Sandia repeats as 5A boys powerlifting champs in Rio Rancho

Rio Rancho’s Events Center again put Sandoval County in the middle of New Mexico high school powerlifting as Sandia defended its Class 5A boys state title on Friday, beating Roswell 28-26 in one of the closest team races of the meet.

The Matadors needed every point. Sandia produced three individual state champions: Adrian Ibarra at 123 pounds, Cris Marquez at 132 and Anthony Cadena at 165. Cadena arrived as a transfer and had already won a state title in Texas, giving Sandia another proven lifter in a lineup that delivered under pressure. Sandia finished with five lifters in the top three, while Roswell had four runner-up finishes in a duel that stayed tight through the final sessions.

Sandia coach Javan Weitz said the repeat title came from a group that never really stopped working. The team “really don’t have an offseason,” Weitz said, and he added that many of the lifters improved by about 200 pounds from a year ago. That kind of jump explained how Sandia could hold off Roswell and stay on top of the NMAA’s official 5A boys standings, which listed Sandia first, Roswell second and Cleveland third.

The championship meet, held April 10-11 at the Rio Rancho Events Center under the New Mexico Activities Association, drew top lifters from across the state and gave Rio Rancho a front-row seat to a sport built on small margins and steady gains. For local families and visiting schools, it was a weekend of heavy attempts, packed platforms and school colors filling the arena while Sandia protected the trophy it won a year ago.

Other teams also made their mark statewide. Hobbs senior Jesus Ortiz dominated the 5A boys super heavyweight class with a combined total of 1,755 pounds, the highest total in any class that day. Lovington won the Class 4A boys team title 39-23 over Belen, powered by 10 athletes placing in the top four, and Clayton took the Class A-3A boys title.

For Sandia, the path to a 2027 run starts almost immediately. For Rio Rancho, the state meet again showed how the city’s largest venue can bring statewide competition, school programs and visiting families into one weekend that leaves the local weightlifting scene with a clear benchmark for the year ahead.