Kotey proves he’s the best at 156 lb
Army wins the team championship and Wolf Pack senior falls short of title
Ryan Kotey said he had something to prove this season.
Even though he won the championship as a freshman last year, Kotey said this season wouldn’t be as easy.
“One of my opponents broke his hand and I didn’t have to fight a full three-round tournament last year,” he said.
Kotey repeated as a champion this season in the 156-pound weight class. Kotey won the 165-pound weight class championship last year.
He was one of three Nevada boxers to win individual championships. The Wolf Pack finished third as a team behind Army and Navy.
This season Kotey did have to fight a three round tournament, which ended in a rematch of his Western Regional loss to Air Force Academy’s team captain Daryn Nelson.
Nelson used his powerful left hooks to beat Kotey just two weeks ago in the regional.
“I prepared for (Nelson) by working on fighting southpaws,” Kotey said.
Kotey will be a sophomore next season and the only returning Nevada fighter in this season’s National Collegiate Boxing Association championships.
“It’s going to be tough without those guys,” Kotey said. “The program is really going to miss them.”
Army wins team championship
After three days and 67 collegiate boxing fights from 20 different schools, Army was named 2008 National Collegiate Boxing Association team champion at the Reno Ballroom in downtown Reno.
It’s the first boxing team-championship in Army history.
“It ended perfectly,” Army senior boxer Steve Solaja said. “The last couple years we thought were ripped off. We felt we were cheated.”
Army finished in second place in the last two seasons. The Black Knights lost to Lock Haven last year. Lock Haven finished fifth this year with 20 points. The Naval Academy was second with 38 points; Nevada finished third with 32 points and the Air Force Academy finished fourth with 21 points.
“(The Army boxers are) a great group of young men,” Army coach Ray Barone said. “It’s tough because the seniors are done now and headed to Iraq and Afghanistan. They’re all warriors.”
Senior falls short in championship bout
Nevada boxer Kenny Dyer-Redner lost his championship bout to the Naval Academy’s Mike Steadman.
“I didn’t think he was that good,” Dyer-Redner said. “I thought I had him.”
Dyer-Redner won his first two bouts in dominating fashion, but lost his third bout of the tournament in a tough decision.
“He just kept coming,” Dyer Redner said.
It was the final bout of Dyer-Redner’s career.
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