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KO Drugs tournament resumes Friday night
By Greg Gulas
YOUNGSTOWN
Twenty-seven bouts are set for Friday night in the K.O. Drugs High School Boxing Tournament at the ITAM Banquet Center.
“If the second week is anything like opening night, then there will be plenty of action for everyone in attendance,” said tournament founder Chuck Nelson. “We had quite a few close decisions last week and all indications are that there will be much of the same this Friday night.”
Fifty-four athletes representing 25 schools will compete Friday.
There are 14 Underclass Division bouts (9th and 10th graders) and 13 in the Upperclass Division (11th and 12th graders and female class) on tap.
Set to make their ring debuts in the Upperclass Division are heavyweight Sam Congemi and light heavyweight Karrington Griffin, both Cardinal Mooney football standouts who helped the Cardinals to the state football title last season.
Congemi will take on Springfield’s Nick Ramsey, while Griffin will oppose Edwin Centofanti, also of Springfield.
The first-ever foreign exchange student is also set to make his ring debut.
Cruiserweight Martin Pederson of Norway, an student at Hubbard, will meet Boardman’s Anthony Cruz.
“We just received written parental consent yesterday from Oslo, Norway to allow Pederson to compete so we’re really excited about our first foreign exchange student taking part in the tournament,” Nelson said.
Fourteen boxers who competed a year ago are making a return appearance. Highlighting the action will be Campbell Memorial’s Ian Stores, Columbiana’s Mardell Halas, Boardman’s Jason Egner and Pete Goranitis of Niles McKinley, all Upperclass hopefuls.
Females Nicci Beatty (Brookfield), Shayla DeMar (Austintown Fitch) and Julianna Currier-Queen (Warren Harding) all return, as do Underclass veterans David Kostik (super lightweight) of Struthers; Te’Quan Rushton (super lightweight) of East; Steve Tickerhoof (super lightweight) of Austintown Fitch; Dan Garman (super welterweight) of Boardman; Daitzel Moore (super middleweight) of Girard; Conner Hoelzel (light heavyweight) of Canfield and Jacob Lindsey (heavyweight) of Campbell Memorial.
Stores will meet Louis Wilson of the Youngstown Early College while Halas takes on Campbell Memorial’s Zak Kountz in jr. welterweight action.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. with the first fight hitting the bell at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $10 each and are available at the door.
The ITAM Banquet Center is located at 115 South Meridian Rd.