Tuesday, March 24, 1998

Boxers preparing for midwestern adventure at National Championship

By WILLIAM KALEC
Collegian Sports Writer

When the bell sounded and the dust cleared Saturday night at White Building, three men wearing blue and white stood victorious.

With their triumphs at the NCBA Northeast Regional Tournament, Penn State boxers Andy Booth, Lew Muccio and Jesse Bond earned a trip to Lexington, Ky., to compete in the NCBA National Championship hosted by Kentucky. Joined by teammates Tim Scott, Doug Bayly, Gotce Peev and Karl Kinzler -- who reserved spots in the nationals with semifinal victories Friday night in their respective weight divisions -- the Penn State boxers hope the success they achieved in the regionals will follow them to the Bluegrass state.

"I definitely hope that the momentum we started this weekend will carry over to the nationals," Bond said.

The national tournament will differ greatly from the regionals and other bouts the boxers have faced this season. Included in the field will be the best fighters from western universities whom the boxers have not faced or heard a lot about. Additionally, the weekend-long tournament will test the physical endurance and stamina the squad possesses.

Lion boxer Karl Kinzler takes a hit to the chin. Last weekend in the NCBA Northeast Regional Tournament, Penn State boxers Andy Booth, Lew Muccio and Jesse Bond earned spots in the NCBA National Championship, which will be held in Lexington, Ky. (Collegian Photo/Laura A. Chiles - click for full size image)

"Staying in control will be important," Muccio said. "When you get in the ring, you get so excited that you can't help but get tired. But this is going to be a three-day tournament so stamina is going to be a key."

The new three-day format that the national tournament is implementing this year gives coach Bill Wrable additional worries as he gets his fighters prepared in practice this week.

"It is going to be a battle of attrition," Wrable said. "It may not be the best fighter that wins this tournament but the toughest and most conditioned fighter."

Wrable plans to emphasize fundamentals in practices up until the tournament in two weeks. He noticed the number of careless mistakes the boxers made during their competition this weekend, the kind of mistakes they can ill-afford to make when they are between the ropes in Lexington.

"We were very sloppy on Saturday night," Wrable said. "We left ourselves exposed for a lot of easy points. We can't do that at nationals."

Wrable also stressed it will be the simple things that make the difference between winning and losing.

Although they have greatly increased the number of fighters it will be sending to the national tournament compared to last year, the Penn State boxing team hopes this weekend was not the climax of its season.

"Obviously if you fight well you are probably going to win," Muccio said. "But we aren't going to settle. It's our goal to do well in this tournament, not just show up."