The 2025 Orchard AAU Powerlifting Meet was held this past Friday & Saturday, April 4th & 5th with an awesome line-up of 170 registered lifters from across the midwest. This year’s meet was a National meet again, so two days of competition were required to accommodate the crowd of lifters striving for State, American and even World records! It was the 18th year for the Orchard Meet and the crowd gets larger each year. Orchard hosted one of the year’s largest two-day AAU powerlifting meets in the United States. Forty-two Niobrara-Verdigre powerlifters competed in this year’s AAU Championships. These 42 lifters had an outstanding couple of days breaking numerous State, American, and World records and six Niobrara-Verdigre school records. Not to mention many of the lifters setting numerous personal bests. The entire field of competition saw 50 total State, American, and even world records set by age/weight class. We do not yet have the full list of record holders until results have been verified and finalized by the AAU National office. We know for sure that our very own Alex Motacek, Raquel Morales-Montalvo, Levi Hofer, and Mykel Murray will be in that complete list will then be found at aausports.org under the strength-sports\records tab. Niobrara-Verdigre also had the Elsie Magwire memorial female outstanding lifter of the meet based on strength index. Taylor Pavlik won this award with a strength index of 4.0. The outstanding male lifters of the meet by strength index were given in memory of Rita Shabram. Niobrara’s very own Motacek boys were recipients of these awards. Jacob Motacek was runner-up, and Alex Motacek won the 1st place plaque with an eye-popping index of 7.04! The school records that fell included: Isaac Pavlik re-setting his own records in the squat 474 lbs, bench press 276 lbs, deadlift 507 lbs, total 1257 lbs; Alex Motacek broke his own strength index (7.04); and Raquel Morales-Montalvo broke her own squat record with 347 lbs. After the busy day of lifting was finished, the Niobrara-Verdigre teams earned the 2025 Nebraska AAU championship trophies in the Boys AND Girls team divisions!
The top 6 teams… 1st place Niobrara-Verdigre; 2nd North Platte; 3rd Boyd County; 4th Grand Island CC; 5th Fullerton, 6th Summerland.
Niobrara-Verdigre had an amazing 23 individual AAU champions: Rader Frame 77 lb youth (raw) class, Riley Fuchtman 77 lb youth push-pull (raw) class, Levi Hoferer 97 lb (raw) class, Alex Motacek 123 lb full meet AND push-pull (raw) class, Braden Collingsworth 123 lb youth (raw) class, Mykel Murray 132 lb youth full meet, bench, push-pull (raw) class, Lennix Chavez 148 lb youth (raw) class, Jacob Motacek 165 lb (raw) class, Wyatt Shabram 181 lb full meet, bench, push-pull (equipped) class, Austin Sharp 165 lb youth (raw) class, Heydon Strope 198 lb open (raw) class, Isaac Pavlik 220 lb bench and push pull (raw) class, Justin Reiley 242 lb open bench (raw) class, Christine Mechaley 97 lb push-pull (raw) class, Sydney Kumm 105 lb (raw) class, Gwen Bonham 105 lb (raw) class, Holly Pavlik 148 lb (raw) class, Aliyah Yunker 165 lb (raw) class, Kami Simons 165 lb (equipped) class, Taylor Pavlik 181 lb full meet, bench, push-pull (raw) class, Raquel Morales-Montalvo 220 lb full meet, push-pull (raw) class, Emilee Babcock 220+ lb push-pull (raw) class, Katie Koerick 165 lb push-pull (raw) class. Ten lifters won the silver medal in their weight class... Charles Frame 105 lb (raw) class, Carter Sharp 132 lb youth (raw) class, Zack Bolling 165 lb youth (raw) class, Isaac Pavlik 220 lb full meet, bench, push pull (raw) class, Gunnar Shabram 242 lb full meet, bench, push pull (raw) class, Praeson Klug 308 lb (raw) class, Melody Bonham 123 lb (raw) class, Violet Pavlik 123 lb youth (raw) class, Dayna Sharp 132 lb (raw) class, Emmarie Pavlik 148 lb (raw) class. Five lifters won the bronze medal in their weight class… Danny Pease 132 lb (raw) class, Logan Collingsworth 148 lb (raw) class, Jeff Shabram 242 lb open (raw) class, Lorenzo Denny 308 lb (raw) class, RaeLynne Nelson 181 lb (raw) class. Other Cougar medalists were… Miranda Stohlmann 4th place 148 lb (raw) class, Sam Sucha 5th place 132 lb (raw) class, Beckett Wessendorf 6th place 198 lb (raw) class, Nyla Wright 6th place 148 lb (raw) class, Gage Vesely 9th place 165 lb (raw) class. It was an impressive display of power this weekend!
Saturday’s meet was the last of the 2024-25 school year. Next season then kicks off with the Creighton Prep Powerlifting Meet in December. Nice job and keep up the good work kids! It is fun to watch you grow in both mind and body. Seniors… you are an hard-working group of lifters. We will miss you at the high school only meets but hope to have you at some of the open meets. Keep lifting!! A complete list of results along with records will be posted soon on the www.aau-ne.com website and the www.aaunebraskapowerlifting.com website under the 2025 Orchard Meet link. Saturday was an overall amazing display of power for many of the competitors. The heaviest total this year was lifted by Brian Benshoof of Bellevue with 1636 pounds! Congratulations to all lifters. Please check out the complete list.
This meet would not have happened had it not been for our very generous sponsors and the help of many volunteers from our communities… Judges Ethan Wondercheck, Monte Lofing, Monte Shabram, Jack Allemang, Grant Magnuson, Jacob Behnk, Mike Kirby, Ethan Uhlir, Layla Freeman, Gunnar Shabram, and Heaven Smith. Spotters & loaders Heydon Strope, Kasen Kazemba, Jacob Pavelka, Levi Hoferer, Beckett Wessendorf, Lorenzo Denny, Kaiden Bauer, Kellen Vesely, Carter Nelson, Kevin Leininger, Zander Cepal, Preston Watson, Mike Strope, Paul Krutz, Deric Sayers, Jason Shaver, Arttie Parker, Trey Sucha, David Shabram, Riley Saul, Justin Reiley. The scorer’s table consisting of Amanda Shabram, Ann Holz, Olivia Holz, RaeLynne Nelson, Karla Uhlir, Melody Bonham, Gwen Bonham, Starlet Nielsen, Kristi Rohrer, Brittney Krutz, Jaelyn Shaver, Raina Krebs, Eve Kucera, and Amy Holz kept this large meet running smoothly. Ticket table and t-shirts Bob Krutz and Sally Cronk. Video was run by N-V powerlifters and Carter Kucera. The very popular concession stand was provided by Stephanie Cleveland with help from powerlifting parents and Orchard community volunteers. All sponsored by Dusty’s. Reiman Coffee Company was present with coffee and smoothies again! The hospitality room for meet and coaches was provided by Orchard Old School Thrift. It takes individuals from multiple communities to pull off this big of an event, and it was another wonderful highlight of a fun powerlifting season! GO COUGARS!
Here are our local sponsors…
2025 Orchard Powerlifting Meet Sponsors
Shabram Grinding
Antelope County Visitors Committee
Finch Contracting
Tip Top Lawn Care
Hi-Way 20 Seed/Plains Cover Crop
Diamond S Insurance
Bank of Orchard - Ben Clifton
Hammer Insurance
Brunswick State Bank
Ferguson Ag
Cut it Up
ReNew Salon
Ag Services – Page
Willie’s Service
Around the Horn Sportscards
Erb’s Grocery
Lazy T Tire & Implement
Verdigre PrintWorks
Summerland Advocate-Messenger
Gordon Shrader Farms
Antelope County News/Orchard News
Robert Johnston Farms
The Verdigre Eagle
Orchard Old School Thrift
Corner Hardware & More
Northeast Nebraska Heating & Cooling
Central Valley Ag
Butch's Body Shop
Dusty's
Orchard Lumber
Sugarz Cafe
Jack & Karen Allemang
Grant & Dian Magnuson
Jeff & Amanda Shabram
Monte Shabram
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