Local lifters shine, Kirtland Central and Bloomfield place top 10 statewide

Kirtland Central senior Ethan Billey led the San Juan County push at the 2026 NMAA boys powerlifting state championships in Rio Rancho, winning his third state title with a 715-pound total in the 114-pound class. Bloomfield’s Cristian Medrano matched that kind of impact at the other end of the weight spectrum, taking the super heavyweight championship with a 1,360-pound total as county lifters filled out the podium across multiple divisions.

The team results backed up the individual success. Kirtland Central finished seventh in the Class 4A standings, Bloomfield placed eighth, and Lovington took the Class 4A boys team title. Beyond the champions, local athletes kept piling up top finishes: Bloomfield’s Ambrose Gonzalez was third at 181 pounds, Alex Leuhrs took fourth at 242, and Kirtland Central’s Zachary Lewis placed fifth at 220. Kirtland Central’s Cohen Harvey added another podium result with third place in the super heavyweight division, while Shiprock’s Arnold Yazzie finished third at 114 pounds.

The meet was held April 10 at the Rio Rancho Events Center as part of the 2026 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers State Powerlifting Championships. Boys weigh-ins began at 7:30 a.m., squats started at 10 a.m., bench followed at 1 p.m., deadlift began at 3:30 p.m., and team awards were set for 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The official championship schedule also listed the full state powerlifting event for April 10-11 at the same venue.

Billey’s 715-pound total carried added weight in the record book. The official boys powerlifting records list it as the Class 4A 114-pound total-weight record for 2025, a mark that puts the Kirtland Central senior among the state’s most notable lifters in that class. His third championship, paired with Bloomfield’s run of placers and Shiprock’s podium finish, showed how many San Juan County programs are now producing state-level totals.

The depth reached beyond the boys’ meet. Piedra Vista’s girls program stayed in the statewide picture through Haleigh Doyle’s championship run in the 5A field. Taken together, the results showed a county powerlifting scene that is no longer easy to overlook, with Kirtland Central, Bloomfield, Shiprock and Piedra Vista all contributing to a stronger Four Corners presence on the state platform.