Six Lady Chaps powerlifters place in Top 10 at state
The Aubrey Lady Chaparrals powerlifting team recently wrapped up their season, placing 13th overall at the 2026 Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association State Meet in Edinburg on March 20.
Nine Lady Chaps lifters competed at the event, with six placing in the Top 10 of their respective weight classes and two earning medals.
“We did an awesome job,” said Ron Gathright, Aubrey head girls powerlifting coach. “This is the first time as far as I can remember that we had no bomb-outs, and every one of our girls completed the meet. It was a very competitive meet, and our girls competed very well, and we had several girls get in the Top 10.”
Matianna Walter was the Lady Chaps’ top performer, earning silver in the 97-pound weight class with a weight total of 670 pounds.
Walter said she originally thought she was locked into third or fourth place and that she and her teammates were overjoyed when they received the news she finished in second place.
“When we found out that I won, my teammates and I were screaming with happiness,” she said. “It was just such an amazing moment because I had no idea that I was even in second.”
The event marked Walter’s fourth appearance at the state meet and her third time making the podium at the event, and she shared her gratitude for Gathright and her mom, Troy Walter.
“I want to say thank you to Coach Gathright, first of all because he was the one who saw my potential and recruited me to join the team my freshman year, and he made sure I had everything I needed to be successful throughout my career,” she said. “… I also want to thank my mom because she was my biggest inspiration. She was one of the first women to fight for a spot to compete for Aubrey in powerlifting, and I wanted to finish what she started.”
Zoe Fikes also competed in the 97-pound weight class, finishing sixth with a weight total of 590 pounds.
Asia’H Dallas placed ninth in the 114-pound weight class, with a weight total of 745 pounds.
Presley Howard also competed in the 114-pound weight class, finishing 10th with a weight total of 710 pounds.
Bianca Bertolani placed seventh in the 123-pound weight class, lifting a total of 790 pounds.
Alaya Harnett finished 14th in the 148-pound weight class, with a weight total of 755 pounds.
Ella Burton placed seventh in the 181-pound weight class, lifting a total of 910 pounds.
Mariah Saldivar finished 11th in the 220-pound weight class, with a weight total of 760 pounds.
Haylee Moon was the Lady Chaps’ second medalist, placing fourth in the 242+ weight class with a total of 1,130 pounds and a recordbreaking performance.
Moon set a new state record in bench press of 315 pounds on her second attempt but had to battle to keep her crown.
“The girl behind me tied it, and she got it up but not with ease, and I knew with all the practice I’ve been doing, bench is one of my specialties,” she said. “I know how to work the bench shirt, so I knew I could get more weight up with my technique and Coach Gathright in front of me, cheering me on.”
The meet marked Moon’s third appearance at the state meet but her first time completing the event and earning a medal, and she expressed her appreciation for Gathright and her mother, Rebecca Martinez.
“[Gathright] is a father figure for me in the sports program, and he’s believed in me since I was a freshman,” she said. “… And my mom is my biggest supporter. She was proud of me making it to state the first two years, but this year she was really proud of me.”
With chalk dust settled on the 2026 season, Gathright thanked student teacher Ashley Tankersley, team parent Dana Fikes and Aubrey athletic secretary Lanise Heath.
“We had 47 girls on the team this year, and we set a program record with 36 girls qualifying for Regionals and had nine go to State and took a trophy or plaque from every single meet we competed in; I’m so proud of the continued success that this program has been able to have,” Gathright said.
