NATCHEZ — Kaldrick Tenner was a junior on last year’s Natchez High School Powerlifting team. His cousin, Cornelius Redden, was a senior, and Tenner said Redden played a big part in keeping him working hard and getting stronger.

“He was pushing me a lot to get stronger, and I worked out a lot with him,” Tenner said.

This year Tenner, who is one of only two seniors on the squad, looks to do the same for the five underclassmen that will be looking up to him.

“I will try to be a leader and tell the guys to go hard and play (all) out,” he said.

Powerlifting coach Joseph Johnson said his two senior lifters, Tenner and Levarious Dorsey, are definitely team leaders.

“In their words they are real competitive and want to beat the other team but also want to beat their teammate out,” Johnson said. “But at the same time they reach back and take the younger lifters under their wings, trying to reinforce the lifting techniques I taught them and executing proper lifts. For a senior to step up and do those type of things says a lot for them, because most get caught up in their self. But these two are not about self, they are about team.”

The 2012 version of the Bulldogs powerlifting team started its season Feb. 7 with a second-place finish in its own invitational meet. The tournament featured Delhi High School (first place), Natchez, Port Gibson (third place) and Wilkinson County High School (fourth place).

Johnson said he was proud of his team’s effort in its first meet.

“I thought we did outstanding,” he said. “I went into the meet with no expectations. We have a real young team. Of the seven lifters we had to lift, only two are veterans (Tenner and Dorsey). To see the young people step up and kind of come of age was really uplifting.”

Tenner was also pleased with the performance.

“I thought we fared well,” he said. “We could have done better, but second place in our weight class in the first meet isn’t bad.”

Four Natchez lifters — Thomas Hawkins, Timothy Collins, Jomari Isaac and Dorsey — finished first in their respective weight classes at the Natchez meet. Tenner and Charles Bates both finished second in their respective classes, and Avery Jones finished third in the 165-pound weight class.

Tenner said he did not have his best day individually Saturday.

“I had a bad day on bench (press),” he said. “I had a total of (1,215 pounds) but could have done better, because I only benched 225 (pounds).”

Tenner said he usually bench presses approximately 275 pounds.

What weight Tenner lacks on bench press he makes up for on the dead lift, he said.

“This year on squat I am so-so, it can get better,” he said. “On bench the majority of the people beat me. But, when dead lift comes they are scared of me, because my first lift is sometimes better than their last.”

Tenner credits his ability to dead lift to working out with Redden.

Tenner is not the only Bulldog that struggles with bench press, he said.

“We have to work more on bench,” he said. “Right now we are very low on bench, and we can get way better.”

Johnson said this year’s team is still a question mark for him, and he hopes they will start to blossom soon.

“Each team is kind of like having a new child,” he said. “Each has its own personality, and this one hasn’t shown it yet. Of our young lifters two really jump out when you see them in the weight room, and those are Avery Jones and Timothy Collins. They are first-year lifters that are pulling some numbers. I feel we’re going to do well in the region, and I’m excited to see where we’re going to go this year.”

Individually Tenner, who finished fifth overall in his weight class last year, hopes to continue his improvement.

“My goal is to go for records and try to win my weight class and get a ring,” he said. “And hopefully I can have all of my teammates (at state) with me.”

The powerlifting team will face off against Wilkinson County in a couple of weeks, before travelling to Hattiesburg on Feb. 4 for the region meet, Johnson said.