LINDEN &8212; Weightlifting has become a fast-growing sport among high school students. It has also become growingly more popular among females.

Most high school sports teams have weightlifting as part of its conditioning and it has also become a part of the conditioning for the girl&8217;s teams as well.

Eighth grader Taylor Hunnicutt is one of two girls at Marengo Academy that competed in the AISA State Weightlifting Competition last month. She finished fifth in the 125-175 pound class out of 26 girls, while teammate Caitlin Moore, a seventh grader, finished fifth in the 125 pound and lower class.

The AISA meetings are held only a few times a year and there are no certain qualifications to compete.

It was Hunnicutt&8217;s first weightlifting competition, though she worked with weights as part of her training with the softball team.

Hunnicutt says she enjoys the squatting most of the three events.

For squatting, the maximum she has lifted is 185 pounds. In the dead lift she lifted 155 pounds and she bench presses 95 pounds. She said she&8217;s been told that&8217;s pretty good for a female.

Hunnicutt doesn&8217;t quite remember what actually inspired her to try lifting weights and competing.

In addition to the weightlifting team and the softball team, Hunnicutt is also on the cheerleading squad.