Century HS senior powerlifter hoping to set the bar high in college

HILLSBORO, Ore. (KPTV) - A senior at Hillsboro’s Century High School owns all kinds of state records in powerlifting and she’s eager to set the bar high in college.

Carly Reese lifts like no one is watching.

“I was a dancer for 12 years, but I stopped so I could focus on powerlifting more,” said Reese. “If there is a day that I don’t lift, I feel like my day is almost ruined.”

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Century High School has been strong all along with all of the kids from the Reese family.

“I just, during COVID, started lifting with my dad and my brothers because my dad said I should try it and I got good at it and then we found powerlifting,” Reese said. “A few months after I started, he was looking at different records that had been broken at the school and I had already broken those, so it was kind of a hidden talent we just discovered.”

Reese’s talent is out of the shadows of her big brothers; Brody plays football for Tulsa and Laudyn is at Pacific for pigskin and wrestling where their dad, Adam, is an assistant.

Reese set the Oregon state record for squats last July in Bend at 308 pounds. Her bench, deadlift and total are good for U.S. Powerlifting Association national records.

“It’s definitely helped with confidence a lot. I am super confident and sure of myself, and it’s nice to feel strong,” she said.

Reese recently returned from Florida where she placed third at the USA Powerlifting High School Nationals.

“At Myrtle Beach, I squatted 370, I benched 215 and I deadlifted 341,” Reese said.

Personal records on the weight racks, and now the senior with a 3.83 GPA who’s off to compete for McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois.

“You really can do anything you put your mind too and consistency is the most important thing,” she said.

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Good luck to Reese in all her future endeavors!

If you think you or someone you know deserves a high school spotlight, please reach out to Nick Krupke at nick.krupke@kptv.com.

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