The Maranatha Christian Academy Mustangs made their first appearance at the Skyline Conference Powerlifting Invitational on Tuesday, March 3, hosted by Concordia Academy. Schools in attendance included Concordia, Maranatha, New Life, and St. Agnes School.
The event featured three lifts per competitor: bench press, squat, and clean, with athletes receiving three attempts in each. The invitational showcased impressive strength, determination, and a strong sense of sportsmanship among competitors from all schools.
Senior Troy Pozinski entered the competition with a clear goal: finishing at the top of the podium. Pozinski regularly competes in USA Powerlifting competitions, though the clean is not part of that organization’s standard lifts. Despite having practiced the clean technique for only two weeks leading up to the event, Pozinski delivered an impressive performance, lifting 215 pounds on his third attempt.
He then moved to the squat, where fellow competitors looked on in amazement as he powered through a massive 435-pound lift. Pozinski closed out the meet with a strong 275-pound bench press, bringing his three-lift total to an impressive 925 pounds. His performance earned him first place out of 16 competitors in his weight class, securing the top spot on the podium.
Maranatha also saw a standout performance from eighth grader Evan Barber, who entered his first powerlifting competition after about a year and a half of training. Barber began the meet with the bench press, successfully lifting 145 pounds. He followed that with the clean, another lift he had only recently begun practicing, recording a strong 135-pound lift. Barber finished the competition with a 235-pound squat, bringing his total to 515 pounds. His effort earned him first place in the middle school boys division.
Both Mustang lifters captured first-place finishes in Maranatha’s debut at the Skyline Conference event. The meet also highlighted the positive culture of the sport, as athletes from every school cheered each other on and displayed tremendous sportsmanship throughout the competition.
With such a successful first showing, Maranatha looks forward to making regular appearances at future Skyline Conference powerlifting invitationals.
