20 March 2006 - Nine members of the Saint Stanislaus College Powerlifting team will represent the school at the State Championship Meet, scheduled for Saturday, April 8, at Madison Central High School. Leading the pack is the diminutive Chris Tran. The senior will be participating in his third state meet and is the defending 114 pound state champion. At Saturday's South State meet, Chris' total lift of 945 pounds set a state record for his weight class and was more than 200 pounds greater than his 2005 state championship total.
On the "heavy" side, J C Brignone enters his second state meet as the south state champion in the 308 pound weight class. The 286 pound senior was the lightest competitor in his weight class at south state, but still managed to lift a total weight that was nearly 100 pounds more than his nearest challenger. Competing for SSC in the 132 pound weight class is south state champion Ravi Varma. A senior resident student from Auburn, Alabama, Ravi has attended Saint Stanislaus since the seventh grade and began taking strength training classes his freshman year. |
Junior Caleb McQueen enters his first state meet as the favorite to win in the 275 pound weight class. With a total lift of 1580 pounds, Caleb easily took first place at south state and was one of only four lifters at the meet to successfully squat more than 600 pounds. Finishing second to Caleb was sophomore Matt Matranga. Senior Buddy Schulz lifted 1335 pounds to take second place in the 242 pound weight class. Buddy's total lift was equal to that of the south state champion, who prevailed due to a lower body weight. Rounding out the Rockachaw state team are freshman M J Joachim, who placed third in the 123 pound weight class; junior David Grapusa, with a third place finish at 165; and senior Zack Elkins, who took third in the tight 181 pound weight class. |
