After coming in just two points shy of the champions in last week’s Southern Regional Large School Girls’ Powerlifting Meet, the Marietta Lady Indians team headed to the state meet with a chip on their shoulders.
Marietta StrongGirls competed at the regional meet in Tishomingo against more than 700 other lifters in a 15-hour-long meet, with six of the team’s members – Tanasia Randle, Graicee Hicks, Crystal Castaneda, Jordyn Metcalf, Cece Chiffer, and Melanie Ortiz – qualifying for the state meet.
Although being regional runners-up is nothing to sneeze at, it wasn’t good enough for the Lady Indians’ lifters, who headed for the State Championship Meet, held Monday, March 6, at the Choctaw Event Center in Durant, ready to avenge that loss. And avenge it, they did.
The Lady Indians came home from Durant having done something that no other Marietta girls’ powerlifting team has done: win a state title.
“Today was a momentous day for Marietta athletics,” said Coach Alex Doby. “We are the state champs, the first in school history!”
In addition to the team win, the Lady Indians had two individual placers, Melanie Ortiz in second place and Jordyn Metcalf in fifth place.
The state championship is one that Doby knew was possible with commitment from student athletes. Spending time in the weight room is something that Doby and assistant coach Ryan Keeton have emphasized and encouraged for quite a while, and obviously, it’s paying off.
“This state title proves that our new culture of dedication to the weight room is correct,” Doby said. “We could not be more proud of this group of ladies. It’s been an amazing season and these girls continue to raise the bar for Marietta Indians Athletics.”
The Indians team is also having a successful season. Indian powerlifters were runners-up at the regional meet, with Draden Reynolds, Edward Hill, Aldo Salazar, and Kaden Dudley qualifying for the state meet to be held in El Reno on Saturday, March 11.