The Bearcats powerlifting team competed at the 2026 Texas High School Powerlifting Region 6 Division 3 and Region 6 Unequipped Regional Meet on March 12 & 13, with the unequipped team placing seventh out of 40 schools.
“We had eight guys go down Friday, and we brought home five medals, which is a big accomplishment from where we started,” Pilot Point head powerlifting coach Robby Perez said. “It’s all about peaking at the right time, and that’s what the kids did. Some of them tried things they thought they never would, but they did a great job competing.
In the unequipped division, there are no automatic qualifiers for the state meet, and a lifter must finish in the Top 2 in their respective weight classes.
Deaken Kizer placed fifth in the 114-pound weight class with a total of 550 pounds.
Everett Lebsack and Myles Marsh competed in the 148-pound weight class, placing fourth and fifth, with weight totals of 975 and 955 pounds.
“Making it to regionals and medaling was the goal for the year, and I’m happy I did,” Marsh said. “I could’ve done some things better, but I have to work on it and come back better next year.”
Mitchell Eddins and Josh Martinez placed third and fourth in the 181-pound weight class, with totals of 1,150 and 1,070 pounds.
Alex Ascencio placed eighth in the 198-pound weight class, with a weight total of 1,110 pounds.
Memo Esparza finished eighth in the 220-pound weight class, with a total of 1,185 pounds.
Daniel Medrano rounded out the Bearcats’ unequipped lifters but did finish the event.
The Bearcats also had three lifters—Cole Krouskup, Buster Springer and Lucas Herrera— compete in the equipped division.
Krouskup placed eighth in the 132-pound weight class, lifting a total of 889 pounds.
Springer finished seventh in the 148-pound weight class, with a weight total of 1,015 pounds.
Herrera placed eighth in the 275-pound weight class, with a weight total of 1,315 pounds.
Krouskup, the Bearcats’ lone senior, shared how much he enjoyed his final season with the powerlifting program.
“I made it to regionals, which only the Top 12 in the region get to do, and I got eighth, so that felt pretty good,” he said. “I started in middle school because one of the coaches told me to try it, and it definitely made me a lot stronger and taught me a lot about time management skills because it’s on you to get your workouts in, and I really enjoyed it.”
With this year’s season at a close, Perez expressed his thanks to Chad Worrell, Pilot Point athletic director and head football coach; assistant coach Grady McRae; and the Celina Powerlifting League coaches.
