Jourdanton and Atascosa County, you are once again the home of a STATE CHAMPION powerlifter. Chris Verdin (Senior) is the 181 pound State Champion. Verdin also broke the 181 State Squat Record, with a smooth 655 lbs, followed by 395 lbs bench and 630 lbs deadlift. That total of 1680 pounds broke the long standing State Total Record by 60 lbs. Not only is Chris a State Champion, but he has stamped his name twice in the Texas Powerlifting Record books.
Jourdanton’s accomplishments on the day did not end there. Junior, Juan Lerma broke the State Bench Record with a bench press of 525 pounds. That is 80 pounds over the previous record of 445 lbs. in the 198 weight class. Lerma place 3rd with a total of 1580 lbs.
Senior, Nathaniel Arias placed 5th in the 198’s, but only after missing a 595 lbs. deadlift that would have placed him 2nd due to a technical mistake. Arias had an amazing senior season, finishing on personal bests of 595 pound squat and a 405 pound bench press.
FRESHMAN, Danilo Lugo also competed at the state meet and will be proudly carrying on the Lugo powerlifting tradition for the next three years. In Abilene, with several thousand in the stands, Lugo squatted a personal best of 550 lbs, benched a personal best of 335 lbs, and matched a personal best deadlift of 550 lbs.
As a team, Jourdanton placed 4th in State.
Jourdanton is led by Head Coach James Martin and Assistant Coach Nikki Yow. This year Jourdanton Powerlifting qualified nine girls and twelve boys for Regionals. From there four girls lifted at State with three medaling; four boys lifted at State with three medaling and one winning it all!