Oxford Lady Chargers Girls Powerlifting Earns 3rd at State Championship

Oxford's girls powerlifting team has made the state podium every single time it has competed for a championship. That streak held Friday when the Lady Chargers finished third at the 2026 Class 7A state championship at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson.

D'Iberville claimed the title, shattering eight state records in the process. Oxford's third-place finish extends a run that began with the school's first-ever state championship in April 2024 and continued with a runner-up showing behind Gulfport in 2025, when the Lady Chargers posted 39 team points.

Head coach Issac Boose has directed each of those finishes since building the program into a 7A fixture. Boose came to Oxford after five years coaching at M.S. Palmer in Marks, drawing on a foundation established during student coaching days at Hattiesburg High. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and a master's from William Carey College. Assistant coaches Logan Dodson and Chris Moore complete the staff that has now produced three straight top-three finishes.

The program's rise has run alongside a push to change how powerlifting is seen inside Oxford. "One of my goals for the future of our program is to have powerlifting, especially girls' powerlifting, be recognized and respected as a sport and not just a hobby," Wilks said. "A lot of blood, sweat and tears go into this sport just as much if not more than any other major sport does. Another goal I have is to hopefully pack out the gym at least one meet because I think if they gave it a chance, people would really enjoy them."

The boys program matched the girls' result over the weekend by adding a state title of its own, giving Oxford a complete powerlifting sweep.

AT STATE: 2026 Class 7A finish: 3rd / 2025 Class 7A finish: 2nd (39 points) / 2024 Class 7A finish: 1st, first title in program history / 2026 meet site: Mississippi Coliseum, Jackson / Head coach: Issac Boose; assistants Logan Dodson and Chris Moore

With three podium finishes in three championship appearances, Oxford enters the offseason as one of the most consistent programs in 7A. The next state qualifier season begins in the weight room, where Boose and his staff will work to close the gap that separated the Lady Chargers from a fourth straight trip to the podium's top step.