WEST POINT, N.Y. (April 15, 2010) -- The Black Knights took five individual titles and were named the overall team champion as they hosted the National Collegiate Boxing Association Championships for the first time last weekend.
The cadets beat out arch-rival Navy for their third consecutive title in as many years. Air Force placed third, providing a service-academy sweep of the three-day event April 8-10 at the U.S. Military Academy.
Amateur athletes from schools coast to coast made their way to West Point to compete on the squared canvas in Crest Hall. More than 48 bouts in 12 weight classes determined the tournament's winners.
Three-peat Garcia
Army's Cow Danilo Garcia won his third consecutive national championship after defeating Jerome Foster from the University of Nevada Las Vegas by decision. In the second round of the three-round bout, Garcia was stunned by a body shot that sent the defending champ into the ropes.
With a full house chanting "Army, Army, Army...," Garcia regained his composure and fought back to finish the round strongly.
As the decision was announced, Garcia threw his arms up with excitement and immediately looked into the crowd for his Family. As Garcia was handed the belt, he handed it to his brother who met him in the center of the ring.
Stous takes back title
Army took the next three championship fights before the most anticipated fight of the evening, between Firstie Ryle Stous and University of Maryland's Ryan Roach.
Roach defeated the two-time defending national champion of the 165-pound weight class in the regional tournament less than a month ago.
Stous entered the ring with his signature high black socks and a look of determination in his eyes. The fight went back and forth, with Stous and Roach trading punches over three two-minute rounds.
The fight lived up to its expectation, as both fighters stood with intense looks on their face awaiting the ring announcer to give the decision.
"The winner ...," ring announcer Firstie Orlando Zambrano paused, "...out of the blue corner, Ryle Stous."
The crowd erupted with cheers and Stous embraced his competitor after the hard-fought battle.
All-American team
All 10 West Point boxers who fought during the weekend earned All-America honors, with five cadets earning first team, four earning second team and one earning third team. However, it took the 50 other cadets on the team to get them the results in the ring, head boxing coach Ray Barone said.
"Guys like (Firstie) Billy Myers and (Firstie) AJ Pisano who did not fight over the weekend, really pushed our guys during sparring sessions throughout the season," Barone said." Stous fought a southpaw in the finals and Billy, who is a southpaw, really pushed him during training rounds to give him a true look at what he was going to be competing against."
Reflecting on the weekend, Barone said fighting in front of the home crowd was a huge factor in the team's championship performance.
"Hearing the crowed cheer 'Army' helped our guys through the fights," Barone said.
(Tommy Gilligan serves as assistant editor of the Pointer View newspaper.)
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