Written by:

Coach Michael Siders

Physical Education/Health Education, Madison-Plains Powerlifting/Strength Training, Weight Training Sport Fitness

The Madison-Plains Powerlifting Tradition Teams traveled to Kenton this past Saturday, March 15th, for the Bill McClain Ohio High School State Powerlifting Meet. Let's open up by saying thanks for the support from coaches, teachers, parents, school board, administrators, and the community of Madison-Plains Local School District. The Madison-Plains Powerlifting Tradition Teams have been around since 2011.   The program consists of our school athletes that train in the weight room year round which is the foundation of winning in life and winning championships.    Our lifters consist of football, wrestling, basketball, both girls and guys, volleyball, baseball, softball, track, cheerleaders, and just the lifter that is a powerlifter. These kids compete in other sports and still have time to win championships and place in the Bill McClain Ohio High School State Powerlifting Championship in Divisions 5, 6, and 7 held in Kenton, Ohio. This meet has been up and running for 37 years and has been proclaimed to be the Ohio High School State Powerlifting Championships. Is there a formula? Yes, this is because all the athletic programs are supporting each other through all the different seasons and doing what is in the best interest of our kids at Madison-Plains.  I have said this for many years. "It takes a community to win championships." “The core value of MP Tradition Powerlifting is Team First and Me Second.” “We coach our kids to be selfless and not selfish.” (Commitment To Excellence!) The expectation at Madison-Plains is to win championships in any sport we have, and even more important is to teach our kids to win in life.  To win, you have to exceed expectations and learn to overcome and face adversity. 

Leading the charge this year for the MP Girls Team is three-time Ohio High School State Powerlifting Champion in the 155 lb. Girls Weight Class.  Senior Mackenzie Reeves is a four-sport varsity athlete in volleyball, basketball, softball, and powerlifting at Madison-Plains. Reeves is Madison-Plains High School's first three-time State individual champion in school history.   Mackenzie placed 1st as an individual in the 155 lb. weight class with the top deadlift at 365 lbs. and top squat of 350 lbs. Along with Reeves is the first-time state champion Megan West, leading the 125 lb. class who set a new state record in the squat at 325 lbs. and had the top deadlift of 290 lbs.  Dallas Johnston led the boy's team with his second individual state clinching 195 lb. Boys with the top squat of 600 lbs.  Hayes Smith, first-time state champion, led the weight class of 165 lbs. with the top squat of 510 lbs. and top deadlift of 470 lbs.  These lifters continue the tradition of individual state champions at Madison-Plains High School, now totaling 12 Girls and 6 Guys, with plenty more to come in the future!  These stats lead Madison County High Schools with more individual state champions in any sport! 

Madison-Plains Powerlifting Tradition makes the mark for our Girl's Team as a three-peat championship totaling 5745 lbs.  This will put another mark on the banner, which makes it the fourth team championship that the girls hold in school history.  The boy's powerlifting team has one Boys Team State Championship Banner, achieved in 2019.   The Guys Madison-Plains Powerlifting Tradition Team placed 2nd this year in Divisions 5,6, and 7 at the Bill McClain Ohio State Powerlifting Meet, showing some promise in the future to climb the ladder with such a young team. They were shy of the school record of 12,890 lbs. by 255 lbs.

Our lifters, parents, and coaches had a long and remarkable day!  The Ohio High School State Powerlifting meet had close to 350 lifters in total.  We took 37 lifters to represent Madison-Plains at the State level.   Madison-Plains had many State placers in each weight class as well. The state meet takes the top 8 girls in each weight class, which we had 11 out of 16 places, and the boys take the top 12 in each weight class, which we had 9 out of 22  for individual placing.  It was such a rewarding day for Coach Paul Bryant and Coach Michael Siders to be able to coach such great kids who represent Madison-Plains High School.  To top things off for the day, our Girls’ Team clinched the state titles three years in a row, which is historic for any Madison County High School Athletic team. I must say it was a humbling moment for our school and community.  Words cannot express enough what we coaches really get out of being able to do this with such great support from our community, school board, administrators, parents, coaches, and our students! (Commitment To Excellence!)