The trip to Gulfport was long, but the ride back home was a sweet one for the Brookhaven High powerlifting team as the Panthers won the MHSAA 5A South State meet on Friday.

 

BHS powerlifting head coach Russ Britt got first place finishes from Ramireze Edwards (114-pound class), Javonta Stewart (181-pound class) and Caleb Harris (308-plus class).

“The guys did everything asked of them and came out on top,” said Britt. “It was a total team effort to win this. We had some tight battles in the 114, 132 and 148-pound classes. The guys got the points we needed in those weight classes and it really carried us.”

 

Harris deadlifted 635-pounds which broke the previous 5A South mark of 630. He set a personal best with 1,510-pounds lifted in the combination of deadlift, bench press and squat. No one at the meet lifted more combined weight than Harris, who also plays defensive line and has signed to next play at East Central CC.

 

Stewart is also signed to play football for East Central next year as a defensive back. His 280-pound effort on the bench press was a record-breaking lift in Region 3-5A history for his weight class. Stewart also deadlifted 540 pounds in his three-lift total of 1,295-pounds.

 

Edwards set a personal best on all of his lifts including a 340-pound effort on deadlift.

 

Second place finishers for the Panthers included Jaden Watson (148-pound class) and Landon Smith (242-pound class).

 

Watson lifted 985 pounds total while Smith set multiple personal bests including a 525-pound deadlift on the way to having a 1,185-pound combined total.

 

Third places finishers for the Panthers were Landon Wilkerson (114-pound class) and Pierre Bridgeforth (148-pound class). Jamal Brown was fifth overall in the 132-pound class, Daniel Smith was fourth overall in the 165-pound class, Eric Williams finished fifth in the 220-pound class and Brice Ashley finished sixth overall in the 242-pound class.

“I’m not sure if Brookhaven High has ever won south state in powerlifting and if we have, it’s been a while,” said Britt. “I expect us, Lake Cormorant and Gautier to be in the thick of it when the state meet comes on April 2. We’ll be there and ready to go.”