KIRTLAND – The Kirtland Central High School boys and girls powerlifting teams dominated their competition at the KCHS Bronco Meet, held Saturday morning at the Bond Wilson Technical Center in Kirtland.
The boys team, led by Deronte Tso and Jharrin Tyler, outscored Navajo Prep by a combined score of 55-43 in the four-team event.
Tso scored wins in the squat category, lifting more than 560 lbs., while Tyler also picked up an individual win in the dead lift competition, narrowly besting Devon Phillip from Navajo Prep with a combined lift total of 260-258 lbs.
The Broncos were competing in their first meet of the season, and looked very much like one of the leading squads in the region. The boys team, coached by Travis Clary, also scored well with performances by Raymond Hunt, who squatted 750 lbs. to defeat Newcomb’s Shondeen Tallbrother’s 575 lbs. to win the 198-lb. weight class.
Navajo Prep scored a top-two performance in squats at the 242-lb. division, led by senior Tyler Nells, who lifted 1010-lbs. in three combined attempts, ahead of teammate Marcus Benally’s 995-lbs.
KCHS Bronco Powerlifting Meet (Boys & Girls Team Scores)
Boys Scores
1. Kirtland Central (55)
2. Navajo Prep (43)
3. Newcomb (32)
4. Shiprock (26)
Girls Scores
1. Kirtland Central (63)
2. Navajo Prep (11)
3. Newcomb (7)
The Navajo Prep team, coached by Dante Thunder Hawk, had a pair of top scorers in the squat category at the 148-lb. division, with Travone Calabaza outlifting teammate Frankie Bull by a combined margin of 645-545 lbs.
“How I coach my lifters is that you’re competing not against teams, but you’re competing with yourself and the people in your weight class,” Thunder Hawk said.
Newcomb’s Geordan White scored an individual win in the bench press, scoring a victory at the 198-lb. weight class, outlifting Nicholas Billie from Kirtland Central 123 to 115. White also scored a win in the dead lift discipline, winning his weight class 243-236 over teammate Caleb Smith.
In the girls competition, Kirtland Central dominated the proceedings, with Terryka Dowdy having an exceptional showing. The senior scored high marks in the squat competition, lifting a combined 725 lbs. in her three lifts. She also won the bench press and dead lift categories, giving her a clean sweep of the meet.
“Our coaches really push us and I appreciate how hard they push us to do better,” Dowdy said. “It’s a competition against my own strength and pushing myself to do better.”
The girls team, coached by Kiera Smith, easily topped Navajo Prep by a combined score of 63-11 in the three team competition, with Newcomb finishing third overall.
The Kirtland Central teams will be in action at the 5th annual Shiprock Invite, which is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 22 at Shiprock High School. The next scheduled meet for local and area teams is scheduled at Shiprock High School on Saturday, Feb. 1.
The 2025 state powerlifting championships will take place April 4-5 at the Rio Rancho Events Center. For more information, check out the New Mexico Activities Association’s website.