- Lake Orion HS, Lake Orion, Mi -

Saturday was a day of pure energy and excitement. When you get the 22 best athletes in the MHSPLA’s 26 men's and women's divisions, amazing things are guaranteed to happen. And they did. As the coach of the Ionia Powerlifting Bulldogs, I was not disappointed in what I was blessed to witness from our lifters. On Saturday morning we had four Lady Dawgs lifting with four qualifying Bulldogs following up in the Men’s Meet in the afternoon. 

The ladies set the bar high as all four competitors walked away with a medal. Isabelle Vasquez and Jadyn Gardner both brought home 8th-place finishes. Cashmier Austin brought home a 9th-place finish. In her final meet as an Ionia Bulldog Lifter, McKenna White brought home a 10th-place finish. Knowing how hard these ladies worked and the level of competition that they faced; it was amazing to see them compete, accomplish, and leave the platform at the end of the season setting the bar high for next year's team.

In the afternoon, each of the men came out swinging, went after their goals, and competed in their very first Varsity State meet. The day started as hoped for with all four of the lifters getting their first lifts, but as underclassmen, they realized quickly that they would have some growing to do to compete for the top step on the podium. With Squat and Deadlift max-lifts of over 600 lbs from the top lifters, our guys performed amazingly but just missed out on medaling. Charlie Frost finished in 11th, Seth Woods in 16th, Clayton Beaulieu in 18th, and Carlos Ogdon in 20th. 

The 2023-24 powerlifting season might be done, but as a program, we are just getting started. With seven of the eight state qualifiers at the varsity level returning next year, and eight JV qualifiers coming back, the future is looking bright for the Bulldog Powerlifting Program. As the athletes disperse into their spring sports, I can only hope that they continue to grow as a FAMILY and that our GRIT shines through every day. 

Thank you to our administration, Mr. Barr, Mr. Bowen, and Mr. Gill, for their continued support. Thank you to the parents, family, and guardians for your time and commitment to supporting the team this season. To our amazing trainer, Marci, thank you for taking care of us. To our team, I am proud of every one of you and I look forward to celebrating your accomplishments.