Berwick to compete at state powerlifting meet

Berwick High School will send a combined 20 members of its boys and girls powerlifting teams to the Class 3A state meet that will be held Friday at Church Point High School.
Both teams had 10 of their 11 regional participants qualify for the state meet.
On the girls’ side, Berwick’s competitors feature Mary Grace Theriot, Shelby Bergeron, Perla Hernandez, Denver Poole, Jordan Lipari, Rennen DeLatte, Abbie Koen, Sydney Aucoin, Cate Koen and Caroline Osburn.
Boys’ competitors are Brandon Lemoine, Devin Carline, Chris Beltran, Aaron Barrileaux, Chaz Perry, Taylor Fegenbush, Bristol Gros, Trent Hebert, Christian Draper and Austin Vercher.
At the state meet, competitors will participate in bench press, squad and deadlift. Their weight successfully handled in these events is combined for their final score, and they are ranked accordingly.
The boys’ best chance for an individual top 3 finish at state lies with Christian Draper, Berwick boys’ coach Wil Broussard said.
Broussard said there are not a lot of 3A schools that powerlift in Berwick’s area, so at state, they will be competing against those they haven’t seen before and some who are “pretty good.”
At the regional meet Feb. 28 at Walker High, Christian Draper placed third in his weight class with 1,120 pounds lifted.
Other Panthers who placed in their weight class were Chris Beltran, with 750 pounds lifted, Brandon Lemoine, fifth place with 520 pounds lifted.
While Broussard said he didn’t know what to expect this year with this being the Panthers first year as a program, he said he was happy with what he’s seen.
“I was surprised and pleased that every meet that we went to, we competed it,” he said. “The kids …. they were positive. They pushed each other. They were very happy when others did well, whether it was for our team or others.”
On the girls’ side, Coach Heather Blanchard said she has several competitors who have a chance for strong finishes in Shelby Bergeron, Rennen DeLatte, Caroline Osburn and Mary Grace Theriot.
Theriot and Osburn each placed second in their weight classes at regionals with 390 pounds and 630 pounds lifted, respectively, while DeLatte and Bergeron placed fourth in their weight classes with 595 pounds and 520 pounds lifted, respectively.
“We’re competing where we want to be in year one,” Blanchard said.
Port Allen, who is in Berwick’s region, is one of the favorites in 3A, Blanchard said.
Berwick’s girls will lift at 9 a.m. Friday, while the boys will compete at 1 p.m. Friday.