The Iron Panthers of Brookhaven High have won the Region 3-5A championship once again at a meet they recently hosted at Alexander Junior High.

It’s the fifth-straight region title for coach Russ Britt and the BHS powerlifting team. Brookhaven High scored 62 points in the event, edging out second place North Pike with its 55 points. Florence High finished third, Nachez High came in fourth and Provine High finished fifth.

First-place finishers for Brookhaven High at the regional meet were senior Jamall Brown (132-pound division), senior Ramiereze Edwards (148-pound division), senior Gavin Bridgeman (198-pound division), senior Christian Jones (220-pound division), sophomore Cordero McDaniel (308-pound division), and junior Fabian Washington (308+-division).

Second-place finishers for the Panthers included seventh grader Dae Walton (114-pound division), freshman Landon Newman (165-pound division), sophomore Philip Tobias Jr. (275-pound division).

Sophomore Randy Jones came in fourth in the 242-pound division and sophomore RJ Henderson finished third in the 275-pound division.

Some standout lifts on the day were McDaniel with a 565-pound deadlift. Newman bench pressed 235 pounds, and Bridgeman had a 280 pound rep on the bench. Newman’s bench press total broke the school record for a 165-pound lifter.

Brown benched 160 pounds, squatted 340 pounds and deadlifted 355 pounds. Edwards, already a two-time state champion in powerlifting, benched 170 pounds, squatted 315 pounds, and deadlifted 455 pounds.

Bridgeman benched 280 pounds, squatted 475 pounds, and deadlifted 435 pounds. Jones benched 215 pounds, squatted 445 pounds and deadlifted 480 pounds. McDaniel benched 220 pounds, squatted 450 pounds and deadlifted 565 pounds. Washington benched 190 pounds, squatted 405 pounds and deadlifted 420 pounds.

“We were in a dogfight with North Pike that came down to the last flight of lifters,” said Britt. “We had eight new lifters competing that rose to the occasion. I couldn’t be any more prouder of this group of guys. I’d also like to thank all the lifters, spotters, sponsors and coaches that help us host the region meet. We’re going to host 5A South State on March 1 at Alexander and I think it’ll be us, North Pike, Gautier and East Central competing for that top spot.”