365-pound lift in the squat, 180 in the bench press, and 450 in the dead lift, he totaled 995 pounds, 25 more than Cousin.
“I could have done better in the squat, but all-in-all, I pulled it out at the end when it counted,” Williams said.
It came down to Cousin's failed attempt at 485 pounds in the final dead lift that would have given him first place.
Harmon dominated the field at 165 with 405 in the squat, 165 in the bench press, and a dead lift of 465 for a 1,035 total — 105 more than runner-up Wyatt Wheeler of Tupelo Christian. Harmon took up powerlifting to help him for football as a tight end for the Bulldogs.
“I had to get in the weight room to get big, and I fell in love with the weights,” he said.
For the boys, Tupelo Christian won the team title with 36 points, followed by Vardaman with 32, Okolona 23, McAdams 20, Ashland 19, Falkner 13, Sebastopol 12, Ethel 11, Smithville 10, Richton 10, Thrasher 9, Leake County 8, Hamilton 5, and West Union 2.
Points are awarded as 7-5-3-2-1 for the top five in each of the 12 weight classes.
Other McAdams lifters in the top five – Jamarion Thompson fourth at 165, Malique Greer fourth at 275, Nathan Donaldson fifth at 123 and Jimmy Wilson fifth at 148.
Other boys’ team winners are Gulfport in 6A, Lake Cormorant in 5A, South Pike in 4A, Kossuth in 3A and Velma Jackson in 2A.
Girls
The four teams that finished ahead of McAdams are all 2A schools. Class I for girls is the only time where two classes are combined.
McAdams coach Kenneth Nelson said if 1A were a separate class, his team would have won three consecutive championships.
East Union dominated in winning a sixth consecutive title with individuals champions in seven of the 12 weight classes and 70 points, one less than its own record from three year ago.
Velma Jackson was second with 27 points, followed by Bruce 23, Calhoun City 19, McAdams 18, Vardaman 14, Myrtle 11, East Marion 7, Noxapater 6, Charleston 3, Strayhorn 3, Pelahatchie 3, Ashland 3, and Sacred Heart 2.
McAdams' top individual was sophomore Daniell Smith, second at 242 with a 330 squat, 130 bench press, and 295 dead lift. The 755 total was 30 pounds less than Adrinae Aikins of West Marion.
Other McAdams lifters in the top five – Amber Harmon third at 123, Shawnessy Martin third at 165, Jailynn Riley third at 198, Carlessia Hairston fourth at 105 and Jamirakle Nash fourth at 220.
Other team winners – D'Iberville in 6A, Gautier in 5A, South Pontotoc in 4A and Kossuth in 3A.
Ethel Boys
Ethel had five lifters who qualified for the 1A meet.
Kendarious Payton was third at 114, Anton Clark third at 198, Ladarrius Hubbert third at 220, Marcus Jones fourth at 181 and Kesus Collins seventh at 308-plus.
The future looks bright with all five underclassmen. Clark is a junior, Hubbert a sophomore, Payton a seventh grader, Jones a sophomore and Collins a freshman.
