New Trier powerlifters max out at state finals

New Trier powerlifters capped another powerful season with a first-place program finish in the Illinois High School Powerlifting Association 2A championships on May 30 at the Winnetka high school.

Five first-place finishers led the Trevians team effort, resulting in a first-place finish on the boys side (their first title since 2024), runnerup result on the girls side and first-place overall placement.

In their respective divisions, New Trier’s Logan Wylie, Andrew Yu, Tyr Keener, Ruth Cases and Zoe Lee all claimed state titles, while Isaiah Cases, Luciano Orta, Zmorah Izenstark, Riley Coffee and Anaïs Pesch all earned second-place finishes. Two Trevians — John Fitzgerald and Carter Pavia — placed third in their respective divisions.

Powerlifting competitions feature three exercises — squats, deadlift and bench press — with weights totaled for an overall score.

Aside from the top-three finishers, New Trier powerlifting coach Jim Davis pointed out Cooper Kemnitz’s and Max Wang’s 530-pound deadlifts, and Izenstark’s 300-pound deadlift, a rarity within the female program.

New Trier powerlifting was established 15 years ago, and both the program, which had approximately 60 participants this year, and the sport have come a long way under Davis.

Prior to the state finals this season, New Trier boys and girls won their regionals over Evanston, Niles West and Glenbrook South.

The program also took its annual trip to the Natural Athlete Strength Association national meet in April in Oklahoma City, where Davis said, “We put our kids head to head against very strong teams out of Texas and Arkansas. And we won.”

In the state finals, New Trier boys topped runnersup Glenbrook South and Minooka, while the girls finished behind Minooka and ahead of third-place Evanston. In the overall program results, New Trier, Minooka, Evanston, Lincoln-Way East and Glenbrook South made up the top five.

Senior and co-captain Francis Karp placed fourth in his weight class and praised the atmosphere of the state championships.

“It’s pretty electric,” he said. “Everybody is screaming and yelling but everyone is super friendly, giving tips, telling each other jokes. Powerlifting is not the most popular sport so when you’re around people who also do it, it’s pretty fun. You click with them pretty easily.”

Davis said Karp and the program’s other leaders guided the program to a special season.

“This was an amazing group led by an incredible senior class,” Davis said in a statement. “They over-achieved in the best way possible — they evolved as athletes and teammates, they did everything we asked them to do, and they went undefeated. They maxed out, optimized their potential. That’s all we could ever ask!”

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Felt pretty good about how competed. Had lost a lot of weight since football season, wasn’t as heavy. Had some personal ebst at new body weight. Great time. More knew going to be tough to get first, good to just help my team and help us win overall title.