Air Force boxing team defeated Navy 8-2 in service academy showdown
- The annual service academy showdown featured a dominant performance by the women's squad, who finished with a 4-0 record, while the men added a 4-2 edge to lock...
- Air Force entered the ring backed by five straight wins to start the night, setting a tone that Navy struggled to match.
- The Air Force men contributed four wins to secure the lopsided team score against two losses.
The Air Force boxing team defeated Navy 8-2 on Oct. 2 at the Academy’s Coach Eddie Weichers Boxing Gym. The annual service academy showdown featured a dominant performance by the women’s squad, who finished with a 4-0 record, while the men added a 4-2 edge to lock down the overall team victory.
Air Force Dominates Women’s Bouts in Annual Service Academy Showdown
Air Force entered the ring backed by five straight wins to start the night, setting a tone that Navy struggled to match. Senior Sierra Dace opened the competition with a 112-pound victory over Kaitlyn Williams, before classmate Allyson Keel added a 138-pound win against Emma Darthford to stake the Falcons to a 3-0 lead.
Junior Naomi Nunez kept the momentum rolling by capturing a 122-pound decision over Faith Martin in the second bout. Nunez’s victory contributed directly to an undefeated 4-0 sweep for the women’s team in a matchup matching the top two programs from the previous NCBA Championships, where Air Force placed first and Navy finished second. Junior Nebi Tsarni cemented the women’s flawless night by taking a 160-pound decision over Niama Phillips in the seventh bout of the evening.
Men’s Division Secures Overall Team Victory With Late Bouts
The Air Force men contributed four wins to secure the lopsided team score against two losses. Junior Nick Lightell put the men on the board during their opening match by taking the 145-pound decision over London Knight.
Senior Sam Banduah guaranteed at least a tie for the Falcons by defeating Patrick Panayides in a 154-pound matchup, standing as the fifth Air Force champion of the night. Down the stretch, senior Justin Bonilla downed Jace Nelson in an 184-pound contest, and junior Oude Owino closed out the event by defeating Vince Rawls at 197 pounds to polish off the 8-2 final. Navy’s scoring came from Preton Eldred, who won a 162-pound decision against Ayo Aweh, and Jalen Ownbeyu, who claimed a 178-pound decision over Josh Gibb.
USAA Outstanding Boxer Earns Honors as Friday Night Fights Approach
At the conclusion of the event, tournament organizers presented the USAA Outstanding Boxer awards to junior Naomi Nunez for the women’s team and senior Sam Banduah for the men’s squad. The Falcons return to the ring on October 9, to host a traditional round of Friday Night Fights. Competition is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. Mountain Time inside the Coach Eddie Weichers Boxing Gym at the USAF Academy.