The 2026 Jesuit powerlifting season was marked by relentless and steady improvement and gritty performances across multiple weight classes. With the final meet in Highland Park, the regular season came to an end, while several select athletes continued into the Regional and State tournaments. This article will break down the fundamentals of a Powerlifting competition and highlight the key moments that distinguish the 2026 season.
A Rocky Start – Royse City Meet
Being the first meet of the year, the lifters headed into it confidently and prepared, cutting weight days in advance and fasting off of nothing but water and fruit jerky. These rapid methods of weight loss included running grueling laps around the track, only to step into the blazing sauna for an hour. The Royse City roster included Wilson Watkins ’27 in the 198-pound weight class, Darren Clemons ’27 and Diego Park ’28 in the 123s, Jonathan Wrightsman ’27 in the 181s, Jack Warren ’27 in the 132s, Jud Harris ’27 in the 165s, and Jack Corby ’27 in the 242s.
After weigh-ins and a well-deserved feast at the nearby Buc-ee’s, the lifting promptly started, but before that, the rules and procedures for how a powerlifting meet is run should be explained. Firstly, there are three lifts: bench press, squat, and deadlift, and there are three chances to move as much weight as you can in each. There are certain rules for each lift; for example, in squats, your legs must be parallel at the bottom, and on bench press, you have to pause once the bar reaches your chest. There are also three judges on each side of the lifter, each holding a flag with two sides – red and green. The lifter needs at least two green flags for the lift to be counted. However, if they fail their opening lift all three times, the lifter is disqualified.
Now that the rules have been established, let’s recap the totals that our lifters put up.
Starting with the lower weight classes, Diego Park achieved a total of 665 lbs., earning him third place, followed by Darren Clemons who was disqualified for failing his opening lift. Jack Warren fought for a total of 755 lbs., hitting a new PR in deadlift with 325 lbs. The newest lifter, Jud Harris, achieved an impressive 1,005 lbs, followed by Jonathan Wrightsman, who lifted 845 lbs. Finally, our heaviest lifters, Wilson Watkins and Jack Corby, each put up the heaviest totals from Jesuit, 1,235 lbs and 1,110 lbs., respectively.
All in all, Jesuit placed seventh in the meet out of 16.
Jackrabbit Invitational – Forney
At the Forney Jackrabbit Invitational, the Rangers continued to show steady progress. Competing in the 123 weight class, Darren Clemons achieved a notable 955 total, earning him second place. Diego Park followed with an impressive 685 total, showing steady progress. Junior Jack Warren totaled at 755 once more. Jud Harris, improving significantly increased his total by 95 lbs., adding up to 1,100 pounds all together. Due to illness, both Wilson Watkins and Jonathan Wrightsman were unable to compete. Jesuit’s final lifter, Jack Corby, finished with 1,115 total. As a consequence of missing lifters, Jesuit placed 11th out of 17, leaving the Rangers with two more meets to compete in before going into Regionals.
Jesuit Invitational
Taking place in the Dell facility, in the Jesuit Invitational, the team placed third, with several lifters delivering strong performances across multiple weight classes, as well as a few newcomers entering into their first competition. Starting in the 123 lb. class, Diego Park hit a personal best in the deadlift, lifting 265 pounds, and despite his injury, he pulled-off an impressive 710 total overall. In the same weight class, Junior Darren Clemons earned first place, deadlifting 435 to gain a total of 1,010 pounds, allowing him to achieve the Best Lifter award. Moving up a weight class, Jack Warren placed fourth in the meet, with a 755 total and an outstanding effort for his 335 deadlift. Their newest lifter, William Beauchamp ’29, put up a very solid 750 pound total for being a new lifter. In the 165 lb. division, Jesuit had some heavy hitters, with Jud Harris totaling at 1,105 pounds, highlighted by a 300 lb. bench press, while Alex Duran ’27 reached a 720 lb. total for his first meet. Jonathan Wrightsman followed with 945 lbs. in the 181 weight class, and Jesuit’s heaviest lifter, Wilson Watkins, led the way with a 1,205 pound total, including a 495 squat.
Scot Classic Boys Meet – Highland Park
To close out the regular season, several lifters closed out the year with exceptional performances. At his second meet, William Beauchamp reached an 800 lb. total, while Diego park followed with 735 lbs., placing him 10th in the region. Finally, Alex Duran, lifted 780 lbs. in the Unequipped Division, finishing out his season.
THSPA Region 3 Championships – Rusk, Texas
At Regionals, Darren Clemons secured a second place finish in the 123 lb. weight class, with a 1,015 lb. total, leading him to qualify for State. His performance was highlighted by a 440 deadlift, 350 squat, and 225 pound bench press. Diego Park finished out his season strong, showing improvement, and finishing with a 765 lb. total, with his lifts being a 295 squat, 170 bench, and 300 deadlift.
THSPA Division 1 State Championship – Abilene, Texas
As the only lifter to advance to State, Darren Clemons represented Jesuit Dallas at the highest level of competition. Taking place at a rodeo arena, both the environment and competition was fierce. Despite this, he placed ninth in the State out of 23 lifters at the meet, bringing the season to a very successful close.
Conclusion
As the season concludes, lifters are working on their offseason training, increasing their strength and power to take on the next season in 2027. As a bonus, all but one lifter on the team is graduating, meaning many different powerful lifters are due to return next season.
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