Over the weekend, the state powerlifting championship took place at the Rio Rancho Events Center. Three local schools participated. Roswell High, led by head coach Aaron Payne and assistant coach Albert Hernandez, had nine boys qualify, and their team finished in second place in the Class 5A boys’ competitions. They had four wrestlers finish in second, which included Nathaniel Lujan at 132 pounds, Nathaniel Bernal at 148 pounds and Martin Gamez at 181 pounds. Daniel Borrego also took home second for the Coyotes at 242 pounds. Goddard, led by head coach Cade Manzanares and assistant Gilbert Lucero, had three boys and three girls qualify and had two state champions in Taylen Payne at 165 pounds and Yaretzi Palma at 132 pounds, who is now a three-time champion. Vasanti Sosa came in second. New Mexico Military Institute, led by head coach John O’Mera, had five boys and two girls qualify. Their boys’ team came in third in Class A-3A competition and had one state champion, Kevin Cheng at 148 pounds, and two second-place finishers, Alex Graniewiez at 198 pounds and William Seifert at 220 pounds. Out of their two girls, Sofia Birdsong, at 132 pounds, took home a second place in her weight class. Pictured is the Roswell High boys’ powerlifting team holding up their second-place trophy.
