Steve Ranson / LVN Photo
In front of a packed house, Big Blue left the Elmo Dericco Gym with a big win.
The Blue Team racked up 11 of 14 wins, although the Red Team won the girls and boys main events.
Tashina Lake and Nick Marsan salvaged the night for their squad, with unanimous wins to cap Friday’s annual Night of Boxing. A near-sellout crowd was treated to a slew of great bouts as the fundraiser for the Fallon wrestling program had one of its best-ever events.
“It was awesome,” Fallon wrestling coach Mitch Overlie said. “I was a little worried at 5:30 p.m. when the bleachers were empty. The crowd, the boxers and everyone showed up.”
Marsan came out strong against Zach Shipton in the main event. Marsan’s frenetic pace was too much for Shipton to handle, as Shipton tired in the third round allowing Marsan to connect on multiple punches.
Marsan controlled the bout from the opening bell, as he kept Shipton moving throughout the bout. Shipton, though, used his strength to muscle Marsan around the ring, but landed fewer power punches to keep Marsan at bay.
“I tried to come out and be the more conditioned fighter,” Marsan said. “He’s a tough, tough guy. I gave it everything and he gave it everything. I closed distance faster and that’s all it was. To end with the main event in front of the whole school, it was the best possible way to end my senior year.”
Lake, meanwhile, used an effective jab to keep Hailey Bunker, a power puncher, off her game. Lake, though, dislocated her left shoulder two weeks ago, and said she had to rely on her right hand for most of her punches.
Bunker, though, was able to land numerous blows to the head, but Lake withstood the furry and came away with the win.
“I concentrated on my right hand and let my left to die,” Lake said. “It feels so amazing because I was so scared that I was going to lose.”
The Best Fight — voted on by the judges — went to Robert White and Bryson Abe, while the Best Fighter award was given to Trae Workman.
White and Abe, who both wrestle for Fallon, left little doubt as to which bout was the best. The pair brawled at a frenzied pace for three rounds with White coming away with a 2-1 split decision victory.
Workman, meanwhile, took care of Maverick Boney to earn the Best Fighter honor.
In another split decision, Katelynn White slipped past Haley Sanches in one of the most competitive bouts of the evening.
White was able to sneak inside of Sanches to land shots to the head and body. Sanches, though, landed numerous hard jabs and overhand shots to the White’s head.
“I thought the bouts were fairly even,” Overlie said. “Everything was in place. The judges did their best. I feel for all the kids because I coach them all.”