St. Paul’s, St. Michael, Church Point Take Home Powerlifting Titles On Final Day of State Meet

by Hunter Bower // GeauxPreps.com Owner

LAFAYETTE – For the first time in program history, St. Michael the Archangel of Baton Rouge scored its first state powerlifting title while St. Paul’s and Church Point added hardware to their respective trophy cases as the 2023 LHSAA Powerlifting State Championships concluded Saturday.

The championship victory comes just one year removed from finishing just short of the ultimate goal for St. Michael as the Warriors scored 44 points Saturday with the aid of two individual state championships and three second-place finishes.

In Division I, St. Paul’s took home its fourth overall state title and second since 2021 with 31 total points highlighted by senior Joshua Kellum’s performance which earned him Outstanding Lifter honors. Kellum took home individual state championship honors in the 148-pound weight class with lifts of 575-300-495 for a total of 1,370 pounds.

Church Point earned its ninth state title in school history and first since 2019 with a 40-point performance that included two individual state championship honors. Iota finished runner-up with 33 points as Hayden Vasseur took home Outstanding Lifter honors for the Bulldogs with a lift of 450-285-475 for a total of 1,210 pounds and championship honors for the 132-pound weight class.

Others recognized for Outstanding Lifter awards were Chase Lawton of Covington High School in Division I, Izaiah Farley of Leesville and Jaylin Magee of Franklin in Division II and Rocky Dufort of Kaplan in Division III.

DIVISION I

Team scores: 1. St. Paul’s, 31. 2. Covington, 24. 3. West Monroe, 19. 4. Woodlawn-BR, 16. 5. Catholic-BR, 16. 6. Ouachita Parish, 16. 7. H.L. Bourgeois, 13. 8. Central-BR, 12. 9. Mandeville, 11. 10. St. Amant, 10.

Top 3 individuals

114: 1. Nicolas Calidonia, Covington, 370-225-380-975. 2. Hunter Wright, Ouachita Parish, 335-195-370-900. 3. Meade Palmer, Alexandria, 355-160-350-865.

123: 1. Zach Montz, St. Paul’s, 425-245-430-1100. 2. J.T. Sylvera, Covington, 375-195-460-1030. 3. Willie Nunnery, Woodlawn-BR, 360-230-410-1000.

132: 1. Happy Butler, Catholic-BR, 475-260-470-1205. 2. Zach McCaffery, Mandeville, 405-225-495-1125. 3. Jacob Fortmayer, Fontainebleau, 390-265-435-1090.

148: 1. Joshua Kellum, St. Paul’s, 575-300-495-1370. 2. Nathan Lovemore, Natchitoches Central, 400-315-520. 3. Jon Bourgeois, H.L. Bourgeois, 495-315-500-1310.

165: 1. Noah Norman, West Monroe, 520-395-550-1465. 2. Zac Rambeau, Brother Martin, 540-430-480-1450. 3 Tyree Williams, St. Amant, 495-255-5995-1345.

181: 1. Brennon Naquin, H.L. Bourgeois, 555-385-585-1525. 2. Gage Lisle, Fontainebleau, 585-355-550-1490. 3. Aaron Corrent, West Monroe, 530-340-530-1400.

198: 1. Landon Wall, Live Oak, 605-405-615-1625. 2. Jamarion Treadway, Ouachita Parish, 600-330-625-1555. 3. Doug Ricalde, St. Paul’s, 600-405-550-1555.

220: 1. Chase Lawton, Covington, 710-465-625-1800. 2. D’quvious Lemons, Southwood, 600-310-600-1510. 3. Hayden Jackson, Natchitoches Central, 600-360-550-1510.

242: 1. Chandler Loesher, St. Paul’s, 625-520-595-1740. 2. Kaiden Lang, Central-BR, 700-430-600-1730. 3. Xavier Smith, Dutchtown, 650-300-635-1585.

275: 1. Luke Miller, Central-BR, 650-500-635-1785. 2. Bradlee Jones, Archbishop Rummel, 725-435-585-1745. 3. Peyton Anderson, St. Amant, 650-385-625-1660.

SHW: 1. Mehki Smith, Woodlawn-BR, 715-405-565-1685. 2. Mason Skipper, Ruston, 650-490-530-1670. 3. Kellen Meyer, Covington-690-390-535-1615.

DIVISION II

Team scores: 1. St. Michael, 44. 2. Lutcher, 22. 3. Archbishop Hannan, 21. 4. Franklinton, 16. 5. South Terrebonne, 16. 6. Assumption, 15. 7. Salmen, 14. 8. North Vermilion, 13. 9. Pearl River, 13. 10. Leesville, 12.

Top 3 individuals

114: 1. Sammy Tremonte, St. Michael, 315-205-360-880. 2. Peyton Le, North Vermilion, 280-150-325-755. 3. Aaron Blanchard, South Terrebonne, 280-155-280-715.

123: 1. Phillip Huth, Pearl River, 335-195-380-910. 2. Hadley Carter, St. Michael, 325-200-360-885. 3. Cooper Weber, Lakeshore, 295-155-370-820.

132: 1. Moises Cortez, Assumption, 365-210-360-935. 2. Cody LeBoieuf, South Terrebonne, 335-145-400-880. 3. Zayne Ruisinger, Tioga, 305-200-325-830.

148: 1. Gavin Guilbeau, Teurlings Catholic, 430-250-455-1135. 2. Dax Calderera, Lutcher, 415-240-445-1100. 3. Calder Tram, St. Michael, 415-230-440-1085.

165: 1. Izaiah Farley, Leesville, 495-255-550-1300. 2. Matt Garon, Lutcher, 470-305-505-1280. 3. Andy Thai, St. Michael, 500-265-475-1240.

181: 1. Rone Hebert, North Vermilion, 530-315-565-1410. 2. Gavin Knapps, St. Michael, 435-255-525-1215. 3. Tristen Simmons, Grant, 445-255-450-1150.

198: 1. Jaylin MaGee, Franklinton, 650-380-590-1620. 2. Cartez Brown, Archbishop Hannan, 525-305-520-1350. 3. Ben Clement, Lutcher, 525-275-535-1335.

220: 1. Khaled Waliagha, Franklinton, 530-365-565-1460. 2. Bennett Blank, St. Michael, 520-375-485-1380. 3. Benjamin Ragas, Vandebilt Catholic, 500-315-555-1370.

242: 1. Emilio Perez, St. Michael, 515-325-565-1405. 2. Landen West, Salmen, 500-370-530-1400. 3. Corey Charleston, Archbishop Hannan, 545-355-485-1385.

275: 1. Jordan Milton, North DeSoto, 600-315-520-1435. 2. Cole Piot, Archbishop Hannan, 535-365-510-1410. 3. Ted Jamison, Northwood-SH, 525-315-535-1375.

SHW: 1. Dwayne Coleman, Salmen, 700-440-675-1815. 2. Nolan Byers, Archbishop Hannan, 715-385-650-1750. 3. Samuel Truitt, South Terrebonne, 640-370-535.

DIVISION III

Team scores: 1. Church Point, 40. 2. Iota, 33. 3. Abbeville, 26. 4. E.D. White, 24. 5. Wossman, 20. 6. Carroll, 16. 7. Buckeye, 15. 8. Union Parish, 9. 9. Port Barre, 9. 10. Port Allen, 7. 10. Kaplan, 7.

Top 3 individuals

114: 1. Bryan Mao, Abbeville, 315-210-340-865. 2. Damrcus Bellard, Church Point, 340-175-325-840. 3. Keenan Hardy, Port Barre, 270-185-315-770.

123: 1. Charlie Collins, Wossman, 400-185-410-995. 2. Carter Robertson, Abbeville, 385-220-360-965. 3. Dantwone Hopkins, Union Parish, 345-185-355-885.

132: 1. Hayden Vasseur, Iota, 450-285-475-1210. 2. Peter Nguyen, Abbeville, 395-250-465-1110. 3. Jordan Grissom, Church Point, 345-215-405-965.

148: 1. Hunter Schexnayder, E.D. White, 505-330-475-1310. 2. Rich Nguyen, Abbeville, 395-225-435-1055. 3. Landon Hebert, Iota, 375-220-450-1045.

165: 1. Landon Jones, Port Allen, 475-270-550-1295. 2. Kayden Chaisson, E.D. White, 425-295-465-1185. 3. Nicholas Simmons, Iota, 440-310-415-1165.

181: 1. Rocky Dufort, Kaplan, 535-445-505-1485. 2. Jymarion Island, Union Parish, 525-285-510-1320. 3. Marco Escalante, E.D. White, 510-300-495-1305.

198: 1. Jeffery Diedrich, E.D. White, 535-345-520-1400. 2. Kain Deville, Buckeye, 500-305-485-1290. 3. Ty Williams, Pine, 445-245-515-1205.

220: 1. Damarion Guy, Church Point, 550-300-520-1370. 2. Luke Churchman, St. Louis Catholic, 500-315-515-1330. 3. Javontai Spears, Wossman, 505-270-515-1290.

242: 1. Wyatt Daigle, Church Point, 600-340-520-1460. 2. Antonio Lopinto, Albany, 485-315-525-1325. 3. Braxton LeBlanc, Church Point, 495-315-510-1320.

275: 1. Davion Edwards, Carroll, 555-360-625-1540. 2. Alex Dick, Mamou, 610-320-500-1430. 3. Gavin Benoit, Church Point, 510-355-510-1375.

SHW: 1. Jeremiah Major, Wossman, 665-350-500-1515. 2. Arlan Thibodeaux, Iota, 555-295-595-1445. 3. Michael Tillman, Carroll, 600-270-570-1440.