WOODVILLE — Sometimes David is going to get beaten by Goliath.

That’s how Wilkinson County powerlifting coach Bobby Webb described the Wildcats’ second place finish to Velma Jackson in the South division of the Class 3A powerlifting state championship last Saturday in Jackson.

“Our kids gave great effort and never gave up — as individuals and as a team,” Webb said.

“They pulled together, and even though they got beat by Velma Jackson in the South State championship, they came in thinking we could win. Sometimes Goliath is going to win, but we gave them fits.”

The Wildcats totaled 29 points last weekend to Velma Jackson’s 39. Franklin County came in third with 19 points. Despite finishing as runner-up, Webb said he’s already looking ahead to next year.

“I think next year we’ll have our best team ever,” Webb said. “We only had one senior, and the rest of them will be back.”

That one senior, Marcus Wyatt, will be sorely missed however. Wyatt finished first in the individual competition, breaking a state record in the process, Webb said.

“They take your best lift from the squat, bench press and deadlift, and total it up,” Webb said. “The record was 1,065 pounds in 2003, and Marcus had already squatted 425 pounds and bench pressed 235 pounds.

“In his first deadlift, he broke the overall record by lifting 405 pounds. In his second try, he came back with 425 pounds, breaking his own record. He wanted to bump it up as much as he could, and did 455 pounds on his third try.”

That gave him a total of 1,115, a new state record. Webb said it wasn’t a surprise to him that Wyatt finished his career as strongly as he did.

“He’s never lost a meet in four year, except one when he was a freshman going up against a senior in the state championship,” Webb said.

“He’s just a good, coachable kid. He’ll do anything you ask, he never misses practice and he’s always the first in the weight room and the last one out.”

Wilkinson County has had great success in powerlifting in recent years, winning three state championships and six second-place finishes in the last 11 years. Webb credits this success to the many hours his athletes put in to lifting.

“They’re all great kids. They’re like the Marines, in that they have pride and a work ethic. Wyatt was our leader, and the rest aren’t really what you would call followers, they just make up the Marine Corps. They buy in, and go in expecting to win.”

The Wildcats hold the state record for most points totaled at the state championship, 45 points in 2003. Webb said he expects next year’s team to break that record.