TUPELO – Tupelo High features a lifter among the state’s “Super 12” category – a new state-wide designation for those who lifted the most total weight in their weight class during the North and South state qualifying meets.

Senior Chris Donald, a 5-foot-9, 216-pound inside linebacker in football, lifted a total of 1,460 pounds at the North meet March 5 – the most weight lifted out of anyone competing in the 220-pound weight class at both the North and South state meets. His best lifts on the day were 320 pounds in the bench press, 555 squat and 550 dead lift.

“He’s worked hard,” said his football and powerlifting coach, Lamar Aldridge. “He just stays after it. He does a good job and has a lot of energy.”

Aldridge, who is the defensive coordinator of the Golden Wave football team, said he thinks Donald will be a great football player at Northeast Mississippi Community College, the school Donald signed with in February.

Donald was a 2009 Daily Journal First-Team All-Area selection after recording a team-high 92 tackles (46 solo), four sacks, three tackles for losses, eight quarterback hurries, one forced fumble, one recovered fumble and one pass breakup in his senior season. He was also an all-state selection.

“He’s 5-9 and that may be stretching him a little bit,” Aldridge said. “But he’s got some good numbers.

“When people look at him, they look at his height. A lot of (college) coaches are not going to sign him if he (Donald) is shorter than them.

“He’s heavy enough for a linebacker.”