Pickering High School Powerlifting
This project is proud to sponsor the Powerlifting Team at Pickering High School in Leesville, LA. Pickering is a 2A located just south of Leesville and Fort Polk, LA. The powerlifting program is in a restart, having been absent for several years. There was a successful history of powerlifting at Pickering in the past as the boys won three straight championships in 1993, 1994,1995, and the ladies were state runner-ups in 2003 and 2006.
When school was let out for Christmas break, the Pickering High School Powerlifting Program did not exist. By the end of the first week of January, there was both a ladies’ and men’s program with 16 total members preparing for their first invitational at Natchitoches Central on Jan 21st. The new coach John Daughtery came into Pickering with a lot on his mind and the first thing was to get this program up and running. He brought in a former Pickering two-time state powerlifting champion in Katy Neighbors to help assist in the process. The Red Devils Powerlifting Program began to draw a surge of interest among its student body. That first invitational meet ended up with a 3rd place finish and a medal for junior lifter Logan McManus, and several lifters getting their first experience in competition. Fast forward to mid-February, Pickering sent teams to both Central Regional Meets and qualified nine lifters for the State meet, including three alternates. For a program that started late, from scratch, and with a limited amount of time to prepare in the weight room, they have faced the challenge to succeed.
January 6, 2024 will mark the date of the first ever home invitational meet at Pickering, which secured the Girls Central Regional Championship Meet as well for February 24, 2024 to be held at the school (meet schedule). The team is in need of funds and weight equipment, either new or used, and advertising is available for businesses which would like to sponsor meets. Send donations and sponsorship inquiries to the school at
180 LeBleu Road
Leesville, LA 71446
The following lifters qualified for the 2023 Division IV State Powerlifting Meet, which was held at the Cajun Dome at the ULL campus in Lafayette in March.
| Lady Red Devils |
|---|
| Tatiyana Ashley 123 lbs |
| Myella Calinagan 123 lbs |
| Ashton Belcher 165 lbs |
| Hannah Cheeseman 165 lbs |
| Iyana Lee 181 lbs |
| Nyasha Ashlock 114 lbs – Alternate |
| Alexis Bennett 148 lbs – Alternate |
| Red Devils |
| Braden Ford 123 lbs |
| Logan McManus 181 lbs |
| Augustus James 220 lbs |
| Logan Sneed SHW |
| Dylan Gallion 181 lbs – Alternate |