Cleveland High’s Charles Sanchez was a winner at super-heavyweight. (Herron photo)

For the second year in a row, albeit a different format, Rio Rancho High School won the state high school boys’ powerlifting championship.
Last year’s format, during the pandemic, was done virtually.
The events are sanctioned by the New Mexico Activities Association, although like bowling, chess eSports, speech and debate, classified as an activity, not a sport.
On Saturday, April 9, in the Rams Activities Center, the Rams had three weight class champs and three runners-up, amassing a team-high 47 points.
Cleveland, with two champs and four runners-up, was second in the 14-team meet with 37 points.
There were a dozen weight divisions for the boys, with eight qualifiers in each division.
The Rams’ champions and total weight hefted — with squat, bench and deadlift total poundage in parentheses) — were 132-Noah Lopez (800), 181-Lucas Lucero (1,100) and 242-Fabiano Valdez (1,230).
Isaiah Sanchez (930), 220-Alejandro Baca (1,115) and 308-Jase Smith (1,180) were the Rams’ runners-up. 220-Jaylen Pagiuo (1,115) was third.
Winners for the Storm were 198-Josh Perry (2,200) and super-heavyweight Charles Sanchez (1,185).
Cleveland had four runners-up: 123-Jackie Robinson (725), 165-Brandon West (1,015), 181-Javis Garcia (1,085) and 242-Ben Linfoot (1,225).
Storm girls 2nd, Rams 4th
The City of Vision’s schools each had one champ in the girls’ dozen weight divisions, although none had more than five entrants.
Lovington (59 points) won the girls’ title, while the Storm (27) and Rams (22) saw another much-smaller school, Silver High (26), between them, with 15 schools entered in all.
114-Jaida Prior (450) was Cleveland’s titlist, with the Rams’ Niquela Vallejos (630) their winner.
The Storm had a trio of runners-up: 123-Gabrielle Jones (570), 181-Kyndall Altamirano (660) and 220-Sophia Maurer (570).
RRHS’s 198-Marisa Cerillo (630) and 259-Sterling Glenn (660) were second.
The Storm’s 132-Cady Boras (535) and Rio Rancho’s 220-Anna Faith Jensen (570) placed third.