WV Powerlifter Makes School History With Blue Mountain Scholarship
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Drake Mabary signs his letter of commitment to Blue Mountain College. He is pictured with his parents (front row), Paula and Robert Mabary; Coach Emily Howland, brother Silas Mabary, Blue Mountain coach Jerrell Howell and his girlfriend, Claire Allen (middle row); and Coach Clint Faust and Coach Matt Turner (back row).
WATER VALLEY — For the first time in school history, a Water Valley High School powerlifter is taking the next step in the sport.
Senior Drake Mabary has signed a letter of commitment to attend Blue Mountain College, where he will compete on the school’s powerlifting team — becoming the first powerlifter from Water Valley to accept a college scholarship and the first student-athlete in the sport to compete at the collegiate level.
For Mabary, what started as a way to replace another sport after moving to Water Valley quickly turned into something much bigger.
“This means a lot to me,” Mabary said. “Originally, I started this sport my freshman year as a hobby… and it grew into a passion. I never thought it was possible, but I just kept working and grinding every day, trying to get stronger.”
His path wasn’t without setbacks. Mabary said early struggles, including a meet where he scratched out, forced him to take a different approach.
“Me failing that one year made me work twice as hard,” he said. “Before, it was more about myself. Then I realized I had to rely on God. That junior year, just trusting and building my faith, that’s what led me to that championship.”
That breakthrough came during his junior season, when he won a state championship in the 148-pound weight class — a moment that helped open the door to college opportunities.
Water Valley coach Clint Faust said Mabary’s development has been as much about discipline and character as it has been strength.
“He’s a kid that does all the things that we ask him to do the right way,” Faust said. “Pound for pound, he’s probably the strongest kid we’ve got in the room. He benches around 250 and can deadlift and squat the house.”
Faust said Mabary’s ability to bounce back from disappointment in this year’s finals showed what kind of competitor he had become.
“We talked after north half when he was upset,” Faust said. “I told him, ‘You’ve been a state champion. You know what it takes.’ And I think he realized he still had an opportunity to compete at the next level if he wanted it.”
That opportunity came through Blue Mountain College, where head coach Jerrell Howell said Mabary had been on the program’s radar for more than a year.
“He actually popped onto our radar as a junior,” Howell said. “I started watching film, went to a couple of meets he didn’t know I was at, and I really liked what I saw.”
“He was very down-to-earth, very respectful,” Howell said. “He gave me the sense of being an athlete of character, which is what we look for.”
“We don’t look for the strongest — it’s our job to make you strong,” Howell said. “We look for the best fit.”
Howell said opportunities for powerlifters at the college level are still limited, making Mabary’s signing significant not only for Water Valley, but for the sport in Mississippi.
“There’s not very many powerlifting opportunities in this state,” Howell said. “To help athletes continue their education while doing something they love — that’s something special. We want to help grow the sport and give more athletes that chance.”
At the collegiate level, Mabary will face a new set of challenges, including different competition standards and the adjustment to college life.
“The first year is usually the toughest,” Howell said. “They’ve got to adjust to college, adjust to the pace, and build a strong foundation. But we think he’s capable of doing that.”
Mabary said he understands the work ahead and is ready for it.
“It’s not just going in there, lifting and leaving,” he said. “You’ve got to train right, diet right, and stay in your weight class. It takes a lot of discipline and patience.”
He has competed primarily in the 148-pound class, where strict weight limits and conditioning are key. Even a small increase can push a lifter into a higher class with stronger competition.
Looking ahead, Mabary said his goals go beyond personal success.
“No matter what it looks like, I want it to show God’s glory,” he said. “I just want to work as hard as I can and keep that door open for Water Valley — for other lifters and maybe even other sports.”
He also offered advice to younger athletes considering the sport.
“Try not to be discouraged,” Mabary said. “You’re not going to get every weight, but you’ve just got to keep working so one day you can.”