Rhinelander powerlifters clean up at Hodag Classic

The Rhinelander Powerlifting Club had 62 athletes compete Saturday, Feb. 7 as it hosted the Hodag Classic meet for Region 6 of the Wisconsin High School Powerlifting Association at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium.

Both the Hodag boys and girls took first place in their respective divisions. The boys scored 111 points and the girls had 104 points. 

Seven additional lifters punched their tickets to the WHSPA state meet in Appleton March 6-8 by meeting or exceeding pre-determined totals in their respective weight classes. On the boys’ side Grady DeBay (132 pounds), Jackson Waydick (181) and Dom Hakala (275+) qualified while the Hodag girls qualified Marsadies Williams (114), Gretchen Fiebke (148), Sadie Edyvean (242) and Libbey Buchmann (242+).

“Currently we sit at 20 total lifters qualified, an even split of 10 boys and 10 girls. This season was an amazing season and I can't wait to see how we cap it off,” coach Drake Biolo said.

In varsity competition, the Hodags had 12 individual weight champions and several other podium finishers. Canyon Sizemore won the 114-pound class with a score of 705 pounds between the bench press, squat and dead lift. 

“Canyon Sizemore is now leading the state for that weight class with a total of 705 which places him first in the state with a lead of 30 pounds,” Biolo noted.

    Dominic Hakala completes a bench press during a WHSPA Region 6 meet at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium Saturday, Feb. 7. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

Trevor Denton and Michael Brunette were first and third at 123; Trenton Smits and DeBay were first and third at 132; Wyatt Crowell was second at 148; Matthew Haselton was third at 165; Myles Eagleson and Waydick went 1-2 at 181, as did Leander Sprecksel and Isaac Mickevicius at 198; Sam Caselton was the runner-up at 242; Landon Webster and Parker McCone were first and third at 275 and Hakala won the heavyweight division. 

    Gretchen Fiebke completes a squat during a WHSPA Region 6 meet at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium Saturday, Feb. 7. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

On the girls’ side, Carlie Pudlowski was the champ at 105; Williams and Payten Denton went 1-2 at 114; Lola Beach and Shyanne Hueckstaedt were third at 123 and 132, respectively; Taylor Dahlquist and Fiebke went 1-2 at 148; Alexa Segovia was second at 165; Brooklyn Marten and Claire Ourada were second and third at 181; Saige Mutter took third at 198 and Edyvean and Buchmann were the winners at 242 and heavyweight. Biolo noted the performances for Edyvean and Buchmann are seventh overall in the state in their respective weight classes. 

JV winners included Kane Loka (boys 132), Brodie Dillenberg (boys 165), Carsen Zadnik (boys 198), Khloe Skubal (girls 105), Aleigha Martin (girls 114), Kelsie Skubal (girls 132), Adriana Skubal (girls 148) and Margaret Campbell (girls 242). Loka and Kelsie Skubal were named the JV lifters of the meet. 

The Hodags will host the Region 6 Last Chance meet Saturday, Feb. 21 for lifters who are within 75 pounds of the state qualifying standard. Biolo noted the Hodags will have eight lifters competing in that event as they look to add their names to the list of Rhinelander state qualifiers.