Maine Games Powerlifting wrap-up

2013 Maine Games

State Powerlifting Championship Wrap-up.

Top awards presented at this year's meet

The "future" of powerlifting in Maine was on display in Brewer

With the Maine Games top awards for Male and Female Lifters of the Meet, as well as the first team championship, and an award created to recognize the best performance of a first time powerlifting competitor going to athletes 25 and under this year, the future of the sport of powerlifting is alive and well, and inspiring people all over the state.

The Female and Male Lifters of the Meet awards for the bench press-only meet were presented to Riley Tennent, 16, of North Anson, and Josh Hughes, 25, of Belgrade, respectively.

The Female and Male Lifters of the Meet awards for the full meet (squat, bench press, deadlift) were presented to Sarah Mueller, 23, of Madison, and Abe Mionis, 18, of Levant, respectively. These awards are given annually to the athletes in each meet who have the best pound-for-pound performances in the Maine Games meet.

The first Luke M. Thompson Award, to be presented annually to the athlete with the best performance in their first-ever meet. This award has been created by the family and friends of the first-time powerlifter who lost his life in an accident just a month and a half after his first powerlifting competition in the Maine Games in 2012. The 2013 Luke M. Thompson Award was presented to 12 year-old Bailey Dunphy, of North Anson.

The first Maine Games State Powerlifting Championships Team Award was won by Oceanside (High School) BFS (Bigger, Faster, Stronger) Lifting Team.

TO FIND THIS YEAR'S RESULTS AND THE ALL-TIME MAINE GAMES STATE POWERLIFTING CHAMPIONSHIPS MEET RECORDS, CLICK THE LINKS BELOW:

2013 Maine Games Meet Results All-time Maine Games Meet Records (since 2005)

Amazing performances at 2013 Maine Games State Powerlifting Championships

Strong women excel at this year's meet

Sixty-five Maine Games State Powerlifting records were set or established on Saturday, March 23, at Brewer Auditorium during the 9th annual competition. In addition, a near-record number of athletes registered for this year's meet. In all, 64 registrations were received by the event organizers, with 27 athletes taking part in their first powerlifting meet.

Four female competitors: Emma Pluntke, Solon (Female Teen 14-15 age group); Alice Miller, Solon (Female Teen 18-19); Morgan Dunphy, Solon (Female Teen 18-19); and Bailey Dunphy, North Anson (Female U-14) set meet records in the squat, bench press, and deadlifts. Additionally, their combined three-lift totals were also meet records.

Sixteen year-old Riley Tennent, of North Anson, set an age/weight class division record in the bench press in her second Maine Games meet.

Martha Lariviere, 60, of North Waterboro, was the meet's oldest participant this year. She was also competing in her first-ever powerlifting competition.

Muscles on display in Brewer for ninth year

Forty-eight Maine Games records set in men's divisions

Eight male competitors "ran the table" in 2013, setting or establishing meet records in all three lift disciplines (squat, bench press, deadlift).

Mike Davis, China (Male Junior 20-23 age group); Phillip McKinnis, South China (Male Masters 50-54); Dane Cooney, Calais (Male Open); Tyler Richert (Male 14-15); Thomas Curtis, South Thomaston; Abe Mionis, Levant (Male 18-19); Cody Rice, Etna (Male U-14); and Dylan Willette, North Anson (Male U-14), all set records in all three lifts as well as their overall three-lift total, in their respective age/weight/gender divisions.

Mionis' performance now gives him, in just three Maine Games State Powerlifting Championship, 13 different meet records - which ties a record now shared with Eric Erskine, the 2012 Maine Games Male Athlete of the Year. Mionis' total weight lifted was 1,635 pounds, in the 198-pound division. That amount was the best three-lift total in this year's meet, and fifth best in the history of the meet. Mionis is just 18 years old, and now holds the record for most Maine Games records in two different age groups (16-17, and 18-19), and in two different weight classes (181, 198).

Cooney, at five feet tall, and weighing in at 118 pounds, and competing in the Men's Open, 123-pound weight class, had a best squat of 200 pounds, a bench best of 195 pounds, and a deadlift best of 315 pounds, for a total of 710 pounds. As a co-owner of a gym in Calais, Cooney was impressed with the level of competition and professionalism offered in the Maine Games meet. While he is considering traveling to this year's State Games of America, in Hershey/Harrisburg, PA, to take part in our national amateur sports festival, he has vowed to promote the Maine Games meet to lifters in his gym, hoping to bring an entire team to next year's meet.

McKinnis, of South China, at age 53, proved first to himself, and his son Daniel (also a Maine Games powerlifter), that one is never too old to begin competing in this sport. Having trained for the Maine Games meet since last May, McKinnis set meet records in the Men's Masters (50-54 age group), in the 220-pound division. With record lifts of 405 (squat), 300 (bench press), and 475 (deadlift), his three-lift total was 1,180 pounds.

Oceanside BFS lifting coach, and former head football coach, Woody Moore, 37, of Thomaston, had an overall three-lift total of 1510 pounds, with a near symmetrical performance of 500 pound lifts in the squat and deadlift, and a 510 pound lift in the bench press. His bench press effort gave him a Maine Games record in his age/weight class. Moore's Oceanside BFS team took the top team honors at this year's meet, besting the LA Training (Bangor) team by just six overall pounds (average weight lifted by the team members). Other teams in the competition included Willpower, from Carrabec High School, in North Anson, the Syndicate Powerlifting Team (Bangor), the Bulldog Lifting Team, Union Street Athletics (Bangor), and UMaine-Raw (Orono).

Moore's team took up the challenge and did some community service for the Maine Games in raising the funds necessary to create the team championship trophy and individual trophies, as well as the male and female lifters of the meet awards. In return the Maine Games rewarded the team with Team T-shirts.

Has the Maine Games powerlifting meet maximized the current format's potential?

Long day of competition starts early and runs late

Each year it seems that the Maine Game State Powerlifting Championships are better and more efficiently run, with each of the more than 600 actual attempts to lift taking an average of just one minute from the time one competitor puts down the weight until the next competitor does the same, but with a 9 a.m. start time, and more than 60 athletes competing, it makes for a very long day for athletes, spectators, and especially event organizers and volunteers. This year the last box wasn't finally packed and loaded up until almost 7 p.m. which was just a little over 12 hours after the doors first opened.

"I don't think we can go any faster than how we're currently operating," said Maine Games executive director, Jeff Scully. "Louie Morrison (meet director) and his crew of volunteers are working as quickly, efficiently, and as safely possible during this meet. I doubt it is physically possible to move this meet along any quicker."

Few powerlifting meets attract 60+ athletes, and even fewer meets run in such an efficient manner, but to keep athletes and spectators engaged, as well as to accommodate those who must travel a great distance following a long, stressful day of competition, some changes can be expected for 2014.

"I'm afraid we may have to start making some changes to maximize this event's potential," said Scully, a couple of days following the 2013 competition. "We can't realistically start much earlier than 9 a.m because of the set up time, athlete check-in and weigh-in period and sufficient warm-up time for our athletes. I also don't think we can add any more lifters in a day of competition with our current set up. It's just a matter of either limiting the number of athletes and raising current registration fees just a little, having more sponsors step up, add more lifters and make a long day even longer, or possibly making this a two-day meet."

The number of registrations received have grown each of the last three years. This year the event attracted 64 total registrations, up five from last year. Scully is currently considering limiting the meet to the first 60 athletes to register for the event. "Those who wait too long next year, may find themselves out of luck."

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