Mississippi High School Activities Association The place for high school sports in Mississippi 
Meet summary by Claude AI
New Hope captured the Boys 5A Powerlifting State Championship on Saturday at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson, totaling 30 team points to outdistance Brookhaven (25) and Stone (21) in a competitive meet that saw several schools in contention deep into the afternoon session. The Trojans relied on three individual champions spread across the upper weight classes to build their winning margin.
New Hope’s three champions each delivered clutch performances. Junior Jacob Nesom opened the Trojan scoring in the 165-pound class, winning with a 1,110-pound total on a 450-pound squat, 210-pound bench press, and 450-pound deadlift. Senior Tari’Q Butler then claimed the 242-pound class title at 1,430 pounds, posting a 585-pound squat to lead the way. Senior Micah Butler followed in the 275-pound class with a 1,445-pound total anchored by a 590-pound squat and a 315-pound bench press. The two Butlers gave New Hope consecutive individual titles in the super-heavy portion of the meet and were instrumental in the team’s 30-point championship total.
Brookhaven accumulated its 25 points through consistent depth rather than individual dominance, earning a series of top-three finishes throughout the weight classes to remain in championship contention. Stone also benefited from strong performances across the board, with junior Caleb Ladner winning the 132-pound class at 1,110 pounds and sophomore Amarion Fairley taking the 148-pound title at 1,125 pounds. Those back-to-back championships helped Stone post 21 points and a third-place finish.
Several individual performances stood out in the 5A meet. Junior Noah Myers of Florence won the 220-pound class at 1,440 pounds with a 600-pound squat. Senior Leandrew Drake of Vicksburg put together an outstanding performance in the 181-pound class, totaling 1,440 pounds with a 585-pound deadlift and a 325-pound bench press. Junior Cade Sills of Florence won the 308-pound class at 1,535 pounds with a 600-pound squat, 350-pound bench press, and 585-pound deadlift. Senior Karter Thomas of Vicksburg topped the 308-plus-pound class at 1,515 pounds, and junior Lamarcus Collins of West Point opened the meet by winning the 123-pound class at 760 pounds.
In the 114-pound class, junior Charelle Bell of Lafayette claimed the title at 755 pounds on a 260-pound squat, 145-pound bench press, and 350-pound deadlift. Sophomore Holden Counts of Caledonia won the 198-pound class at 1,240 pounds. Cleveland and Vancleave both finished with 20 points to tie for fourth in the team standings, just five points behind Stone’s third-place total of 21.
Florence and Vicksburg each scored 14 points to tie for seventh, with West Point and Caledonia both at 13 points. New Hope’s combination of individual strength at the top of the weight classes and reliable scoring from its full roster gave the Trojans the margin they needed to claim the 5A crown.
