Henry, Ellis Smash Records at Night of Champions

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — With his little siblings cheering him on, Andrew Henry hit a PR four times, including an out-of-this-world 615 pound lift on the squat to obliterate the previous position record.  He joined Christian Ellis who set a position record for safeties to highlight a raucous Night of Champions in front of a packed house in the Tow Diehm End Zone Complex on Monday night.

Overall, 19 players competed over three events with five in the power clean and seven each in the bench and squat.  Overall there were 12 PRs set on the night and two other ones were tied.

“We have a strong football team, and that’s not something I’ve really been able to say before,” said head coach Danny Gonzales. “The results certainly showed, and for a running back to squat 615 is something else.  We are moving in the right direction.”

The highlight certainly was the squat, in which all seven competitors hit PRs.  Bryce Santana went a perfect 8-for-8, getting up to 625, besting his previous record of 565 pounds.  Walter Baca hit all seven of his squats, besting his PR of 540, maxing out at 585.  Shancco “Ise” Matautia was also 7-for-7 getting up to 600 pounds, 30 pounds better than his previous top mark.

C.J. James topped out at 600, just missing at 615, bettering his PR by 35 pounds, and Isaiah Sillemon was a perfect 7-for-7, beating his previous PR of 540 by 45 pounds.

But it was Henry and Ellis who stole the show.  Ellis, who stated very publicly before the night started that he would set the safeties record, did just that.  Knowing the goal was 545, and knowing his PR was 535, Ellis tied it on his fifth squat, going for 545 pounds.  After a near miss at 575, he was able to bring it home, moving on by a boisterous crowd behind him.  He even made a good run at 615, but settled for the 575 and the record.

As for Henry, he destroyed his personal best of 545 by a ridiculous 70 pounds, banging home 615 pounds to end a perfect 8-for-8 night.  He tied his personal best on his fifth squat at 545, and then went 585, 600, and then topped the old record of 605 with a 615 mark to end his night.  He had a little help with his two younger siblings Grayson and Trinity near the bench cheering and rooting him on.

In the power clean, Luke Wysong PR’ed twice, tying his mark at 325 and then finding a second wind to hit 335.  On that clean, he went down, faltered, wobbled and then somehow powered through and brought the bar up for the mark and a personal-best.  Dorian Lewis PR’ed at 300 (20 pound improvement) and Mihalis Santoraneos bested his previous mark of 300 with a 315 clean.

Bobby Wooden tied his PR of 285, and Magnus Geers just missed a 295 PR, settling for 275.

In the bench, Jer’Marques Bailey topped out at a PR of 385 (besting his previous by 10 pounds), and Tavian Combs tied his mark of 335 before topping it at 350.  Lucas Lucero tied his mark of 350 as well.  Alec Morenco topped out at 385 pounds, Duece Jones at 345, D.J. Wingfield at 350 and Zach Doyle at 405.

italics denotes tied PR
Bold denotes new PR
( ) denotes missed weight

POWER CLEAN
Dorian Lewis 225 255 275 285 300 (310)
Mihalis Santoraneos 225 255 275 295 315 ((325))
Bobby Wooden 225 255 275 285 (((300)))
Luke Wysong 245 275 295 315 325 335 (340)
Magnus Geers 245 255 275 (((295)))

BENCH
Jermarques Bailey  245 280 325 340 365 385 ((405))
Tavian Combs  235 175 300 320 335 350 (((365)))
Alec Marenco 275 315 345 365 385 (405)
D.J. Wingfield 235 275 315 330 350 (((375)))
Duece Jones  215 235 285 300 315 325 (335) 335 (345)
Lucas Lucero 245 265 295 315 335 350 (365)
Zach Doyle 275 315 365 385 405 (((425)))

SQUAT
Walter Baca  365 410 465 490 525 545 585
Christian Ellis  355 380 435 490 545 575 (615)
Andrew Henry  355 380 435 490 545 585 600 615
C.J. James  365 425 480 510 545 585 600 (615)
Bryce Santana  365 425 485 515 545 585 605 625
Isaiah Sillemon  365 410 465 490 525 545 585
Shancco “Ise” Matautia  365 425 485 510 545 585 600