Aaron Barrera
By CONSTANCIO MARTINEZ, JR.
Special to the PRESS
This past Friday, March 21, the 2025 powerlifting season came to an end as the Port Isabel Boys team took their final lifts of the season at the State Powerlifting Meet. The meet was held in Abilene, Texas, and featured a whopping 260 lifters from around the state.
Individual placement was based on three lifts: the squat, the bench and the dead lift. The weight for each lift was combined into a total weight and used for placement.
Competing in the 181-weight class, Port Isabel’s Aaron Barrera finished in 7th place with a total lift of 1615 lbs. (Squat:600, Bench:485, Dead Lift:530). Barrera, a senior finished the year setting new personal records in the squat, the bench and in total lift. He also had the team’s highest improvement throughout the season (190lbs.), from lifting 1425 lbs. in the first meet to finishing the season at 1580 lbs. in total lift. On a side note, Barrera won the “Best Bench” award for lifting 485lbs. in the light platform.
In the 220-weight class, senior Carlos Cabrera finished in 11th place with a total lift of 1560 lbs. (Squat:585, Bench:475, Dead Lift:500). Cabrera recorded his best total lift back in February when he lifted 1695 lbs., which would’ve been good enough for 3rd place at the state meet.
In the 242-weight class, Mario Nava finished in 10th place with a total lift of 1575 lbs. (Squat:645, Bench:475, Dead Lift:455). Nava was a little up and down in total lift towards the end of the season, but he did set personal bests in the squat and total lifts at the state meet.
In the 275-weight class, Luis Varela came in 9th with a total lift of 1650 lbs. (Squat:650, Bench:455, Dead Lift:545). Varela set a personal best lift of 1780 lbs. back in February at the hometown meet, the total lift would’ve been good for 3rd place at this year’s state meet.
PI’s junior, Arnold Lopez unfortunately “bombed out” and did not register a total lift. “It was a tough blow and very heart breaking because he had a chance to medal or compete to win it all, but it just didn’t happen. This will motivate him for next year, he is a hard worker and he will be back,” said head coach John Calvillo.
Overall, coach Calvillo believed his program did well, having sent 10 lifters to the state meet. “It was a very successful year and a blessing to qualify five boys to state in a very competitive class. It was not the outcome we wanted but my boys competed and that’s all I could of asked for as a coach,” said Calvillo.
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