Eldorado’s Santellano Wins Title at State Powerlifting Meet

ABILENE, TX — Eldorado’s Jaysen Santellano took first place in the 198-pound class Saturday at the Division IV state powerlifting meet in Abilene.

Santellano had a total lift of 1,630 pounds, which was 50 pounds heavier than Bangs’ Noah Castillo and Coleman’s Brooks Clippinger.

It was the deadlift where Santellano separated himself from the competition. 

After squatting 610 pounds and bench pressing 420, Santellano was tied with Castillo heading into deadlift. He also had only a 10-pound advantage on Clippinger.

Santellano stepped up with a 600-pound deadlift to pull away and claim the state championship.

Santellano’s win — along with a fourth-place showing from Jasi Galindo in the 148-pound class — gave Eldorado a fourth-place finish in the team standings with nine points.

Garrison won with 17 points, while Harleton was second with 14 and Amarillo Highland Park was third with 11.

Other top performances from area lifters included Sonora’s Jorge Leija taking second place in the 123 class and Roscoe’s Tylan Balthrop finishing second in the 242 class.

Miles’ Ethan Crouch was third in the 148 class, while his teammate, Ryder Satepauhoodle, was fourth in the 132 class.

Reagan County’s Ruben Bernal earned a fourth-place finish in the 165 class.

Ballinger’s Leo Rangel was sixth in the 123 class, and Roscoe’s Nate Jones was sixth in the 275 class. 

Christoval’s Ethan Lee was seventh in the super heavyweight class, Roscoe’s Harley Stuard was eighth in the 275 class, and Junction’s Aaron Willis was ninth in the super heavyweight class.

San Saba’s Christopher Vega was 10th in the 114 class, followed by Panther Creek’s Caleb Storey in 11th. Coleman’s Alan Osorio was 13th in the 123 class.

Other athletes who competed at the state meet included Junction’s Calixto Valencia (bombed out 114), Eldorado’s Marcos Flynn (bombed out 220), and Coleman’s Aiden Hernandez (bombed out 242) and Zeke Munoz (disqualified 242).