Pope John Paul II’s girls’ powerlifting team won the 2010 Louisiana High School Powerlifting Association Class 2A state title held at Central of Baton Rouge High.

The Lady Jaguars captured the title with 63 points.

Farmerville was second with 45, followed by Runnels (14), Episcopal (12), St. Thomas Aquinas (6) and Pickering (1). Northlake Christian competed, but did not score.

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“I’m very proud of them,” PJP coach Daniel Hanlon said. “We had it going in to it. We knew they were out on the hunt for us because we won it last year and they were going to be coming back at us hard. But our girls fought hard and they did an excellent job of scoring 63 points out of 77.”

He added that it was a terrific job overall.

“I believed in them. That’s what I wanted them to do. They proved it again that they are a good team and we have one senior (Michelle Diaz). So we’re losing one girl, so hopefully we can come back and go for a three-peat.”

False River took the Class 1A crown with 40 points.

Catholic of Pointe Coupee (29) was runner up, while Archbishop Hannan (24) was third.

Delhi and Delhi Charter tied for fourth with 15 points, followed by Ascension Catholic (14) and Ringgold (7).

Participants were competing for individual and team honors. The team portion went by classification, while individuals were going against everybody. For example, if a member of a Class 1A team won first place, but a Class 2A participant got second. Both would receive first-place points, but the Class 2A lifter would be declared the runner-up.

Teams received points by where they finished. Seven was awarded for first place, while it was five for second, three for third, two for fourth and one for fifth.

Pope John Paul II sophomore Megan Brathberry won her second state title. She was selected the Outstanding Lifter for the heavier platform, which is 165-pound weight class-super heavyweight (220 and one quarter pounds and above).

Brathberry, who competes in the 165s, lifted 815 total pounds. She squatted 335, while benching 160 and deadlifting 320.

“It was awesome, especially to beat a lot of the much heavier girls. It was really good,” Brathberry said.

She said it was tough going into the meet.

“It was kind of nerve-racking going in, thinking that I had a lot of competition and then seeing that I was really going to come out on top by a lot of weight made me excited,” she said.

Brathberry won by 110 pounds over Farmerville’s Kane Bearden, who lifted 705-total pounds. Bearden squatted 290, while benching 115 and deadlifting 300.

Brathberry was one of four PJP state champions.

Lauren Deniger captured the 114s, lifting 575 pounds. She posted a 195 squat, 120 bench and 260 deadlift. Teammate Lauren Deniger (535) was runner up. She tallied 190 squat, 95 bench and 250 deadlift.

Hannan’s Christy Arthur (490) finished fifth. She squatted 185, benched 90 and deadlifted 215.

PJP’s Haley Hespen topped everyone in the 123s. She totaled 680 pounds with a 275 squat, 120 bench and 285 deadlift.

Hannan’s Jamie Chauppette (530) was third with a 205 squat, 95 bench and 230-pound deadlift.

PJP’s Rachael Noto captured the 148s, totaling 690. She squatted 250, while benching 155 and deadlifting 285 pounds.

Teammate Angela Corso (680) was runner-up, squatting 245, benching 135 and deadlifting 300.

Hannan’s Sydney Finch (570) took fifth. She posted a 235 squat, 85 bench and 250 deadlift.

Runnel’s Jillian Bates (580) took the 97-pound weight class, while Delhi’s Tarnesha Farris (460) topped the 105s, Farmerville’s Autumn Hammond (625) captured the 132s and teammate Kelly Palmertree (705) won the 181s. False River Academy’s Savannah Guidry (715) is the champion of the 198s, Ascension Catholic’s Tykean Wise (410) was first in the 220s and Catholic of Pointe Coupee’s Robin Gaines (810) took the super heavyweights.

Also in the top five locally:

97: 3. Krystal Caruso, PJP, 140 squat, 85 bench, 190 deadlift, 415 total.

105: 2. Jena Cartaginese, PJP, 160 squat, 75 bench, 195 deadlift, 430 total; 4. Heidi Dunne, PJP, 205 squat, 45 bench, 45 deadlift, 295 total.

132: 2. Madee Booksh, HAN, 240 squat, 95 bench, 245 deadlift, 580 total; 3. Michelle Diaz, PJP, 220 squat, 95 bench, 260 deadlift, 575 total; 4. Rebecca Miller, PJP, 205 squat, 100 bench, 270 deadlift, 575 total.