Isabella football held its second annual Night of Champions Lift-A-Thon and saw several increases and personal bests.

The highlight of the night was when Jarred Campbell and Austin Brasher each squatted a personal best of 500 pounds.

It was the top mark on the night and a personal best for both of them.

“We’re expecting a whole lot more magic,” Campbell said. “We want the rings this year.”

Players rotated among the various exercises, which also included bench press and power clean.

After a personal best weight was reached, players were given the honor of ringing a cowbell to signify their accomplishment.

“It gives them a goal to achieve and they reap the rewards of hard work,” Isabella head coach Tate Leonard said. “We want that cowbell to be ringing. They’re looking good and I can see a difference in them.”

The sound of the cowbell was echoing within the Mustangs’ weight room throughout the event, and at times seemed almost endless as a line of players waited their turn to give it a shake.

“Our whole team has just gotten stronger,” Brasher said.

As it did last year, the lift-a-thon marked the end of Isabella’s summer conditioning program.

“We max at different points and we want to see how far they have grown since the start of summer,” Leonard said. “We’re going to continue our strength and conditioning program, but this is just the end of that phase going into the season.”

According to Leonard, the lift-a-thon serves as yet another team bonding exercise that will help develop chemistry among teammates.

Varsity and junior varsity both took part in the event, which was tied into a parent meeting and was open for parents to come and watch their kids at work.

“It’s good to let the parents know our expectations,” Leonard said.