Gulfport, D’Iberville powerlifting athletes are winning state titles and breaking records
Gulfport has reclaimed its spot atop the statewide powerlifting chain, winning its fifth state championship in six years under head coach Logan Fallo.
Five athletes placed first, with another four finishing second. Ladarius Jordan had the highest total in the state and was the best lifter in the 308 lb weight class.
The Admirals faced adversity during the meet when Clayton Wartenbee suffered a broken arm but his teammates rallied behind him.
“My kids looked at him and said, ’we got this,’” Fallo told the Sun Herald. “Everybody just changed gears. It was a key moment when one of the kids, a promising sophomore, gets hurt in a freak accident and the kids just changed.”
Malachi Walker placed first in his 123-lb weight class, with teammate Andy Vu finishing right behind him at second. Tyler Reed and Jaedyn Leblanc also placed first in their respective weight classes.
Isaac Cupp, who needed surgery last fall to repair a torn ACL, placed first in the 198 lb class.
Hudson Williams, Colin Chattman and Kenneth Gordon all earned second place finishes.
Gulfport returns eight of its 12 lifters next year.
Football star sets record
Elsewhere in the world of lifting, D’Iberville’s Colton Deshazo rewrote the books at a recent meet when he set the new Mississippi deadlifting record when he pulled up 740 lbs.
“It felt amazing,” Deshazo told the Sun Herald. “People counted me out, they thought I couldn’t do it. I was down 105 lbs at my last deadlift... I told my coach ‘put it on the bar let’s go.’ I after I did it the feeling was beyond words.”
The senior football star who played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game went into his lift with the intention of placing first and then found himself on top of the record books.
Deshazo is heading to Holmes Community College to continue his football career.
“I’m excited that my hard work in the weight room will be able to transfer over to the football field in Goodman, Mississippi,” Deshazo said.
