TOMBSTONE — If Josh Wilke had any idea he was going to be spending Saturday afternoon at the “Bust Your Britches” powerlifitng competition at the Cold Iron Gym in Tombstone, he never would have lifted all-out Friday night.

“I found out about this at 8:30 this morning, when my dad told me about it,” Wilke, a 2001 Buena High graduate, said. “I think that may be why I tweaked my back on the first rep.”

Because of that lumbar tweak, Wilke used just one of his three lifts, and it was 150 pounds off his personal best. Still, the lone 500-pound lift was good enough to earn Wilke first-place honors and $350 in cash.

Tombstone High wrestling coach Dawane Harris, who coupled with Richard Thayer to win the two-man deadlift at 755 pounds, came in second in the singles competition and Cochise College basketball player Schuyler Witt was third.

Dawane Harris, left, and Richard Thayer combine to deadlift 755 pounds during the two person portion of Saturday’s “Bust Your Britches” powerlifting deadlift meet in Tombstone. (Mark Levy-Herald/Review)

In the other singles competition — most reps on a 100-pound bench press, Wilke took to the bar needing to beat the 63 lifts posted by the 6-foot-6 Witt.

Wilke raced through the first 50 reps and coasted to 64 before choosing to call it quits, picking up another $50 for the bench-press prize.

“I’m not an endurance athlete, I’m a power athlete,” Wilke said. “But Schuyler was one of my students and I wasn’t going to let him beat me. This will keep him mad for about a year.”

Wilke said that with proper planning and stretching, he could easily have cleared 100 reps.

For three years, Wilke has been the strength and conditioning coach at Buena and he worked with Witt, who graduated in 2006.

The Bust Your Britches was a small part of a busy summer for Witt, who is coaching all summer in the Lute Olson Basketball Camp and playing in the Tucson Summer Pro League in order to prepare for his sophomore season.

“Weights have been a big factor — you have to be explosive,” Witt said. “You can be strong in here but it may not necessarily (transition) to the court.”

For the first time, the third-annual event was a fund-raiser for the Tombstone Volunteer Fire Department, which is trying to raise funds to replace its 1979 brush fire truck.

The event raised over $4,000 for the cause. During October’s Helldorado Days, there will be a benefit softball tournament with proceeds going to the fire department.

“We’re very grateful to the Cold Iron Gym for all their hard work and dedication,” TVFD Chief Jesse Grassman said.

Cold Iron owner Danni Eldridge donated an antique rickshaw she bought on a whim from Tombstone Mercantile a year ago for raffle.

The fire department was well represented in the contest, in particular by Linda Baker who took first place in the women’s deadlift competition, pulling up 175 pounds to best Gail Sheppard.

Buena cross country coach Kim Martin took first place in the men’s masters division. Behind Wilke, Harris and Witt in the men’s open deadlift, Thayer placed fourth, Dick Baker fifth and Clint Warren was sixth.

Eldridge wasn’t certain whether she would hold the event next year, but considered doing a “push-pull” event wherein lifters post a max lift in dead lift and bench press.

After playing football collegiately at Western New Mexico University, Wilke competed some in powerlifting competitions in California, but between working at UPS and working with Buena’s athletes, he said he doesn’t have time to compete much.

Right now, he’s working to build a line at Buena that was devastated by graduation.

“We’re going to be good — they’re looking tough,” Wilke said. “We’re a lot faster and stronger. We’re smaller, but extremely quick, which is important in getting to the linebackers.”