The 2026 Pickering Boys and Girls programs competed at the State Powerlifting Meet at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner on March 25-26. Nine lifters represented Vernon Parish from Pickering High School where they displayed great achievements and new personal records. The boys finished 5th overall out of 32 teams with 42 points. Leading the way was 4-time state meet qualifier and last year’s state runner-up Braden Ford who brought home Pickering’s 1st State Championship since 2019. Ford won the 165 LB Wt. Class with a 1,245 total with squat total of 480, bench 260, and deadlift of 505. Xavier Mitchell, as state runner up in 2024 missed last year due to injury made his comeback and secured another state runner up finish in the 220 LB Wt class with a 1,510 total with a squat of 605, bench 360, and 545 deadlift. Israel Araiza secured 3rd place medal in the same weight class as Ford, with a 1,220 Lb total with a squat of 475, bench 245, and 500 deadlift. Hunter Noel improved from last year to 4th with a 1,220 lb total and brother Landon Noel secured 5th with a 1,335 lb total. Under the older scoring system used in the past Pickering’s boys would have been State Runner up, but a new scoring system was implemented for this season.