Thursday, March 3rd was a big day for our Lady Tigers as they traveled to Pine Tree to the Division 1 Region 3 Powerlifting Meet. At the end of the day, MPHS would have 3 Lady Tigers qualify for State—Arlette DeJesus, Alexandra Martinez, and Nayeli Jaimes. All in all, the Lady Tigers finished the night lifting 8 girls, combining for 6 medals, one 1st place, one 2nd place, two 3rd place, one 4th place and one 5th place, with a total of 21 points, good enough to capture 3rd place as a team out of 23 teams in the Region. Senior Arlette DeJesus (2nd year) came into the Regional meet ranked #1 in Small 5A, and #2 overall. She did not disappoint on this day as she lifted her best total of the year, 580 lbs., and captured the #2 spot in Small 5A and 3rd place overall. By finishing 2nd in Small 5A, DeJesus will move on to the State competition in Corpus Christi Texas on March 18-19, representing Mount Pleasant and Region 3!

Junior Alexandra Martinez (3rd year) set a personal best on the bench, not quite coming up with her best yearly total, but still managing a whopping 720 lbs. Her total was good enough to finish the day ranked #2 in the Region, allowing her to compete at the State meet in Corpus.

#1 ranked Junior Nayeli Jaimes (3rd year) continued to do what she has done all season, and for the past 3 years, by setting new season and career totals while also besting her bench and dead lift. Her grit pushed her to a new total of 940 lbs., and kept her ranked #1, not only in the Region, but also in the State. She will join her teammates DeJesus and Martinez at the State powerlifting meet in Corpus Christi.

Sophomore Jordan West (2nd year) also had the best total of her year and career. Grabbing personal bests in Bench Press and Dead Lift, West totaled 485 lbs., good enough for 7th place overall and just out of medal contention.

Senior Marianna Gonzalez (2nd year) also set personal bests in bench and dead lift, setting a new season and career total of 660 lbs.! Her efforts would be rewarded with a 5th place finish, making it 2 years in a row to medal at the Regional meet!

Sophomore McKinsee Oviedo (2nd year) set personal bests in the bench and dead lift, while also setting a new season and career total in the process, combining for a total of 785 lbs.! Her accomplishment was good enough to secure her 4th place in the Region!

Last but not least, Jasmine Landaverde came into the day ranked #10 in the Region, but she would end the day setting new personal bests in all three lifts! While setting these new records, she found herself leap-frogging 3 competitors on her last dead lift and finishing #3 overall in the Region!

Two other Lady Tiger lifters qualified for the Regional meet this year…Sophomore Araceli Landaverde (1st year) and Junior Jenna Cook (3rd year). Landaverde was unable to compete at the Regional meet due to her State competition in TAFE. Cook, who made her 3rd appearance at the Regional meet, was unable to complete her night after the squat. Although both Lady

Tigers were unable to finish their seasons the way they would have liked, Landaverde continued to make new PR’s totaling 405 lbs. and Cook made new PR’s every week as well, totaling 730 lbs.

The Lady Tigers will compete at the State Powerlifting Meet at the end of this week! Let’s go Lady Tigers!