FRANKLIN — Pierce County High School’s weightlifting team became the third athletic program to three-peat with a victory here at the 2025 Lee Murray Weight Lifting Championships.
The Bears, with seven individual champions and seven runner-ups dominated the Class AA division piling up 180 points to easily outdistance the field in the March 1 event at Heard County High School. Callaway finished second with 74 points while Rockmart was third with 54 points.
PCHS won its first title in 2023.
“The team, once again, did an unbelievable job at the state meet,” said head coach Ryan Herrin. “All Glory Goes To God and all the credit goes to these young men. They outwork everybody year round.
“We have some great seniors who have embraced lifting and we are going to miss them. Dixon Morris was a four-year starter and state champion. Jones Herrin was a three-year starter and state champion. Jah Evans has won it twice now. Grant Thrift won it “(Sophomore) Cecil Reese won and also won the pound for pound strongest lifter award. Trent Kennedy won it as a sophomore. Brandon Williams won it in his first year participating.”
Reese was a double winner capturing the 140lb. weight division and earning the strongest lifter title for all weight divisions.
PCHS started its current streak with a title in 2023 and followed with its second in 2024.
Pierce County’s competition cheer squad won five consecutive Class AAA titles from 2015-16 through 2019-20 capping a stretch of seven championships in eight years.
The Lady Bears golf program has won three consecutive state titles starting with a AAA crown in 2022 and back-to-back AA trophy hoisting performances in 2023 and 2024.
Other weight class winners were junior Grant Thrift (160 lbs.), junior Jah Evans (180), senior Jones Herrin (190), senior Brandon Williams (205), senior Dixon Morris (225) and sophomore Trent Kennedy (245).
Placing second were junior Marquez Leggett (150), senior Logan Clark (170), senior Dylan Figueroa (180), senior Mark Sweet (190), senior Colson Gambrell (225), junior Britton Morgan (245) and senior Jordan Williams (heavyweight).
