K.O. Drugs semifinals set for tonight

By Greg Gulas

YOUNGSTOWN — The K.O. Drugs High school boxing tournament continues tonight with semifinal action scheduled at the ITAM Banquet Center on S. Meridian Rd.

Twenty-fight bouts are on scheduled, including five female fights, two of which (one in each division) will decide class titles.

There are 13 underclass and 12 upperclass bouts and a super heavyweight exhibition in the night’s finale, which will pit underclass hopeful Lennie McGeachy of Austintown Fitch against upperclass standout Steve Rodgers of Lakeview.

McGeachy, who weighs in at 250 pounds, and Rodger (260) are both linemen on their school’s football squads.

“This is when you separate the contenders from the pretenders,” tournament founder Chuck Nelson said. “All fighters are looking to advance to the finals so look for a night of hard-hitting action.

“The stage is now set. It’s just a matter of who will advance and who their opponents will be for the finals on May 29,” he added.

In one of the female title bouts, Maria Marchese, a standout at Niles, will meet Champion’s Katelyn Moore for the underclass featherweight title.

In an upperclass light heavyweight title fight, Kayla Burnside of Struthers will take on Destaney Phillips, who home-schooled.

There are four bouts pitting undefeated entrants; two in each division

In a featherweight bout, LaBrae’s Tom Dziedzic will tangle with Tyler Chinchic of Champion in the first underclass pairing, while Campbell Memorial’s Darian Rivera will face Lakeview’s John Solakakis in the light heavyweight class.

Upperclass match-ups featuring unbeatens are Steve Kostik of Struthers and Boardman’s E.J. Rodriguez in a junior lightweight scrap, and Liberty’s Rex Anderson against Cody Tynon of Howland in a middleweight battle.

There are also several matchups with an undefeated boxer against an opponent with one loss.

There are four such bouts in the underclass division: undefeated Tyler Smith of Fitch against Tu’Quan Rushton of Alpha Academy (lightweight); Kyle Price of Canfield against Fitch’s Steve Tickerhoof (junior welterweight); Howland’s Justin Peterson against Ian Stores of Boardman (welterweight), and Jason Egner against Dan Garman (junior middleweight), who are both from Boardman.

In the upperclass division, Larry Kirby of Mineral Ridge takes on Pete Goranitis of the Trumbull County Training Center a junior middleweight fight, and Columbiana’s Ryan Caron is scheduled against Ben Moody of Lakeview in a cruiserweight matchup.

“The competitiveness of all bouts this year is unparalleled with recent history,” said Nelson. “Since championship slots are on the line, you will watch the cream rise to the top Friday night.”