D’IBERVILLE, Miss. (WLOX) — The D’Iberville girls powerlifting team won the MHSAA 7A State Championship Saturday, breaking 18 records in the process.
Head coach Josh Ladner said the team’s success came from building confidence in athletes who initially doubted whether the sport was for them.
“They all had to be won over, in certain ways,” Ladner said. “Girls do kind of come with that stigma that this sport is not necessarily for them. Boys come with that natural confidence, almost too much sometimes, but it all boils down to getting them to believe they can, and once you get them to flip that script, it is kind of easy from there.”
Record-breaking performances
The team set multiple individual records, with powerlifters claiming top spots in Region 7A and across the state.
“I lost count. Somewhere along 18 total state records and all-time records. They are the best team I have ever coached,” Ladner said.
Khilah McLaurin set the all-time state deadlift record at 181 pounds, lifting 425 pounds.
“I told coach that I wanted to go for the record because I was in first place,” McLaurin said. “He asked me if I was sure that I wanted to do this, and I said, ‘Yes sir, I do.’ Just going up there, I told myself, ‘I have to get this, I have to get this,’ and then when I pulled it, there was just a smile all over my face. I ran and jumped in coach’s arms because having a coach that is there with you through everything is just so amazing.”
Shamiya Penn broke the all-time Mississippi squat record for her weight class, squatting 265 pounds at 97 pounds.
“It feels really good, especially with how small I am, how light I am,” Penn said. “It feels very good to know that I am able to do more than most people are. At first, I was very nervous. I knew that I could have broken the 7A record, but the all-time was very questionable. I remember talking to my coach about it and contemplating whether or not I wanted to do it, but I was in first, so I had nothing to lose. I went out there, got under the bar, and it was wraps from there.”
Boys team finishes third, sets records
The boys team finished third in 7A and broke multiple records.
Tyri Hearn set an all-time record with a 450-pound deadlift at 114 pounds. His 375-pound squat and 200-pound bench gave him a total of 1,025 pounds.
“I feel honored to say that I am the best 114-pounder of all time from 1A through 7A,” Hearn said. “I am very proud of myself for all of the hard work that I have put in to be able to accomplish that.”
Nickie Franks won the 123-pound title with a record-breaking 1,120-pound total.
“It kind of just comes fast,” Franks said. “You are wanting it one day, then you are working for it, and then you just do it.”
With more than 25 records broken — 18 from the girls team — McLaurin said the performances showed what female athletes can accomplish.
“I would say that we put in the work to show that every girl can be strong and every girl can go out there and show that they can dominate on that platform,” McLaurin said.
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