With the final event of her athletic career falling just before the end of March, it seemed serendipitous for Iola Register readers to name Iola High School powerlifter Brooklyn Ellis as the March female Allen County Area Athlete of the Month.
Ellis assisted the Iola Mustangs in taking second as a team at the 3A state powerlifting competition March 29, and received the pound-for-pound state champion — making her per capita the strongest 3A female athlete in Kansas.
“I’m very thankful for my team and my coaches. I think I took a couple of risks. I tried for a PR (personal record) in everything,” said Ellis, after receiving multiple medals at the state competition.
Ellis won the 148-pound weight class state championship with a first place 165-pound clean lift, a first-place 295-pound squat and a third-place 130-pound bench.
“We’ve never focused on ratio that much. I’m excited about being a pound-for-pound champion. It was a good last meet for me,” Ellis said.
Ellis chose not to compete in spring athletics. She also chose not to participate in college athletics, making her state championship the peak of her scholastic athletic career. This fall she plans to further her education at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri.
