Rio Rancho lifts past rival Cleveland, 2-0 in district after dual victory

RIO RANCHO — It was a familiar sight for Rio Rancho powerlifting, posing as a team with victory in hand after another successful meet.

But unlike the past victories, this one tasted a bit sweeter, with the photo-op coming in the home gymnasium of the rival Cleveland Storm.

“Huge congratulations to the Rio Rancho powerlifting boys and girls, defeating Cleveland in both boys and girls together on the same day,” Rams head coach Rocky Ramirez wrote online after the win. “The first time in RRHS powerlifting history. Couldn’t be prouder of you all, always a battle going against our cross-town rivals.”

You heard that right. It was a first for the talented Rams program, sweeping the Rio Rancho-Cleveland dual at CHS March 14.

Rio had 15 first-place finishes in Saturday’s standoff, with nine on the girls side and six on the boys. Their residency on the top of the podium was enough to give the girls a 76-62 victory and the boys a 65-63 win.

For the girls, four Rams led the way in total weight lifted. Alayah Gonzales put on another stellar performance, lifting a total of 895 pounds on the day. The next closest total was her teammate Jada Smith, lifting 770.

Gonzales, a 2025 state champion, led all three categories of competition: lifting 360 pounds in squat, 160 in bench press and 375 in dead lift.

Sarah Martinez joined Gonzales and Smith in crossing the 700-mark, finishing at 740. Mikayla Ellis was just behind with a total of 695.

Other first-place finishers included Kahlen Ramirez, Madeline McIntyre, Corrie Trujillo, Alex Nunez and Bradi Moore.

For the boys, it was a true lift-off against the school to the north. Rio’s six first-place spots beat out Cleveland’s five, being the difference in a two-point victory.

Traevon Sewell led all lifters with a total of 1,310 pounds, closely followed by Cleveland’s Wyatt Lohr and Moses Sparks.

Cleveland would do damage in the deadlift portion, as aside from Sewell and Elijah Lopez’s first- and second-place finishes, the Storm would take the next six spots in the contest.

Bench press would be a similar scene, with the duo of Lohr and Sparks creating havoc on the leaderboard.

That is, until Rio’s Justice Salinas would step up to the bench to beat Lohr’s 315 and Sparks’ 310 with a 325-pound bench press.

Other key contributors and first-place finishers included Noah Hampsten, Anthony Golson, Francisco Alderete and Troy Pickens.

Rio Rancho now sits at 2-0 in district action, with Volcano Vista next on their hit list for dual competition.