Ethel will be represented at the boys MHSAA state powerlifting meet by five lifers, while Kosciusko will have one.
For Ethel, Hayden Langford, an eighth grader, will compete in the 132-pound weight class in the 1A meet, juniors Kendall Dotson and Austin McDaniel at 148, senior Sean Williams at 181 and freshman Luther Clark at 198. Kosciusko junior Mike Rimmer will compete in the 4A meet at super heavyweight.
The state meet will be Saturday at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson. Lifters qualify for the meet by finishing in the top three for their weight classes at the North State or South State meet.
For Ethel, Dotson was first at the 1A South meet with a total of 890 pounds for the squat, bench press and dead lift. Clark was also first totaling 1,155 pounds. Langford, McDaniel and Williams all finished third.
“These five have a chance to get on the podium (top three),” said Ethel coach Corey Parish.
Ethel won 1A last year after being runner-up in 2016. but Parish does not expect a repeat. “We’re really young this year. We have a lot of lifters who are lifting for the first time. I have enjoyed the group. They did the best they could and that’s all that matters.”
For Kosciusko, Rimmer took second for super heavyweight at the 4A North meet with lifts totaling 1,050 pounds. “He’s learning more than anything else right now,” said coach Lance Canoy. “I think he will represent Kosciusko really well.”
McAdams had one competitor at the 1A North meet, Christopher Brown, who finished sixth at 132.
Ethel, Kosciusko and McAdams do not have girls powerlifting teams.
