By TIM TUTOR/Sports Editor

Pontotoc had three powerlifters that competed in the 2010 USAPL Mississippi State Championships in Hattiesburg last Saturday.



This meet’s results earned the three lifters — Molly Sorto, Charlie Sorto and Devonta Montgomery — the right to compete in the national meets set for next summer.



Saturday’s meet was an open meet, which means the lifters competed against everyone in their weight class — no matter what age.



Devonta, age 16, lifted in the 242 class for men.



He finished in second place behind a 39-year-old lifter. Devonta squatted 551 lbs., benched 292 lbs., and deadlifted 584 lbs., which gave him a 1,427 lbs. total.

Montgomery set three state records for his age and weight class, while qualifying for the national meet to be held in Bay St Louis next summer.



Charlie Sorto, age 16, lifted in the 275-plus class for men. Charlie came in second place behind a 24-year-old lifter.

He squatted 535 lbs., benched 248 lbs., and deadlifted 480 lbs., which gave him a 1,263 lbs. total.

Charlie qualified for the national meet to be held in Bay St Louis next summer.



Molly Sorto, age 12, lifted in the heavy weight class for women (148 lbs. and up).

This was only Molly’s second meet to lift in.

She squatted 94 lbs., benched 66 lbs., and deadlifted 165 lbs., which gave her a 325 lbs. total.

Molly set four state records for her age and weight class.

Although she did not place in the top three and earn a medal, she did empress a lot of people and qualify for the national meet to be held in Atlanta next summer.

All three lifters would have came in first place if they had been lifting only with their age groups.



The meet had 32 lifters in it and 21 of them were 19 or younger.