Following up on months of training, seniors Knute Holden, Kendall Short, junior Ryan Smith, and freshman Christian Jegen each placed at the state powerlifting at Kapaun Mt. Caramel High School in Wichita on Saturday, March 16.

Powerlifting started with football Coach Joel Applebee talking to his football players about a powerlifting meet at Basehor-Linwood High School.

“I started lifting in eighth grade to get ready for high school football and then coach Applebee introduced [the players]  to powerlifting,” Holden said.

With competitive powerlifting being new to the school, athletes at school have regularly competed in meets and pushed their way through to state placements and setting state records.

Short currently holds the state powerlifting record in hang clean. At his first state appearance, Short was impressed with how he did and was glad to have become involved with the sport.

“Powerlifting helps me get through obstacles in my life that I didn’t think I could get through before,” Short said.

Short placed third in squat and set the state record for hang clean at 365 pounds and got second overall at the meet.

Among other state competitors, Holden captured the third place title at the meet. He received second in bench and squat and placed third in hang clean, as well.

Jegen and Smith also made state appearances this year. Jegen holds second place in his weight class while Smith placed first at state and was the heavy weight division champion.

According to Holden, preparing for a meet seems simple, but getting to state and being able to lift as much as powerlifters do is not as easy, he said. Working out every day, eating lots of protein and putting in effort is very time consuming. Despite attending Zero Hour every morning, working out beyond that is beneficial to a lifter. Working out approximately 10-12 times a week, Short goes beyond the mandatory Zero Hour practices every morning.

“[I work out so much] so I can compete with other athletes and continue to grow as a player and make myself the best I can be at what I do,” Short said.

All the power lifters agree that lifting not only makes you stronger physically but their personal lives are affected as well. Learning to work harder, being motivated, taking on big life challenges, and becoming more competitive are a few benefits of being involved in power lifting, according to them.

“I definitely think power lifting helps me in every day activities,” Holden said. “It teaches me good, hard work ethic.”

As a Basehor-Linwood High School transfer, junior Brooklyn Hogfoss didn’t compete this year, but has a unique story of being a girl that powerlifts.

“I get treated really different by many people,” Hogfoss said.  “A lot of them don’t believe [that I powerlift], but it remotivates me to prove people wrong.”

Hogfoss, being one of only a few girls in the state to be involved in powerlifting, took this season off but competed the previous year.

“It’s such a big rush,” Hogfoss said. “It’s really nerve racking doing your lifts because everyone’s eyes are on you and you don’t want to mess up. But that’s motivation and it really helps.”