Isaiah Ruffin faced a surprise obstacle at the state powerlifting competition in Jackson last week.
The Columbia High School senior didn’t make weight in the 220-pound category he was supposed to compete in, so he had to move up to lift against bigger athletes.
But it didn’t matter: Ruffin still brought home the gold medal in the 242-pound 3A weight class. He squatted 535 pounds, bench-pressed 250 pounds and dead-lifted 530 pounds. Those three categories are added up to determine the winner, and Ruffin’s 1,315 total pounds bested seven other finalists in that class.
Coach Phelix Shoemaker said Ruffin’s determination was impressive.
“It inspired me,” he said. “He had to sit out last year after having shoulder surgery. He told me before the competition, ‘I’m coming home with a win.’ He bounced right back and did it.”
And Ruffin wasn’t the only one to return to Columbia with a medal. Ladarius Watts won bronze in the 123-pound class. The freshman squatted 260 pounds, bench-pressed 170 and dead-lifted 310. Shoemaker said Watts will have three more chances to win gold in the future.
Josh Riley and Xavier Smith also had solid performances, and the team as a whole did well.
“We finished pretty well, though we didn’t quite make the Top 4,” Shoemaker said. “Josh Riley had a chance to medal and just missed on his last lift. Xavier Smith finished fourth. It was a good showing against some really tough competition.”
Shoemaker said the future is bright for the powerlifting squad at CHS.
“Isaiah was the only senior,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of freshman and sophomores and some juniors. We could be good next year. Isaiah was our leader this year, and Josh will help lead the way next year.”
Pictured Above: The Columbia High School powerlifting team was well represented in Jackson last week. Members who went to state include, Ladarius Watts, seated, who won a bronze medal in the 123-pound class. In back, from left, are Isaiah Ruffin, who won a gold medal in the 242-pound class, Josh Riley and Xavier Smith.
