Farmersville’s Conner Bakken brought home the state title in the 123-pound division at the Texas High School Powerlifting Association Division II state meet in Abilene last Friday. Courtesy Christopher Anderson

By David Wolman

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Farmersville’s Conner Bakken brought home the Class 4A Texas High School Powerlifting Association state title in the 123-pound division. He lifted a total weight of 1,275 pounds during last Friday’s Division II state meet. Bakken recorded a squat of 470 pounds, bench press of 330 and deadlift of 475.

Bakken became the first boys state champion for Farmersville and the second lifter at the school to win a state title over the last two weeks. Janilya Craft captured the 242-pound division during the THSWPA Division II state meet in Edinburg. She is the first girls state champion in program history.

“It was awesome to see him set the goal at the beginning of the year of becoming the first boys state champion lifter in Farmersville High School history and actually accomplish that goal,” Farmersville head coach Christopher Anderson said. “He had to come back from a pretty devastating knee injury that prevented him from lifting last year, so when you factor that he had to work twice as hard to come back from that and then to still become regional champion, state champion, and break four regional lifting records, just shows the type of competitor he is.”

Bakken was one of Farmersville lifters to compete at the boys state powerlifting meet in Abilene. Vicente Luna took 11^th in the 198-pound class with a 1,470-pound total. Bryson Helms took 18^th at 123 with a 940-pound total, and Noah James placed 19^th at 148 with a 1,210-pound total. 

Helms, James and Luna each set personal records at state.

“They were very impressive in that they were prepared for the meet and had their best meet of the year,” Anderson said.

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