K.O. DRUGS BOXING Females Root, Cruz, Pannunzio, Button demonstrate skills in ring

The four women registered triumphs in the meet at Hubbard High gymnasium.
By BOB ROTH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
HUBBARD -- Females were among the competitors in Tuesday's quarterfinal round of the 2004 K.O. Drugs High School Boxing Tournament at Hubbard High gymnasium.
In the underclass division, Ursuline's Kim Root won a decision over Canfield's Brittani Collinsworth in a flyweight bout, and Maria Cruz from Campbell did the same against Brianne Goclano, also from Canfield, in a featherweight bout.
Root, a better puncher, really came on in the third and final round of her fight, while Goclano, who had the knack of counter-punching down, was no match for the non-stop attack of Cruz's.
The upper-class division winners were Campbell's Jocelyn Pannunzio and Boardman's Joanna Button in contests that were stopped by the referee.
Button, a returning champion from last year, was a winner in round two over Jaclyn Lanzaro (Life Skills), while Pannunzio, who called her first ring experience exhilarating, won in the third round over Chaney's Allison Riche.
The female champions will be crowned during next Tuesday's bouts.
Kunkle now 3-0
In the underclass division, Canfield featherweight Kyle Kunkle became one of the tournament's 3-0 boxers.
In the upperclass division, junior welterweight Brandon Breitenstine of Barberton improved to 2-0 while Zack Guerrieri from Liberty also won a decision.
Breitenstine, a standup puncher, wasn't satisfied with his performance after his bout with Champion's Justin Ryan.
"I am glad I got the decision, but he was the best between us tonight and I didn't deserve to win," Breitenstine said.
In the junior middleweight bouts, Boardman's Jim Pipoly knocked Will Robertson from Keystone to the canvas with a short right cross.
Robertson got up and slugged it out, but Pipoly (2-1) won the decision.
Guriceo, Harrison 2-0
In the super middleweight group, Campbell's Jake Guriceo and Champion's Mike Harrison could be headed for a big showdown.
Guriceo improved to 2-0 by winning a slugfest with Anthony Horvath from Struthers.
The sharp punching Harrison is now 2-0 after his bout with Emanuel Tiliakos from Campbell was stopped in the first round.
"I was able to get him a few good ones" Harrison said.
Hubbard's Anthony Fidram (3-0) was the crisper puncher in his heavyweight battle with Dave Yannotti from Fitch.
"He was plenty tough, but I was able to land some good shots," Fidram said.
In the underclass bouts, Lyndon Nelson from Campbell earned a decision over Josh Brown of West Middlesex while Canfield's J.J. Pankewicz won a decision over Dave McNamara of West Middlesex.
Pankewicz used good body shots to win his middleweight fight while Nelson, a freshman linebacker at Campbell, was a non-stop puncher.
Among the 18 competing high schools, Campbell had five wins and one loss while Canfield was 4 and 3.