KO Drugs tournament set for semifinals

June 15, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

NORTH LIMA

The 28th annual K.O. Drugs high school boxing tournament continues on Wednesday with 22 semifinal bouts at the Old School Marketplace, 11836 South Avenue.

The former South Range High School gymnasium will hold 13 underclass and nine upperclass bouts with the winners advancing to the championship round on June 24.

Bouts hit the bell at 7 p.m.

“With almost 100 students entered in this year’s tourney, this week will determine who will get to fight for a championship the following Wednesday,” tournament founder and director Chuck Nelson said. “Historically, the semifinals have produced some of the very best fights. Students know that if they win then they find themselves in a title fight.”

Wednesday’s semifinal bouts will feature 11 underclass and eight upperclass winners from a week ago.

The night will also feature a return to the ring by all five Ursuline High and three Greenville High boxers, all of whom were winners on opening night.

“The action will certainly be heated since there is a plenty on the line for those entering the ring,” Nelson said.

In upperclass action, Ursuline’s Nick Armeni meets Joseph Morris of Southington in a light heavyweight scrap while Anthony Morgione, also of Ursuline, takes on Braydon Scott of Campbell in super middleweight action.

Greenville’s Indiana Keys meets Brian Frye of Garretsville Garfield in a lightweight pairing while Alex George of Canfield goes up against Michael Haskett of Maplewood in a junior lightweight battle.

In a matchup of the division’s top two weight classes, Colten Nitzsky of Jackson-Milton takes on Neshannock’s Dominic Martucci at heavyweight while a cruiserweight pairing will feature Andrew Cree of LaBrae and Greenville’s Jacob Morgan.

Keys, Haskett, George, Morgione, Armeni, Harris, Cree and Nkitzsky each enter with a win under their belts.

In the underclass division, Chad Svatosky (Poland), Ian Fry (Maplewood), Darren Jordonek (Mineral Ridge), Clinton Ewing (Howland), Luke Bender (Brookfield), Canyon Eells (Greenville), Mario Fusillo (Ursuline), Jeremy Ray (Ursuline), Nicholas Petro (Ursuline), Sean Perseghetti (Greenville) and Chris Kosonovich (Columbiana) all posted first-round wins.

Kosonovich meets Charlie Beckert of Keystone in one of two heavyweight clashes while the other will feature Perseghetti as he takes on Ricky Cobbin of Struthers.

A cruiserweight matchup features Petro and Anthony Kirksey of Warren Harding while Eells is set to meet Kiwon Kirksey, also of Warren Harding at super middleweight.

There are two light heavyweight bouts to keep an eye and both feature Fighting Irish contenders.

In the first pairing, Fusillo takes on Austintown Fitch’s Boone Beabout followed by Ray, who is set to meet Brookfield’s David Swope.

Svatosky and Fry get the night started when they meet in a super lightweight clash with Jordonek meeting Ewing in one of two welterweight matchups.

Bender will follow in a junior middleweight clash as he takes on Spencer Hoops of West Branch.

The double-elimination event, which also has a female division, features high school boys and girls in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties in Ohio, and Lawrence and Mercer counties in Pennsylvania.

Tickets are $9 for students and $15 for adults and are available at the door the night of the event.

Doors open at 6 p.m.

For more information and late sign-up opportunities, call Nelson at 330-423-2203 or his son, Pat, at 330-727-0932.