Tuesday, Feb. 18, 1997

Boxers plan to increase competition level

By JORDAN HYMAN
Collegian Sports Writer

Boxers who make millions of dollars fight once or twice per year and train the rest of the time. These boxers know their opponents months in advance and prepare a game plan for their bouts.

Penn State boxing club member Tim Scott jabs his Lock Haven opponent. The boxers won four bouts at the Lock Haven Invitational last Saturday. (Collegian Photo/Clinton Marchant - click for full size image)

Boxers at the collegiate level don't have things so easy. First, there is no money involved here. Second, many boxers in college fight once a week. They train in between, barely having time to size up an opponent before actually stepping in the ring. So far this season for the Penn State boxing team, stringent weekly training has helped it overcome the inability to focus on opponents by just simply being in better shape.

Penn State took the theory on the road Saturday when it traveled to the Lock Haven Invitational. The squad managed to split its eight bouts, leaving coach Bill Wrable wondering if maybe it's time to chuck the general conditioning plan and start elevating his boxers' competition level.

"We're gonna start stepping up the competition," Wrable said. "The quality of the opposition is definitely going to go up."

In his first bout this season, Penn State's 125-pound Brad Raybold defeated Lock Haven's Antonio Ward. The referee stopped the bout in the third round.

"His last round was his best," Wrable said. "He's wild. He's gotta tighten things up."

Penn State's Mike Brown won for the second consecutive week, defeating Shippensburg's Mike Brady at 139 pounds. Brown defeated VMI's Fred Cummings last week at VMI's Keydet Invitational.

At 147 pounds, Penn State's Greg Fielder lost a decision to the Naval Academy's Nic Wisecarver. Fielder said he has been improving every week, and this loss was just another experience.

"It was a good bout. There's no substitute for experience," Fielder said. "The most important thing is that you take the opportunity to learn something from it."

Penn State's other representative at 147 pounds, Kurt Decker, won a decision over VMI's Shane Steille.

Penn State boxer Charlie Fisher's bout against boxer Waylon Lowery from Reno, Nev., was stopped by the referee in the third round. Wrable said Fisher's aggressive attitude almost cost him the bout in the first round.

"Charlie's overly aggressive," Wrable said. "He ran right out and the kid hit him on a button and knocked him to a knee."

At 172 pounds, Penn State's Brent Becker lost a decision to Jamie Friel from Army. Both of Penn State's heavyweights lost decisions as well, with Rick Albright falling to Kentucky's Tom Walsh and Tim Scott losing to Dennis Malley from Shippensburg.

Penn State team captain Dave Herron was scheduled to take on Lock Haven's Anthony Penecale at 190 pounds, but Herron's nose swelled up late last week and the bout had to be canceled. Wrable said Herron will rest this week and may not fight Saturday when Penn State travels to Shippensburg.

Wrable will try to make sure his boxers' efforts are spirited across the board this weekend, instead of the up-and-down performances he witnessed Saturday. Wrable said some of his boxers fought below par in their bouts at Lock Haven, while others overachieved.

"In defeat, two of the guys never quit," Wrable said. "Then there were a couple of guys I thought should have won. It was a good learning experience."