Grants powerlifting team takes home three gold medals at state

RIO RANCHO, N.M. – The Grants powerlifting team capped the 2025 season with three individual state champions.

On Friday, the Grants girls earned two of those crowns with juniors Olivia Toivanen and Savannah Ortiz winning their respective weight classes as each powerlifter competed in three disciplines: squat, bench press and deadlift. The Pirates also received a bronze medal from junior Shayaitsa Chavez.

Gary Chavez then won the state crown in the boys 242-pound weight class on Saturday afternoon at the New Mexico Class 4A State Powerlifting Championships, which was held at the Rio Rancho Events Center.

Behind the three girls weightlifters, the Lady Pirates earned the third-place team trophy as they racked up 21 points, beating out Silver by a mere point.

The Lovington girls won the 4A state crown with 37 points while Portales took second with 36.

“This is our second year, so it was awesome that we were able to come in and pull out a third-place trophy,” Grants coach Joshua Pacheco said. “We qualified nine girls and having them here makes a big difference. At the end of the day, it’s a numbers game.

“We’re making sure that these girls are working hard and being able to show off what they’re doing is huge,” he added. “Whether they got first or eighth place, they’re here and they’re in the top 8 for state, so I’m super proud of them.”

Of the three girls that placed, Ortiz hit new PRs in the deadlift and competition total in the 259-pound weight division. The Grants junior finished with a mindboggling 900-pound total as her best squat came in at 335, her bench press at 165 and deadlift at 400.

“I wanted to do this for my cousin, Tao Sanchez,” said Ortiz, who placed fourth last season. “I wanted to dedicate this to him because he’s the very first person who believed in me. It brought us closer as cousins and I never thought that I would talk to him and now we’re super close.”

Of the three events, Ortiz attempted 415 but she received red lights as she failed to get the proper technique in.

“It felt amazing because I’ve been stuck at 400,” she said. “And to pick up 415 was a big surprise even though I got all red lights. The one thing that I’ve learned through training is just because it’s heavy, it doesn’t mean you can’t lift it.”

Toivanen, meanwhile, placed first in the 165-pound weight division. Her total lifts was 675, which include 240 in squat, 100 in bench and 335 in deadlift.

“This is my second year powerlifting,” Toivanen said. “Last year, I made state, but I got disqualified in squat. I failed my first attempt because of depth. My second attempt was because I missed the rack command, and my third attempt was because of depth.

“Being first and being able to step up on that podium is like my biggest dream,” she added. “Ever since I failed at state last year, I wanted to prove to myself that I can do this. You know, there is no such thing as failure. There’s always progress, and I feel like every gym session I’ve had, every single meet that I went to has prepped me to be a state champion.”

Toivanen had to earn her state title on her last lift, as she was sitting second behind Belen’s Anida Clayton, who had a 15-pound cushion

“She pulled a 315 in deadlift, so I had to 335 to get first place,” the Grants junior said. “I’ve never pulled 335 before but I felt like I had to put my best foot forward. Consistency is what really matters.

“You have to be consistent with the weights,” she added. “You have to put your all into it, not just 50%.”

In his title run, Chavez lifted a combined total of 1,315 pounds for first place as state runner-up Jesus Gonzales of Española Valley finished with 1,220.

“It’s my second time competing here and it’s my first championship,” Chavez said. “I had a bronze medal last year but I knew that I had it in me to win state this year. I’ve kept that itch, so coming out here, I was confident, but I was trying to stay level-headed.

“I didn’t want to bomb out or anything, but I felt like I had it,” he added.

For his combined total, Chavez lifted 505 pounds in squat, 315 in bench press and 495 in deadlift.

“The squat and deadlift are PRs for me,” Chavez said. “You know, the adrenaline here is different here. It’s a lot different than being in my own weight room and hitting stuff with my friends. Here, it’s a different environment, and you’re just ready to hit more PRs. You don’t even realize how much strength you have until you’re here.”

Coming into the state competition, Chavez had lifted a combined 1,285 at one of the state qualifying meet. He surpassed that by 30 pounds for another PR.

“I got up there with pretty much everyone in 4A,” Chavez said. “Next year, I want to get as close as 1,500. I think it’s doable for me. I’m gonna keep working every single day to get that.”

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