Cards' lifters headed to Aldine

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Cards' lifters headed to Aldine

Gabriel Pruett

The Orange Leader

BRIDGE CITY — Under the radar but far from unknown is how the Bridge City powerlifting team has been this year.

With first-year Coach Kevin Jones preaching team unity, the Cardinals are headed to the Class 3A Powerlifting Meet Saturday in Aldine.

A total of six Cardinals will represent Bridge City at the meet after the squad downed Palacios in the regional meet held at Kirbyville High School.

Bridge City outscored Palacios 36-30. Palacios had won two of the last four regionals and had been favored to win again before Bridge City ended the run.

Justin Norman spearheads the Bridge City squad after taking the 198-pound division with 1,370 pounds in Kirbyville, a new regional bench press mark record as well.

Norman is not alone in his quest to bring home gold for the Cardinals.

Kris Wedekind, in the 198-pound class, also qualified for state with 1,355 pounds which was a regional record and Clinton DeRouen was second in the 275-plus division with 1,600 pounds including a magnificent lift of 725 pounds in the squat.

Kurt Moerbe, 181-pound class, claimed second with 1,250 pounds and Garrett McNeil, 156-pound class, grabbed second with 1,225 pounds. Tim Sharp, 132-pound class, was also second at regionals with 1,035 pounds.

To say the least these guys are strong.

“I am very proud of these guys efforts this year,†Jones said. “I wanted to install the team aspect of powerlifting and tried to recruit guys who would work together. We won a lot meets this year as a team. We have achieve our team goals and along the way the guys have done some great individual things.â€

DeRouen and Co. having been working out non-stop this year and even put in time over the Spring Break holidays.

DeRouen said his work out routine includes with warm up reps and then he moves into a system built around seven sets of lifting.

“It has been pretty intense this year,†DeRouen said. “After all the lifting you are pretty dead. I am happy we have a good shot this year and it is great to know we have a chance to make Bridge City history. Our first goal was to win the region and now we are taking it one step further.â€

Each lifter brings something different to the table for Jones who is a 1998 Port Neches-Groves High School graduate.

Wedekind has lifted over 100 pounds more than he did when he moved from PN-G, Norman is the team’s top point collector, Sharp dropped nine points to move into a smaller weight class, Moerbe quit the team but came back when Jones implemented the team philosophy and DeRouen has been a workhorse.

McNeal did something unique for the team at one meet. He needed to drop less than a pound to squeeze into the weight class and on the way to the meet shaved his head.

“The seniors on the team have left a lot for the youngsters,†Jones said. “We started with 35 on the team and brought 12 to regionals and now there is six going to state. The future is bright here and now we expect to win the region every year.â€

DeRouen said he is not on a special diet during the year, mainly because he has no reason to gain anymore size.

“I never have to worry about watching my diet,†DeRouen added. “A few of the guys are pretty jealous about that one.â€

Now the Cardinals’ six lifters will venture on Saturday to try and make the rest of the state jealous over state championship rings.