Anthony McElhinny is entering his sophomore year working to become a starting guard on the Butler High School varsity football team.

His power-lifting skills have developed even more.

The 5-foot-11, 252-pound McElhinny recently returned from the AAU Junior Olympic National Power-Lifting Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, where he set four AAU world records and three national records.

"His development has been incredible," said Joe Savannah, Butler's weight-lifting coach. "Anthony came to us last year as a good student with a willingness to learn how to lift.

"He has natural strength and his technique improved quickly because he works so hard at it," he added.

McElhinny was part of the five-player Butler contingent that won the Northern Area Football Coaches Association Weight-Lifting Championship with a record-setting performance in February.

He was also part of the five-man Golden Tornado squad that won the Pine-Richland Lineman Challenge in May.

McElhinny and Butler teammate Nate Hartung attended the AAU power-lifting state qualifier at Clarion High School in May. Both set four state records there while qualifying for AAU nationals.

Hartung didn't join McElhinny in Des Moines as the former was recovering from a groin pull and a spider bite.

"Nate would have dominated out there," McElhinny said. "He was the first to ever compete in the super-heavyweight division at the (Pennsylvania) state qualifier."

But McElhinny made the trip alone. His squat was 451.9 pounds, he benched 319.7 pounds and his dead-lift was 463 pounds. All three of those figures are national and world records for the age 14-to-15, 275-pound class.

He shattered each of the previous AAU national records in those categories, which were set in May 1999, by at least 90 pounds.

"I was shocked at how low those records were," McElhinny said. "They haven't had many competitors in my division."

There were 85 total lifters at the AAU national meet, but there were no other competitors in McElhinny's combined age and weight class.

"I was competing against numbers," he said. "If there was another person up against me, I'd have pushed a lot more.

"I know I can do better than this."

McElhinny's total lifted weight of 1,234.6 pounds is considered an AAU world record for his age and weight class.

"He picked up our program so fast," Savannah said. "He's been a real asset to me. I'm so strict with him, but he loves to lift and he puts the time in."

Depending on how long Butler's football season lasts, McElhinny said he might try to enter one of the world power-lifting competitions in the United States this fall.

"I definitely want to pursue this farther," he said.

But football comes first. McElhinny's goal is to be a starter on the Golden Tornado's offensive line come opening night Aug. 27 at Kiski Area.

"I believe I have a good chance and I'm confident going into camp, but there's a lot of competition up front," he said.

McElhinny has been playing football since sixth grade. He was part of Butler's freshman team that finished 7-1 and won its section last year.

"Anthony has a good chance of playing," Butler football coach Garry Cathell said. "He certainly has the size and strength to do it.

"We're looking at him at the guard position. He's in the mix there right now. Whether he starts remains to be seen."