Holmen High School's powerlifting team could produce state champions and finish in the top two in the team chases at this weekend's state meet in Necedah.

The meet begins with girls lifters in the 97- through 123-pound weight classes and boys from 114 to 132 Friday from 3:30 to 8 p.m. Girls from 132 to 242-plus and boys from 142 to 181 lift Saturday at 8;30 a.m. Boys in the 198 to superheavyweight classes lift Saturday at 2 p.m.

That final session could host the individual highlights for Holmen, as Cory Peters and Andrew Brueggen could finish 1-2 at 198 pounds. Peters is shooting for both a squat and a deadlift of 500 pounds, and a bench press of 300 pounds, while Brueggen could produce similar totals at 220 pounds.

“Andrew may also weigh in light,” Vikings head coach Chris Sepich said. “He and Cory have talked often about going 1-2 in the state meet, and that would be fun to happen, too.”

The HHS girls have finished third in the team chase each of the last three years. Holmen's boys have never placed in the top three, but that could change this weekend, Sepich said.

“(The girls) would like to improve by at least one place for 2007, but weird things happen at the state meet,” Sepich said. “(The boys) have 15 members lifting and will have one of the bigger numbers of lifters, which gives us a lot of depth.

“But we will need to lift within ourselves and not let the excitement of the meet get to us if we are to bring home the first-ever team trophy. We could be in the hunt for second or third. Manitowoc and Wisconsin Rapids may be too much to overcome.”

Two other Vikings who could post top-three finishes include Sarah Lang at 165 and Eric Kordus. Lang is also shooting to set school weight-class records of 315 in the deadlift, 300 in the squat and 140 in the bench press.

The HHS girls contingent will also include Annessia Xiong, Elizabeth Bennett, Becca Abraham. Izzy Nygaard, Sam White, Jenny Lehrke and Amber McDonald. Sepich said Xiong, Bennett, Abraham and McDonald could all post top-five finishes.

“Becca is a solid lifter who may break into the top five if she has a good day for her,” Sepich said. “It doesn't have to be great.

“I always tell those going to state meet that strange things happen there. And each and every year it has.”

The HHS boys contingent also includes Billy Kellar, Josh Olson, Kyle Warner, Kris Zachary, Aaron Thesing, Brandon Beilke, Steve Spangler, Dustin Stockowitz, Darrin Witt, Dan Huber, Ryan Fredrickson and Jake Nottestad. Thesing's goals include finishing in the top two in the bench press.

The top lift in each of three areas is used to create a total-combined lift, which is how wrestlers are ranked. Those lifts are the squat, deadlift and bench press.

In the squat, competitors take the bar, which is located inside a rack, at about shoulder level. They then must get their hips lower than their knees while continuing to hold the weight. The competitors must then lift and place the bar back into its original place in the rack.

In the deadlift, competitors must lift the bar from off the floor and lock their arms, shoulders and knees with the bar at waist level.

The state meet is being conducted west of the Wisconsin River for the just the second time after Holmen hosted the meet a year ago. The meet is the largest high school meet in the nation. An estimated 350 lifters will compete at state.