Air Force Academy
National Semifinals
Falcons Advance Six at NCBA Semifinals
4/7/2018 12:00:00 AM | Boxing
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Highlighted by six advancing athletes, the Air Force boxing team wrapped up the second day of action at the National Collegiate Boxing Association Championships this evening (April 6) in West Point. The men advanced four athletes out of tonight's semifinal round of competition at the NCBA tournament, while the women advanced a pair of boxers into the final round.
Sophomore RJ Leon kicked off the night with a 4-1 victory over Navy's Jake Clary in the 119-pound contest. Senior Den Tati-Mackaya also earned a win over a Midshipmen, as he forced the referee to stop his 195-pound bout with Charles Patterson before the bell. Junior Levi Knox captured the judges' 3-2 vote in his 165-pound bout with Army West Point's Adrian Albin and sophomore Austin Dryer advanced by walkover in his 185-pound contest.
Five Falcons dropped their semifinal bouts this evening, but secured a spot on the NCBA All-America roster. Senior Osama Farqaleet dropped a 5-0 decision to Army West Point's Carlan Ivey at 125 pounds, while sophomore Levi Rate recorded the same loss in his 147-pound contest with Navy's Kendell Louis. Fellow sophomore Devon Smith and senior Neptally Trujillo ended on the wrong end of narrow 3-2 decisions, as Smith fell to Shippensburg's Tylik Guilford at 156 pounds and Trujillo's season ended with a loss to San Jose State's Ariya Toroghi at 175 pounds. In his first national bout, sophomore Jordan Garivay suffered a knockout to Miami's Parker Brown in the heavyweight division.
Junior Laura Drapinski and sophomore Adrienne Yoder captured victories for the women's club team this evening, as they earned unanimous decisions in their respective bouts. Drapinski defeated California's Vivian Chuang in the 119-pound contest, while Yoder earned a return trip to the national championship bout after earning a 5-0 victory over UConn's Kathryn Allen at 139 pounds.
In addition, four members of the women's squad guaranteed themselves an NCBA All-America certificate after competing in the semifinals. Junior Ellen Miota and senior Victoria Rodriguez suffered narrow 3-2 losses on the night, as Miota dropped a 147-pound bout to Lock Haven's Leah Hartzell and Rodriguez was decisioned by Xavier's Joah Yu at 165 pounds. Junior Monica Mammah fell in a 156-pound bout to Army West Point's Janel Tracy (4-1) and freshman Alicia Alexander dropped a 0-5 decision to Navy's Prescillia Truong in the 125-pound semifinal.
The Falcons return to Ike Hall tomorrow (April 7) for the finals of the NCBA Championships. The final rounds of the 2017-18 campaign will be held in two blocks, with the first beginning at 3:00 p.m. (ET).
RING 1 RESULTS
119-lbs.: RJ Leon (Air Force) dec. Jake Clary (Navy)
156-lbs.: Tylik Guilford (Shippensburg) dec. Devon Smith (Air Force)
156-lbs. (w): Janel Tracy (Army West Point) dec. Monica Mammah (Air Force)
195-lbs.: Den Tati-Mackaya (Air Force) rsc Charles Patterson (Navy)
Hywt.: Parker Brown (Miami) rsc Jordan Garivay (Air Force)
RING 2 RESULTS
119-lbs. (w): Laura Drapinski (Air Force) dec. Vivian Chuang (California)
125-lbs.: Carlan Ivey (Army West Point) dec. Osama Farqaleet (Air Force)
125-lbs. (w): Prescilla Troung (Navy) dec. Alicia Alexander (Air Force)
139-lbs. (w): Adrienne Yoder (Air Force) dec. Kathryn Allen (UConn)
147-lbs.: Kendell Louis (Navy) dec. Levi Rate (Air Force)
147-lbs. (w): Leah Hartzell (Lock Haven) dec. Ellen Miota (Air Force)
165-lbs.: Levi Knox (Air Force) dec. Adrian Albin (Army West Point)
165-lbs. (w): Joah Yu (Xavier) dec. Victoria Rodriguez (Air Force)
175-lbs.: Ariaya Toroghi (San Jose State) dec. Neptally Trujillo (Air Force)
Players Mentioned
