Boxers to send seven to nationals after Northeast Regional Tourney

The Penn State boxing team used the energy of the home crowd to turn its most important match of the year into its most productive one when it hosted the Northeast Regional Tournament in White Building this weekend.

After sending only one boxer to nationals last year, Penn State will be sending seven boxers, all who earned All-American status for reaching the finals, to the national tournament in Lexington, Ky., April 3-5.

"I feel our confidence as a team is improving," said Penn State boxer Karl Kinzler (175).

Andy Booth (132), Lew Muccio (139) and Jesse Bond (185) won their weight divisions, with Doug Bayly (147), Kinzler and Gotce Peev (HWT) finishing as runners-up. Since there was no one to challenge Tim Scott at 195 pounds, he earned an automatic berth in nationals.

"I definitely knew it was over after the first round," Kinzler said.

On Saturday, Booth began the night by taking on Army's John Serafini. After a close first round, Booth came out strong and knocked Serafini to the canvas. The referee stopped the bout and Booth was crowned the first champion of the night.

Against Lock Haven's Josh Salem, Muccio began the match aggressively, forcing him into a quick standing eight. Salem continued to withstand the pummeling for another round until the referee stopped the bout in the third, when a series of combinations by Muccio sent Salem into a daze.

"I wanted it over in the first round," Muccio said. "I had to get out some nervous energy. But I'll have to get a little more controlled at nationals because it's a three-day tournament."

"I thought I put forth my best effort," Bayly said. "Coach says I have to get in better shape. He said that cost me the fight, so I have to start running everywhere and work on my cardiovascular conditioning."

Kinzler faced a tough opponent in All-American Jamey Friel from Army. Kinzler fought a close first round before Friel picked it up in the second. The bout was called after Kinzler was called for a standing eight and appeared to be too tired to go on.

"You can definitely tell you're not as fresh the second night," Kinzler said. "Your body can feel that you fought the night before, but I don't think that was why I lost."

Bond traded punches with Army's Mike Jordan in a clash that wore down both boxers, with Bond getting the decision.

In the last bout of the night, Peev lost a close decision to Shippensburg's Dennis Maley.

The four novice bouts, two being women's bouts, also took place Friday night. Penn State's Christy Wilcox dominated Penn College's Laura Oblenus, forcing her into two standing-eight counts and knocking her down once.

Penn State's Brian Kimmerlee lost at 165 when his bout was stopped in the second round. Penn State's Wes Roberts (165) came out like a madman, pummeling his opponent into two standing-eight counts before knocking him out for good in the first round.

Three Penn State boxers fought semifinal matches to round out the card. With a rowdy crowd behind him, James Cammarota (165) lost a tough decision to Shippensburg's A.C. Harrison. Cammarota knocked him down in the first round and landed most of the big punches of the match, but Harrison battled him the whole time and won a close decision.