PORT NECHES — There was a time Port Neches-Groves senior was an almost-afterthought with the Indians football coaches.
He hurt his knee early in the season as a junior and fell down the depth chart. Going into his senior year and PN-G assistant coach Peter Medlock admitted Moran was not thought to do much this past year as a senior.
Moran proved any doubters wrong. He became an all-district lineman and is now going to compete in his second straight state powerlifiting competition this weekend in Abilene.
Moran will do a series of three lifts. He will compete in the squat, bench and deadlift. Moran squatted 665 pounds, benched 500 and did 565 in the deadlift to reach state.
“This shows all my hard work has a reward,” Moran said.
Moran finished in 18th place out of 26 lifters as a junior at the state competition put on by the Texas High School Powerlifting Association.
His goal this year is to finish much higher.
“I am shooting for top three,” Moran said. “The training has been more hardcore since I got out of football. I have been completely focused on powerlifting. I have completely dedicated myself to it.”
Moran said that was not the case as a junior since part of his time was dedicated to the offseason football program.
He did not have that to worry about after his senior football season ended. Moran said he works out about 2 ½ hours a day, five days a week.
“I feel way stronger this year,” Moran said.
Moran’s school coach is PN-G defensive coordinator Dustin Templin. Templin said he has been impressed with the work Moran has put in this year.
“He has worked hard his whole life,” Templin said. “He still holds the bench press record at Groves Middle School and probably will for a long time. He lifts hard. He would come in the morning, during athletics period and after school. There is some technique as well. He doesn’t take a break.”
Templin said the biggest proof of Moran’s hard work was the fact he finished the football season as an all-district selection.
“He also makes great grades,” Templin said. “He loves, loves, loves powerlifting. There are usually not a lot of people at those powerlifting meets. It can get stinky and sweaty. He has had to go to some extremes to make weight. He watches what he eats and he has done research on it. He has taken control of it all.”
Moran is not the only PN-G lifter to reach the state meet. He will be joined by juniors Gage Carreon and Timothy Le.