Penn State's Matt Osborne advanced to the National Boxing Championships by winning the Northeast Regional Championship in the 180-pound weight class Saturday night.

Osborne, a sophomore, defeated Lock Haven's DeWayne Bryant and will be Penn State's lone representative at nationals. Lock Haven will send eight boxers to nationals and Army three.

Penn State had six boxers in the finals, and Coach Craig Harpster said before the tournament he hoped to advance five of them, but it was not to be.

At 119 pounds, Penn State's Jack Ross ran into Lock Haven's defending national champ, Paul Dooris. Ross seemed to be the aggressor in the fight, but Dooris outboxed him to defend his regional title.

The surprise of the night came at 125 pounds when Penn State's Kelly Cordes, a defending All-American, faced Lock Haven's Dave Machamer. Cordes won the first round, and seemed to be in control in the second when Machamer sent him to the canvas.

Cordes got up and took a standing eight count, but Machamer, who would be named the championships' outstanding boxer, kept after Cordes and knocked him out. "I can't believe it," a dejected Cordes said after the fight. "I thought I was doing OK . . . that's boxing."

Penn State's Dan Bradley was unable to make weight in the 132-pound division, and his scheduled bout with Brad Klein of Lock Haven became an exhibition match.

Penn State's Jim Veverka then faced Army's Tony Fletcher, a two-time regional champ, at 156. The fight was stopped in the first round after Veverka suffered a heavily swollen right eye.

The match many had been waiting for at 165 pounds never took place. Penn State's Craig Bernier, a national runner-up last year, was scheduled to meet Lock Haven's Manny Rose, national runner-up at 172 last year. Bernier was unable to fight as he was diagnosed Friday with mononucleosis and an infected spleen.

One of the more exciting matches of the evening took place at 172 pounds, with Penn State freshman Derek Sierra facing Army's Mike Hoos. Sierra looked to be in trouble at the end of the second round as he was knocked down and given a standing eight count. Sierra was again given a standing eight count midway through the third round.

He battled back, however, and had Hoos in trouble at the end of the third as Hoos was given a standing eight count at the final bell. Despite Sierra's late effort, Hoos earned the decision.

At 190, Penn State freshman Dave Wolfe lost to Lock Haven's Joe Salluzo, a two-time All-American.

Although somewhat disappointed with his team's performance, Harpster kept the weekend in perspective.

"I thought it was a very good weekend," he said. "I think we'll come out of it OK, and the guys are going to be looking forward to next year now. That's what we'll be working toward now."