Record Day For Cyclone Powerlifters; 5 State Record Set

More than 100 athletes competed in the Orchard AAU Powerlifting Meet on Saturday.

Clearwater-Orchard powerlifting coach Jeff Shabram said many lifters set state and American records, including five individuals from the host school. 

"As of Monday, April 7th, we know that our very own Heaven Smith, Jaiden Switzer, Kaci Schacht, Wyatt Shabram, and Creston Bertschinger set or tied state records for their weight classes in the squat, bench press and/or deadlift," Shabram said. "Other records were in the sights of some O-C lifters, but we are waiting for the updated record list on aau-ne.com."

Schacht was named outstanding female teen lifter of the meet.

Saturday's meet closed out the 2014 powerlifting season.  

"Nice job and keep up the good work kids," Shabram said. "Saturday was an overall amazing display of power for many of the competitors."

As a team, Clearwater-Orchard won the 2014 Nebraska AAU championship, topping runner-up Columbus by 32 points. 

Clearwater-Orchard had 17 individual AAU champions:  Wyatt Shabram 66 lb (raw) class, Gunnar Shabram 97 lb (raw) class, Mason Siems 114 lb (raw) class, Creston Bertschinger 123 lb (raw) class, Arnulfo Salas 132 lb (raw) class, Justin Allemang 148 lb (equipped) class, Ira Lampert 148 lb (raw) youth class, Jordan Volden 181 lb (equipped) class, Jeff Shabram 242 lb (raw) open class, Alyx Siems 97 lb (raw) class, Haley Blecher 105 lb (raw) class, Heaven Smith 114 lb (raw) class, Faith Woslager 123 lb (equipped) class, Paige Blecher 165 lb (raw) class, Brooklynn Chipps 165 lb (raw) youth class, Kaci Schacht 198 lb (raw) class, and Cassie Steskal 198+ lb (raw) class.  

Six Cyclones earned silver medals:  Seth Lampert 123 lb (raw) class, Spencer Volden 148 lb (raw) class, Alex Olivan 198 lb (raw) class, Orlando Roman 220 lb (raw) class, Mark Patrick 242 lb (raw) class, and Jaiden Switzer 132 lb (raw) class.  Zane Herley 198 lb (raw) earned a 6th place medal .  Jordan Volden also earned medals in the bench press contest and ironman contests and well as 3 trophies in the open division of the 181 lb (equipped) class.  It was an impressive display of power Saturday as many of the Cyclone lifters increased totals and bumped up to stronger lifting clubs!  There was also another local lifter, Matt Koener of Ewing, who won the 165 lb (raw) division.

The top 10 powerlifting teams were as follows:  1st place Clearwater-Orchard (100 points); 2nd Columbus (68); 3rd Boyd County (65); 4th HTRS (57); 5th Lexington (50); 6th Wheeler Central (30); 7th Concordia HS-Omaha; 8th Southside Club-Lincoln; 9th Omaha Club; 10th Douglas County West.

The outstanding teen male lifters of the meet were Alec Kadous (Columbus) and Oscar Villatoro (Lexington).  The outstanding female teen lifters of the meet were Sandra Gomez (Lexington) and Kaci Schacht (Clearwater-Orchard). The heaviest total this year was lifted by Nate Redwing of Omaha with 1.664 pounds.

"This meet would not have happened had it not been for the help of many volunteers from our community,"Shabram said. 

Volunteers were judges Diana Williamson, Ethan Wondercheck, Michael Beckman, Michael Kerby, Grant Magnuson, Monte Shabram, and Mike Hart.  Spotters & loaders Aaron Hemenway, Anthony Williby, Brian Switzer, Larry Mieras, Andrew Steskal, and Ryan Hart.  Ticket table Rita Shabram.  Scorer’s table Amanda Shabram, Karla Wondercheck, Mallory Cooper, Lindsey Switzer, Taeyln Switzer, Olivia Wondercheck  and Holly Schacht.  There was also help from the Spencer and Wheeler Central ladies.  Video Tina Bertschinger and various O-C lifters.  The concession stand was run by powerlifting parents.  

"It took the combined efforts of two schools/communities to pull off this big of an event, and it was a wonderful ending to a fun powerlifting season," Shabram said.

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