Air Force Academy
Regional Championships
Air Force Sweeps NCBA Western Regional Titles
3/18/2018 12:00:00 AM | Boxing
RENO, Nev. – The Air Force boxing team captured its 36th regional title this evening (March 17), as it out-scored the field by 25 points at the National Collegiate Boxing Association's Western Regional Championship inside the El Dorado Hotel and Casino in Reno. While the men secured their 36th regional title in 39 years, the young women's club program earned its first-ever regional title.
Levi Rate was named the Outstanding Boxer of the Western Regional, while Josh Turner earned the team's Boxer of the Week award. Rate won the 147-pound regional title after decisioning Michael Alvarez of UNLV and Turner captured the 139-pound title with a decision over Nevada's Dillon Maguin. The pair were two of five gold medalists for the men's boxing team.
RJ Leon opened the men's finals with a 119-pound victory over Washington's Jomell Abarcar, while Neptaly Trujillo decisioned San Jose State's Ariya Toroghi at 175 pounds. In the Falcons' last bout – and the only men's bout to finish before the final bell – Austin Dreyer earned a quick 185-pound victory as he forced the referee to stop his bout with Washington's Ben Moulton in the first round.
The men added three silver medalists during Saturday's championship bout. Osama Farqaleet suffered a narrow split decision loss to Washington's Ronnie Epting in the 125-pound bout, while Devin Smith dropped a 156-pound decision to Nevada's Zack Smith and Levi Knox fell in the 165-pound final to Washington's Nick Worley.
The women's club team captured the Academy's first-ever regional title after splitting the finals with a 3-3 record. Adrienne Yoder and Monica Mammah both captured regional titles in shortened bouts, as Yoder defeated Washington's Sarah Trostle in the second round of their 139-pound bout and Mammah forced the referee to stop her 156-pound championship over Washington's Liza Manevich in the first round. Ellen Miota rounded out the women's list of champions, as she earned a 147-pound decision over Washington's Christina Tun Zan.
Alex Reveles (112 pounds, vs California's Julia Rivera), Laura Drapinski (119 pounds, vs California's Vivian Chuang) and Alicia Alexander (125 pounds, vs Washington's Zasha Sepulveda) earned runner-up honors in the regional final after dropping decisions in the championship round.
The Falcons return to action on April 5-7, when they travel to West Point for the NCBA Championships.
RESULTS
112-lbs. (w): Julia Rivera (California) dec. Alex Reveles (Air Force)
119-lbs.: RJ Leon (Air Force) dec. Jomell Abarcar (Washington)
119-lbs. (w): Vivian Chuang (California) dec. Laura Drapinski (Air Force)
125-lbs.: Ronnie Epting (Washington) dec. Osama Farqaleet (Air Force)
125-lbs. (w): Zasha Sepulveda (Washington) dec. Alicia Alexander (Air Force)
139-lbs.: Josh Turner (Air Force) dec. Dillon Maguin (Nevada)
139-lbs. (w): Adrienne Yoder (Air Force) rsc-2 Sarah Trostle (Washington)
147-lbs.: Levi Rate (Air Force) dec. Michael Alvarez (UNLV)
147-lbs. (w): Ellen Miota (Air Force) dec. Christina Tun Zan (Washington)
156-lbs.: Zack Smith (Nevada) dec. Devon Smith (Air Force)
156-lbs. (w): Monica Mammah (Air Force) rsc-1 Liza Manevich (Washington)
165-lbs.: Nick Worley (Washington) dec. Levi Knox (Air Force)
175-lbs.: Neptaly Trujillo (Air Force) dec. Ariya Toroghi (San Jose State)
185-lbs.: Austin Dreyer (Air Force) rsc-1 Ben Moulton (Washington)
Players Mentioned
