Warren Central’s Gordon wins second straight Class 6A powerlifting state title
Published 7:47 pm Saturday, April 1, 2023
JACKSON — Lane Gordon did not have his best day, but he had the best day.
The Warren Central senior won his second consecutive MHSAA Class 6A powerlifting championship in the boys’ 132-pound weight class, by lifting a total of 1,085 pounds in the bench press, dead lift and squat, at the state meet Saturday in the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson.
Gordon capped off a remarkable high school career in which he won two state titles and five north state titles.
“Every coach there patted him on the back and gave him an ovation. They love Lane, but they were all talking about how they’re going to be glad to see him gone,” Warren Central coach Chad McMullin said. “The South Panola coach said he was glad this 38-year-old is leaving.”
Gordon totaled 1,120 pounds in winning the 2022 state title, and 1,140 pounds at this year’s North State meet on March 4. He never came close to those marks on Saturday, but still had plenty of cushion.
Gordon lifted 425 pounds in the deadlift, 245 in the bench press and 415 in the squat. He topped his nearest challenger, Dwayne James of Ocean Springs, by 90 pounds.
“For years, it’s been Lane trying to beat Lane,” Warren Central coach Chad McMullin said. “Even today, on his worst day, he was better than everybody else.”
Warren Central’s Hannah Tennison and Katie Wallace competed in the girls’ Class 6A state meet on Friday, and both finished fourth in their respective weight classes.
Wallace, a junior competing in the 242-pound division, totaled 780 pounds. She lifted 340 in the squat, 115 in the bench press, and 325 in the deadlift. She missed a podium finish by five pounds, as Eliana Vaughn of Clinton totaled 785 pounds.
The senior Tennison totaled 620 pounds — 250 in the squat, 95 in the bench and 275 in the deadlift — in the 148-pound division.
McMullin said Tennison was battling a stomach virus that hit Wednesday. She was only 139 pounds at the weigh-in, the lightest of the six lifters in her division.
“Her (powerlifting) suits weren’t fitting right and she was having all kinds of problems,” McMullin said. “She gutted it out. It was hard on her.”
In the girls’ Class 5A meet, Vicksburg High’s Amari Johnson finished fifth in the 105-pound weight class. She lifted a total of 405 pounds — 145 in the squat, 60 in the bench press and 210 in the deadlift.
Skylar Gallavan of Gautier won the 105-pound title with a total weight of 535 pounds. Gautier also won the Class 5A team championship.