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SPORTS
[ Monday, March 19, 2001 ]

Seniors' final home fights marked by perfect record

Collegian Staff Writer

The four seniors on the Penn State boxing team made the most of their last home fights Saturday night.

The group finished with a perfect record at the NCBA Northeast Regional championships at the White Building. 132-pound Nick Bair, 139-pound Doug Bayly, 156-pound Alex Komlev and heavyweight Rick Slater each claimed a regional title and the trip to nationals next month in Reno, Nev., that goes with it.

Bair set the tone for the night, controlling Army's Greg Auerbach throughout their bout, which he won by decision. Both came out looking to attack but Bair gained the upper hand, slowing the fight down, not letting Auerbach sustain a true advance. Neither fighter showed signs of tiring as the fight wore on but Auerbach was clearly becoming frustrated by the end of the bout.

"I achieved my goal of out-pointing and out-punching him," Bair said.

PHOTO: Nick Morrish
PHOTO: Nick Morrish
Rick Slater throws a punch during a match this season. Slater won his regional championship.

Continuing his undefeated season, Bayly gave a convincing performance in his victory over Army's Henry Chavez. Bayly was recovering from a lymph gland infection and had not been able to train for the week leading up to the bout.

Nevertheless, he attacked Chavez from the start, but was met with stiff resistance. Chavez began tiring by the third round, no longer able to fight off Bayly's onslaughts of uppercuts and hooks, eventually being forced to take an eight count.

"I felt a little slow tonight," Bayly said. "He's definitely a good fighter, I expected a good fight and got one."

Also maintaining a perfect record was Alex Komlev, who defeated Army's David Hawk in Friday's qualifier fight and Mansfield's Steve Quigley for the regional title Saturday.

In Friday's fight, Komlev wore Hawk out with power punches throughout the first two rounds. Hawk tried to rally in the third round but was turned back by Komlev's consistent jabs.

Saturday, Komlev controlled the fight, never letting Quigley establish himself. Komlev maintained his discipline, keeping Quigley contained and eventually forced an eight count midway through the final round.

"Towards the end, Quigley was running out of gas," said Mansfield coach Dennis Garner. "He was getting frustrated with Komlev's jabs, which come in from weird angles."

In the night's final bout, Slater, the former Navy Seal who Garner described as an animal, bludgeoned Mansfield's Gordon Hills until the fight was stopped in the second round. Slater pursued Hills around the ring, drawing blood early in the first. After a failed attack, Hills was sent to the canvas a minute into the second round. Shortly after Hills got to his feet, he was put down again, which was when referee Bernard Bruni stopped the fight.

"That was probably his best bout because he threw combinations, had good footwork and cut off the ring," said Penn State coach Bill Wrable. "He still has a long way to go to be ready for nationals, they all do."

 

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Updated: Sunday, March 18, 2001  8:58:52 PM  -4
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Created: Wednesday, May 07, 2008  6:33:22 PM  -4