31 Elk Mound powerlifters have qualified for state competition
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ELK MOUND features over 60 powerlifters on this year’s team. Above, pictured in no particular order, are the Mounders state pwoerlifting qualifiers to date: Alexis Lee, DeAnna Leon, Abby Kasper, Isabella Harmer, Bailey Gilbertson, Ashley Patterson, Laylue Kue, Nanya Kue, Devin Balts, Major Gunderson-Morris, Lane Lee, Blake Burlingame, Morgyn Hallum, Clare Hallum, Kortnee Halgren, Peyton Meyers, Dominic Hall, Jack Emberson, Bryce Ploeckelman, Dylan Hanson, Ethan Kaanta, Mason Close, Carter Brantner, Mercedes Hay, Hannah Cynor, Alyse Egan, Amanda Sahm and Hannah Caron. —photo submitted
By Amber Hayden
ELK MOUND — With the powerlifting season well underway since December, the Elk Mound girls’ and boys’ lifting teams have had 31 individuals todate, qualify for the USA Powerlifting Wisconsin High School State Championship in Appleton, WI March 2-3.
In its first match of the 2018-19 season, the Elk Mound squad, which features over 60 competitors, traveled to River Falls on December 8.
The Lady Mounder powerlifters were first in team points in the River Falls regional meet and had several ladies qualify for state including Laylue Kue, who finished first in the 105-pound weight class with her best squat at 115 pounds, bench press at 75 pounds, and dead lift weight of 150 pounds. Laylue Kue finished with 251.60 points for Elk Mound in the varsity division.
Other top finishers for the Elk Mound girls at the River Falls meet were: Mercedes Hay (2nd), Madelynn Dutzle (3rd), Chloe Simpson (2nd), Nanya Kue (2nd), Clare Hallum (1st), Morgyn Hallum (2nd), Emma Gillespie (1st), Peyton Meyer (2nd), Isabella Harmer (2nd), Abby Kasper (2nd), Amanda Sahm (3rd), Hannah Caron (1st), Orianna Horel (3rd), and DeAnna Leon (2nd).
The Mounder boys were no slouches either with ten boys finishing in the top three in River Falls to help them also earn first place in team points.
Ethan Kaanta, who placed first in the 148-pound weight class, had best lifts at 350 pounds for squat, 185 pounds for bench pressing and 360 pounds from the dead lift position. Kaanta finished with 314.91 points in the varsity region one division.
Other top male performers for the Mounders in River Falls included teammates Devin Balts (114, 1st), Lane Lee (123, 1st) and Dominic Hall (132, 1st), Cullen Schlewitz (1st), Bryce Ploeckelman (3rd), Mason Close (2nd), Jacob Miller (3rd), Major Gunderson-Morris (3rd) and Carter Brantner (3rd).
In total Elk Mound had 65 lifters compete in River Falls with 21 qualifying for the Wisconsin Powerlifting Association State Meet in March.
In their second meet of the season, the Mounders found themselves in Osceola on January 12 where ten more powerlifters qualified for state out of the 60 Elk Mound powerlifters that competed.
The boys had nine competitors that finished in the top three in their weight class to lead the boys to a second-place finish in the team scores.
Joseph Javanovich who finished first in the 123-pound weight class with his best lifts at 180 pounds for squat, 90 for bench press and 255 for dead lift.
Javanovich was joined by eight teammates with top three finishes which included Avery Kaanta (148, 1st), Aaron Heuer (181, 3rd), Mason Close (165, 3rd), Devin Balts (2nd), Lane Lee (2nd), Ethan Kaanta (1st), Major Gunderson-Morris (3rd) and Carter Brantner (2nd).
The Mounder ladies found themselves back on top of the team standings at the Osceola Regional with a first-place finish and had 13 of the girls finishing in the top three in their weight divisions.
Laylue Kue finished in first again for Elk Mound in the 105-pound weight class with a 150 squat, 75 bench press, and 225 dead lift.
Joining Kue at or near the top of their weight classes were Isabella Harmer (123, 1st), Marian Lee (165, 2nd), Nanya Kue (105, 2nd), Madelynn Dutzle (2nd), Clare Hallum (1st), Mercedes Hay (2nd), Peyton Meyers (3rd), Morgyn Hallum (3rd), Abby Kasper (1st), Hannah Caron (1st), Orianna Horel (2nd) and Alexis Lee (2nd).
In total, Elk Mound had 60 lifters compete at the Osceola Regional Powerlifting Meet with ten additional lifters qualifying for the Wisonsin High School Powerlifting Association State Meet to give the Mounders a total of 31 lifters that have qualified for the State Meet.
The Mounders, who are coached by Coty Schmidt, will host a regional meet this Saturday, Feburary 9th at Elk Mound High School to give powerlifters a final opportunity to qualify for state. Lifting starts at 9 a.m. in the high school gym.