Colfax and Elk Mound powerlifting off to big starts

By Cara L. Dempski

The Viking and Mounder powerlifting teams already have a pair of meets under their belts, this year, with just two more before the state meet rolls around in March.

Both teams have shown their strength at River Falls in December and Osceola earlier this month, but will lift again at Elk Mound February 10, all the while trying to earn a trip to state or national competition.

Viking girls’ lifter Mikaela Leibfried copped first place at the River Falls meet December 9 after lifting a total of 785 pounds in the 114-pound weight class. The Colfax senior qualified for state in her first outing of the 2017-2018 season as an equipped lifter.

Colfax’s Rebecca Lee also qualified for state at the River Falls meet at 165 pounds after totaling 585 pounds for the day. She and Leibfried will be joined at the March 10 and 11 state meet at Mauston by Hailey Durand-Christianson and Makayla Mattson, both of whom lifted 725 pounds December 9 to qualify for state.

Elk Mound sophomore Clare Hallum was one of the first Mound lifters to qualify for state December 9 after picking up second place at 123 pounds with a total weight of 510 pounds.

Sira Shepard qualified at 132 pounds with a total lift of 505 pounds, and Allison Lindquist, Kortnee Halgren and Amanda Sahm all qualified for state at the River Falls meet at 148 pounds. Lindquist lifted a total of 645 pounds, Halgren made the grade with 590, and Sahm will go to state after totaling 575 pounds.

Kyla Egan, Abby Kasper and Madeline Jenson picked up state qualifications at River Falls in the 165-pound weight class after totaling 645 pounds, 620 pounds and 610 pounds respectively. Hannah Caron and DeAnna Leon qualified at 198 pounds with lifts of 655 and 645, and Alexis Lee and Erin DeLong qualified at 198+ with lifts of 670 and 625.

Mounder Lane Lee led off the boys’ qualifiers at River Falls with a total of 515 pounds in the 114-pound class for first place. Jack Emberson, Dylan Hanson and Blake Burlingame all qualified at 123 pounds with lifts of 615, 575 and 555, Dominic Hall earned a trip to state at 132 pounds with a total weight of 680, and Jonas Kohls qualified at 148 pounds for his total of 815.

Elk Mound seniors Bryce Kasper and Aric Jensen were the final two qualifiers from the River Falls meet, with Kasper lifting 1,185 and Jensen picked up 1,020, both at 198 pounds.

A few more Elk Mound lifters qualified for state at the January 13 Osceola meet. Freshman Bailey Gilbertson lifted a total of 455 pounds in the 123-pound class to earn her trip to Mauston, and LayLue Kue made it in the 105-pound class with a total of 405 pounds.

Kayla Patterson picked up a total of 520 pounds in the 132-pound weight class to earn her trip to state, Hannah Hawkins competed at 181 pounds and lifted 590 for her trip.

Bryce Ploeckelman competed in the boys’ 132-pound class and lifted 660 to qualify, Ethan Kaanta lifted 895 pounds at 165 for his state berth, Brandon Gilbertson logged 1,020 at 275 to earn his trip, and Hunter Burlingame qualified as an equipped lifter at 220 pounds and a total weight of 1,325.

Lifters will have another chance to qualify at the Elk Mound meet February 10, and the “Last Chance” meet at Whitehall February 24 before the state competition is held in Mauston in March. Those with qualifying lifts can also compete in the USA Powerlifting High School Nationals held at Appleton March 22-25.