Wednesday, February 23
USAFA
4:30 PM
Air Force Academy
vs
Wing Open Semifinals
Final Pairings Set For Wing Open Championships
2/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Boxing
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. -- The pairings have been finalized for the 2005 Wing Open Championships, guaranteeing an exciting night of action on Sunday, March 6. The lineup will feature 11 exciting bouts that will determine who will move on to the regional and national level of competition.
Senior 119-pound athlete, Darren Smith, will go unopposed this year and claim his fourth Wing Open title. He will become just the 10th cadet-athlete ever to earn four consecutive Wing Open titles. Smith joins an elite group of former boxers that includes Jim Ingram (1964), Gary Vasek (1968), "Buzz" Dyre (1969), Charlie Stallworth (1973), Alex Cline (1980), Ricky Graham (1982), Bryan Dunn (1993), Mike Benza (2000) and Joel Rivera (2001).
Willie Lloyd, the defending Wing Open champion at 112-pounds will face newcomer Steve Bogert in the night's opening round. The 125-pound bout also features a defending Wing Open champion, as Ezekiel Ignaco looks to retain his title as he takes on Jeremy Homan. James Baker and Brian Navin are both newcomers to the Wing Open finals and will compete against one another in the 132-pound weight class.
Defending 132-pound Wing Open champion, Luis Pena, will also look to defend his title as he faces Lonnie Ash in this year's finals. Pena's opponent last year, Blake Baldi, has moved up to the 147-pound weight class and will face off with Taylor Gifford, who has advanced through the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds for the right to compete in the finals.
The 156-pound match-up features a pair of new faces to the Wing Open finals. Adam Vance and Trevor Cook both began action in the quarterfinals to advance to the finals.
Mike Sackenheim, the 165-pound runner up one year ago to current assistant coach 2Lt Leif Nordhagen, advanced to the finals for the second-straight year. Sackenheim will face off with Joe Conrad, a competitor whom he defeated earlier this season in a round of Friday Night Fights.
Augustin Kamdem advanced through the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds to defend his 2004 title. He will face Evin Negron, who also advanced through two of the preliminary rounds.
The 185- and 195-pound bouts both feature a pair of runner-ups from last year's championships. Chris Collins, the 185-pound runner up one year ago, will face off with Sean Mitchell in that weight class final, while last year's 195-pound silver medalist, Oscar Casillas, will take on Brock Predovich in their respective weight class.
The night's heavyweight card will also feature two new faces, as David Bullock and Ian Tuznik meet in center ring for the first time.
Anyone interested in attending this free event is encouraged to enter through the Academy's North Gate and follow the road up to the Field House. The doors of the Cadet Field House are scheduled to open at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Match 6, with the Air Force Drum and Bugle Corps, as well as the USAFA Show Choir, to provide pre-match entertainment.
**Fans that can't make it to Clune Arena will be able to watch the event live on Altitude Sports and Entertainment. Mike Haynes and DeVarryl Williamson will be handling play-by-play and color commentating duties, while Norm Jones will serve as the "sideline" reporter. Coverage begins promptly at 5 p.m., on Altitude.
FINAL PAIRINGS FOR THE 2005 WING OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
112 lbs.: Willie Lloyd (CS-32) vs. Steve Bogert (CS-06)
119 lbs.: Darren Smith (CS-19) -- unopposed
125 lbs.: Jeremy Homan (CS-11) vs. Ezekiel Ignaco (CS-12)
132 lbs.: James Baker (CS-36) vs. Brian. Navin (CS-05)
139 lbs.: Luis Pena (CS-35) vs. Lonnie Ash (CS-34)
147 lbs.: Taylor Gifford (CS-32) vs. Blake Baldi (CS-14)
156 lbs.: Trevor Cook (CS-34) vs. Adam Vance (CS-09)
165 lbs.: Mike Sackenheim (CS-23) vs. Joe Conrad (CS-36)
175 lbs.: Augustin Kamdem (CS-08) vs. Evin Negron (CS-33)
185 lbs.: Chris Collins (CS-30) vs. Sean Mitchell (CS-10)
195 lbs.: Oscar Casillas (CS-32) vs. Brock Predovich (CS-20)
Hywt.: Ian Tuznik (CS-07) vs. David Bullock (CS-10)
Senior 119-pound athlete, Darren Smith, will go unopposed this year and claim his fourth Wing Open title. He will become just the 10th cadet-athlete ever to earn four consecutive Wing Open titles. Smith joins an elite group of former boxers that includes Jim Ingram (1964), Gary Vasek (1968), "Buzz" Dyre (1969), Charlie Stallworth (1973), Alex Cline (1980), Ricky Graham (1982), Bryan Dunn (1993), Mike Benza (2000) and Joel Rivera (2001).
Willie Lloyd, the defending Wing Open champion at 112-pounds will face newcomer Steve Bogert in the night's opening round. The 125-pound bout also features a defending Wing Open champion, as Ezekiel Ignaco looks to retain his title as he takes on Jeremy Homan. James Baker and Brian Navin are both newcomers to the Wing Open finals and will compete against one another in the 132-pound weight class.
Defending 132-pound Wing Open champion, Luis Pena, will also look to defend his title as he faces Lonnie Ash in this year's finals. Pena's opponent last year, Blake Baldi, has moved up to the 147-pound weight class and will face off with Taylor Gifford, who has advanced through the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds for the right to compete in the finals.
The 156-pound match-up features a pair of new faces to the Wing Open finals. Adam Vance and Trevor Cook both began action in the quarterfinals to advance to the finals.
Mike Sackenheim, the 165-pound runner up one year ago to current assistant coach 2Lt Leif Nordhagen, advanced to the finals for the second-straight year. Sackenheim will face off with Joe Conrad, a competitor whom he defeated earlier this season in a round of Friday Night Fights.
Augustin Kamdem advanced through the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds to defend his 2004 title. He will face Evin Negron, who also advanced through two of the preliminary rounds.
The 185- and 195-pound bouts both feature a pair of runner-ups from last year's championships. Chris Collins, the 185-pound runner up one year ago, will face off with Sean Mitchell in that weight class final, while last year's 195-pound silver medalist, Oscar Casillas, will take on Brock Predovich in their respective weight class.
The night's heavyweight card will also feature two new faces, as David Bullock and Ian Tuznik meet in center ring for the first time.
Anyone interested in attending this free event is encouraged to enter through the Academy's North Gate and follow the road up to the Field House. The doors of the Cadet Field House are scheduled to open at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Match 6, with the Air Force Drum and Bugle Corps, as well as the USAFA Show Choir, to provide pre-match entertainment.
**Fans that can't make it to Clune Arena will be able to watch the event live on Altitude Sports and Entertainment. Mike Haynes and DeVarryl Williamson will be handling play-by-play and color commentating duties, while Norm Jones will serve as the "sideline" reporter. Coverage begins promptly at 5 p.m., on Altitude.
FINAL PAIRINGS FOR THE 2005 WING OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
112 lbs.: Willie Lloyd (CS-32) vs. Steve Bogert (CS-06)
119 lbs.: Darren Smith (CS-19) -- unopposed
125 lbs.: Jeremy Homan (CS-11) vs. Ezekiel Ignaco (CS-12)
132 lbs.: James Baker (CS-36) vs. Brian. Navin (CS-05)
139 lbs.: Luis Pena (CS-35) vs. Lonnie Ash (CS-34)
147 lbs.: Taylor Gifford (CS-32) vs. Blake Baldi (CS-14)
156 lbs.: Trevor Cook (CS-34) vs. Adam Vance (CS-09)
165 lbs.: Mike Sackenheim (CS-23) vs. Joe Conrad (CS-36)
175 lbs.: Augustin Kamdem (CS-08) vs. Evin Negron (CS-33)
185 lbs.: Chris Collins (CS-30) vs. Sean Mitchell (CS-10)
195 lbs.: Oscar Casillas (CS-32) vs. Brock Predovich (CS-20)
Hywt.: Ian Tuznik (CS-07) vs. David Bullock (CS-10)
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