Boxing club gets one win at invite

By KEVIN GORMAN
Collegian Sports Writer

Freshman Mike Francis continued his reign of terror over the National Collegiate Boxing Association's top-ranked boxers, but was the only Penn State boxing club member to leave the LHU Collegiate Invitational with a victory.

Last Saturday at Lock Haven's Thomas Fieldhouse, Francis decisioned Nevada-Reno's Matt Horelick, an All-American who placed third at nationals in the 147-pound weight class last year.

"We knew the style of (Horelick), a slugger straight ahead," Penn State Coach Bill Wrable said. "(Mike) used his reach and a lot of movement because the kid came lunging at him."

At 6-foot-1, Francis had a definitive reach advantage over the 5-foot-8 Horelick. He found himself using a one-two jab combination and an occasional straight right or hook, then pivoted to keep Horelick from fighting inside, Francis said.

"He hit pretty hard and was throwing a lot of wild hooks," Francis said. "He was coming at me hard, sometimes running at me and I would throw a jab to keep him outside, then pivot and he would run past me.

"People don't expect me to come at them. It's much easier to hit someone when they're coming at you."

Horelick was the second highly rated opponent Francis has defeated in the past two weeks, having decisioned 1994 national runner-up Todd Steiner of Lock Haven a week earlier.

"I'd much rather be the underdog, I don't mind that at all," Francis said. "And until I prove myself at nationals, I will be."

Meanwhile, Wrable got a lesson in preparation for the regionals. Three Penn State boxers -- Preston Pickett (156), Clinton Shultz (172) and Jim Bernier (180) -- lost decisions to All-American boxers from the Naval Academy.

"It was a good barometer. Skill-wise in all of the bouts, we're pretty even or better than all of the schools," Wrable said. "It's just the conditioning versus the academies."

Vince Calio was scheduled against Navy's Todd Alexander --the defending national champion -- in the 156-pound class, but injured his right hand in practice and did not fight. In his place, 165-pounder Pickett dropped a weight class and fought Alexander, but lost by decision.

"It was a pretty close bout," Wrable said. "I think in the third round, you could tell (Alexander) was in better condition."

In the wake of the losses, Wrable called for an extended workout on Sunday and made clear to the team the need for better conditioning.

"I think the best thing that happened to us is that we did go against Navy," Wrable said, "because (the team) could see the difference."