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Hamilton Victorious In Southern Classic Rematch

By: Mark Mason

Jackson, Mississippi, known for its food, music and its southern hospitality became a battle ground for one of the hardest fought rematches in NPC history. Just three weeks previously in Charleston, SC heavyweights Joshua Bergeron and Will Hamilton competed in the Jr. USAs. The result was Bergeron winning the class with a decisive victory and a flat Hamilton being relegated to fourth place.

On June 6th at the Thalia Mara theater the two went toe to toe once again. Bergeron had maintained his exceptional conditioning since the Jrs. and Hamilton hit his peak. Neither competitor gave no quarter during the prejudging. Head judge Steve Roten and his cream of the crop crew of southern judges had their work cut out for them.

The evening show kicked off with the lovely Victoria Larvie’s fitness exhibition that served to incite the already riotous crowd into the danger zone. The pint-sized pixie from Atlanta unleashed an assault of gymnastic, strength and flexibility moves that belied her youthful seventeen years of age.  Larvie has been performing in fitness competitions since the age of thirteen and has defeated women twice her age.  She recently won her height class at the Jr. USAs as well at placing top five at last years Team Universe.  

After Larvie exited stage MC extraordinaire John Ralston restored some semblance of order. Ralston has been the front man of the Southern Classic for twenty-five of its twenty-six year existence.  

First to hit the stage were the novice men.  Lightweight winner and eventual overall winner Daniel Abston presented a symmetrical physique with exceptional conditioning. His serratus and intercostals were some of the best of the evening.  Second place Quenton Ratliff posed well and was a hit with the crowd.

Novice heavyweight Jonathan Crowson was another competitor that was in fantastic condition. He possessed deep muscle bellies that were very evident in his side triceps shots.  Dave Gilyot placed second and Blake Hawkins third. Hawkins gets my nod for best poser. He effortlessly fired off a dozen of bodybuilding’s classics poses in less then sixty seconds.

The masters class was dominated by thick-as-a-brick Lloyd Fontenot.  Fontenot, who is pushing fifty years old, displayed some of the best muscle maturity of the evening.  Muscle like Fontenot has is a result of a lifetime of intelligent training and clean eating.   Second place Chris Groetsch fared well as did third place Billy Sanders.

Masters heavyweight winner Alex Lockhart had his hands full with the number two man Calvin Martin.  Martin has some very impressive biceps and with a bit more effort on the diet he could have toppled Lockhart.

The grandmasters fifty class was five deep with great physiques.  Earl “The Pearl” Guilbeau seemed to be having the time of his life as he posed his way to the first place trophy.  Second place went to the Soul Man, Ron Fulmer and third to Caesar Hamilton.  Caesar had one of the most animated posing routines of the evening.

The sole grandmaster sixty was the Silver Stud Alton Hemphill. Hemphill’s routine garnered a standing ovation from the nearly one thousand fans in attendance.

In the junior division Andrew Dedeaux took the lightweight class win over Kyle Neely and David Scalise respectively. Middleweight Steven Sims edged out Jason Edwards for first and Jason Ray was awarded the third place trophy.

Junior heavyweight Sam Gidden hit stage with a posing routine that livened up things considerably. He obviously enjoyed himself.  Big Brian Moss had to be satisfied with second to Gidden who won the class as well as the Junior overall.

The women’s classes boast physiques from both ends of the bodybuilding spectrum.  Lightweight darling Sophia Seals’ wide shoulders were accented by a narrow waist and an impressive sweep in her thighs. Seals won the class over second place Deborah Jones and third place Jeania Burns.

Middleweight winner Judy Gaillard, also a Jr. USA competitor, presented more of a rugged look. The lovely Andrea Falcon took second and LaQuida Sanders third.

Heavyweight Melanie Wiggins was tall and sleek with a some great delt caps that gave her a wide look.  Margaret Smith traveled all the way from Little Rock to take a respectable second place to Wiggins and Yo Carter was awarded third.

As if the best in amateur bodybuilding wasn’t enough promoters Don and Betty Hollis brought an added treat to stage for the Southern Classic fans. IFBB Pro Dennis “The Menace” James delighted the crowd with an incredible display of muscularity and a posing routine that spilled of stage and all the way to the back of the hall.  James could have waded through the crowd all night but after twenty minutes of mayhem MC Ralston pleaded with the Menace to return to stage so the room could return to its normal degree of controlled chaos.  

Lone competitor Chance Sheppard led off the open men’s bantamweight.  Billy Sanders was declared lightweight winner over a very lean Kendall Guice.  Adam Kitchens place third and crossover Caesar Hamilton fourth.

The rematch between Lloyd Fontenot and Chris Groetsch in the open middleweight remained the same. Fontenot first, Groetsch second and Rob Stamey third.

In the open light heavy class Leo White hit stage with the classic Sergio Oliva pose and never looked back.  Bringing up second place was Alex Lockhart and taking the third place trophy was Jimmy Cassels.

In the heavyweights Will Hamilton and Joshua Bergeron hammered it in prejudging. At evenings end Hamilton had burst Bergeron’s Jr. USA bubble by a single point.  William Blair took third to Bergeron

In the supers it was Joe McCabe beating out Chuck Laird.

The open overall was a brutal confrontation between heavyweight Hamilton and super heavyweight McCabe.  Head Judge Roten took the class winners through two complete symmetry and comparison rounds and still the panel was struggling with their decision.

Finally John Ralston was given the results and moments later Will Hamilton was pronounced the 2009 Southern Classic overall winner.

In the Southern Classic’s first ever bikini division six lovely ladies competed in two classes.  Each lady presented her idea of the perfect bikini body.  The bikini short class was won by Jennifer Thompson with Sarah Simmons second and Laken Stamps third.

In the tall call Brandi Ginn beat out Amanda Rogers to take the class and eventually the overall.

The figure open division boat twenty-four ladies in four classes.  In the Figure A class is was Shannon Howard winning the first place trophy over Denise Stanford and Hallie Cook.

In Figure B it was the ever-smiling Monica Specking taking the class with Tonya Todd second and Nicky Brown winning the third place award.

The stunning ebony beauty Dextria Sapp was a crowd favorite. Sapp was awarded first place in Figure C with the effervescent Brandie Williams getting the second place nod and Angela Stamey rounding things out with third place

In Figure D Alisa Bondora’s shape and condition made her a stand out. She won first place over the leggy Zonzie McLaurin. Gabriela McDowell placed a close third to McLaurin.

The four figure classes squared off for the overall.  It appeared that the crowd favored Sapp but as always it is the judges decision that counts.  Alisa Dondora was declared the overall figure winner.

This was my first time at the Southern Classic.  If I had any misgivings in traveling across the country to attend they are long forgotten.  The Hollis’ along with a dozen unsung backstage heroes presented one of the best shows I have attended in 2009.  Next year’s Classic can’t come soon enough for my return to the Magnolia State.