Weight Lifting/Boxing

ff McClain, one of the most aggressive boxers, won the decision In this preliminary fight and went on to win the 149-pound class medal.

PT, Boxing's No. 1 Foe

ES) oxing is one of the most challenging sports in the d) MMA lineup. It is known as a maker or breaker of ien, and that’s before they even step into the ring, where e is a bit easier. But the boxers, or those who make it, ave to endure their No. 1 opponent for at least a month 9fore they even step into that ring. Conditioning will make or break a boxer, says Sgt. 1st lass Thomas Teel, boxing coach. He ought to know, e’s boxed in the Army. And he’s found that his conditiong program, which is straight from the 82nd Airborne Divion, makes or breaks most of the boxers. For the first two weeks, PT is the name of the game, ide-straddle hops, push-ups, sit-ups, running (up to five iles). After that practices are divided evenly between PT id working on the basics of boxing. When not working i the heavy bag, the speed bag, or working with the iach, jumping rope is the order of the day. “A safe boxer one that’s well conditioned,” says Sgt. Teel. After sparring in the ring of several weeks, which takes ace after the PT session that starts every practice, the attalion boxing tournament begins. Only those who have saten the conditioning opponent, in other words, those in e program, can compete, save one exception. Divided by weight class, the boxer fight three 3-minute »unds. In the end, only the winner receives a medal. But ven the conditioning program, everyone is a winner, lys Sgt. Teel, and there were no injuries, save a few oody noses, several from poorly swung jump ropes. Leading the boxers was Jeff McClain, 149-pound winsr and two-time winner of the Gallagher Boxing Trophy, le other weight-class winners were Luis Garcia Flores, 50; Federico Huesca, 176 and super heavyweight (Sgt. sei let some boxers challenge those one class above

This fight between Paul Tilton and Joel Spurlock, which Tilton won, was one of boxing’s most exciting, said coach and referee Sgt. Teel.

them to increase competition); Dolan Osborne, 107; Ricardo Rodriguez, heavyweight; Guillermo Roel, 126 and 139; and Tom Tabaka, 95.

There was no one matching Tabaka’s weight in the program, and Sgt. Teel said he wouldn’t give him a medal without a fight. It was up to Tabaka to come up with an opponent in his class. Chris Bruns took the challenge, and won one of the fight’s rounds. “It was a good fight,” said Sgt. Teel, “But conditioning made the difference.

Oscar Gonzalez beat his Van-Far opponent In this heat of the high hurdles, but It was an MSD runner that won the event.

crp he track Colonels opened their season with not I I knowing if they could fill events made vacant by graduation and ended it with a let-down feeling. Although they earned a 4-1 record, they missed the last test, which the opponent canceled.

The Colonels opened their season by hosting, and defeating 77-42, Wentworth Military Academy April 1. As it learned later, the team won the state military championship at the meet because Wentworth canceled the state contest April 14.

Phil Clayberg and Phil Jimenez marked the Colonels field wins at the Wentworth Meet. Clayberg tossed the discus 112-feet-9 1/z, and Jimenez heaved the shot 22feet-6 ¥2.

The Colonels also cleaned up in the relays. Arturo Delgado, John Sampson, Gilberto Montemayor, and Gilberto Crombe took the 400-meter relay. Crombe, Sampson, Montemayor, and Ricardo Elizondo won the 800-meter relay. Craig Guffey, Carey Seay, Phil Masaoay, and Delgado claimed the 1600 relay. And Gerardo Sena, Jose Guapo, Marcos Alejandro, and Juan Carlos Gastelum were No. 1 in the 3200 relay.

Gastelum also won the 1600 and 3200-meter runs, Sena took the 800-meter dash, and Jeff Curtis took the 400meter dash.

The Colonels suffered their only defeat of the season at their only away meet. Montgomery City downed the cadets by a mere two points, 76-74. A pole vaulter, who just needed to compete, would have made the difference in the meet agreed coaches Capts. Kevin Shaddox and Joe Ableman, and Lt. Marty Hunt.

The Colonels rebounded from this loss by beating Missouri School for the Deaf and Van-Far April 23. The Colonels tallied 89 points to MSD’s 41 and Van-Far’s 44, with MMA having about the some first-place finishers in the field and track events. The Colonels won the rematch with MSD, 95-41, May 7.

After they defeated the Missouri School for the Deaf, the cadets were looking forward to testing themselves against North Callaway. But the Thunderbirds canceled the May 12 meet, and the Colonels were left with a 4-1 season and no outlet for their competitive urge — until the battalion track meet, that is.

Echo Company had the greatest number of trackmen on its team, and the Golden Warriors won the meet with 69.5 points. Delta was second with 64. Alpha scored 43.5 points, and Charlie Tallied 37.

Medals went to the winner of each event. Masaoay won the high jump, Jimenez the shot, and Clayberg the discus. Gallagher took both the long and triple jump. Gastelum won the 3200-meter run, and Infante took the high hurdles.

Sampson won the 55-meter dash, Sena the 800 and 1600-meter run, and Crombe the 200-meter dash. Delgado won the 400-meter dash, Sauceda the low hurdles, and the team of Montemayor, Seay, Garza, G., and Garcia, E. A. the 800-meter relay.