Kappaz, a junior in Alumni, has an offensive-minded fighting style. This aggressive mindset has the Bethesda, Maryland, native constantly in attack mode, with his powerful right hook most often aimed at his opponent’s head. He alternates long swings to the head with quick uppercuts from the right side. This approach has landed Kappaz a spot in the 137-pound final.
Coscia, a junior in Siegfried, is an offensive powerhouse. His main strength is his right-handed blow directed at the head. Coscia’s approach involves large bursts of punches intertwined with a patient defensive focus when his opponent goes into attack mode. Even when he appears to be on the defensive, he uses punches of his own to fend off the advance of his opponent.
Espinoza, a junior in St. Edward’s, is a patient fighter who waits for any sign of fatigue from his opponent. Once he sees an opening, Espinoza quickly goes on the attack. Espinoza’s left hand is formidable, and he lands many blows to the head with it. His long arms allow him to swing his left hook around opponents. While on defense, he is not phased by offensive flurries and dictates the pace of the fight.
Alcantra, a junior in Alumni, is very methodical in his approach, as he often looks to land short, powerful jabs to the head and chest. His left hook is dangerous as well, and he often catches opponents off guard when he pulls it out of his arsenal. The Wheaton, Illinois, native also has a strong defensive presence, as his quick feet and short steps allow him to avoid his opponents’ attacks.
McDermott, a freshman in O’Neill, is a defensive-minded fighter. He uses his quick feet and long arms to protect himself from other fighters’ combinations. The Mount Prospect, Illinois, native is also able to land numerous punches when he takes the offensive, thanks to his superior reach and patient approach.
Carroll, a senior in Duncan, has a sound fighting style in which he switches back and forth between aggressive offense and patient defense. Carroll shields himself well when avoiding big hits. His strongest points are the start and finish of each round. This approach allows him to stay fresh, as he does not try to do too much in the middle of the round.
Lawler is aggressive but not careless. He is particularly strong at positioning himself in a spot to escape trouble while also delivering strong blows. His powerful swings to the head of his opponent combined with his patience in finding the right time to go on the attack are what give him an edge.
Himel fights with a very methodical style. He stays high for the most part and keeps his hands up so as to block blows aimed at his head. This prevents his opponent from gaining momentum by landing big blows. Himel has an excellent knowledge of when to go on the attack and when to stay back and let the opponent come to him.
Chestnut’s biggest advantage is his endurance. The 163-pound fighter performs better the longer the fight goes and swings more powerfully in the third round than he does in the first. Chestnut’s opponents usually tire by the end of the bouts, and Chestnut has taken advantage of this to close out fights.
Shea is one of the most consistent fighters in the tournament. He stays on the attack throughout the entirety of his matches and never appears to tire. He delivers an array of powerful punches and jabs and lands them with a high degree of accuracy. Shea’s opponents are often forced on the defensive early in the fight and never recover, allowing him to dictate the match.
Shepard is a lanky fighter, and he uses his length to his advantage. His right hook is his bread and butter. The senior is not afraid to trade punches and is very steady on his feet. If he catches his opponent in a bad situation, he is quick to seize the advantage and is always dangerous, even on his back foot.
Flint is a crafty and nifty fighter who tires out his opponent as the rounds draw on before seizing the advantage. The senior is smart with his punches and avoids potentially dangerous situations by weaving around the ring, all the while looking for an opening. The final round is where he comes out swinging, and he possesses a strong punch which can set anyone off-balance.
McOsker packs a tremendous right hook and will come after his opponent right from the start. He is not afraid to take hits either, and he is confident in his own ability to get out of dangerous situations. He will pounce on any opening he sees and can prove dangerous when he is able to get a good string of hits together.
Willis is a large fighter with a powerful punch who is not afraid to take a hit either. The senior likes to be on the front foot and tries to get his opponent on the ropes, where he can land powerful combinations. He also possesses great stamina and seemingly grows stronger as the fight draws on.
Considine, despite being somewhat undersized, is not afraid to come after his opponent, and he tries to dictate the fight from the get-go. With a powerful jab, Considine keeps his opponent on the back foot and looks to chase his opponent around until he can trap him and string combinations together. He is also shifty enough to avoid hits that would catch him off-balance and is very rarely caught off-guard.
Ellinwood is a smart fighter who uses his tremendous length to dictate the fight and keep his opponent at bay. He tends to favor hooks to the body and head, and if he catches his opponent napping, he does not let the opportunity slip. By forcing the other fighter to come to him, he saves energy, and by the final round, he is able to control the pace of the fight.
Giordano, a Morrissey freshman, maintains an aggressive approach throughout his fights. He prefers to play a more offensive role in the match and appears uncomfortable on the defensive. His blocks, however, are effective. He takes advantage of every hit and maximizes the power of each jab. His strategy centers on landing blows to his opponents’ head to keep them off-balance.
Gordon, a sophomore from Keough, likes to control the pace of his matches, keeping it quick when he has the upper-hand and becoming slower and more strategic when being forced to defend himself. He gets off to a very aggressive, fast starts and aims for his opponent’s head throughout the match. He also pays close attention to his opponents’ strategy. As his opponents tire, he slows down the pace and forces his opponent to try to attack first, and then he counterattacks for maximum effect.
Boomer, an off-campus senior, has a very aggressive strategy in his bouts. He typically aims for his opponent’s head, but he occasionally throws in a jab to the torso in order to force him to stay alert. Boomer is also a very mobile fighter, forcing his opponent to move around the ring and come to him. He is also able to defend himself very successfully with strong counter-jabs.
Fr. O’Halloran, a theology doctoral candidate, maintains a very slow and deliberate strategy, utilizing his strengths, such as his long reach. He bides his time and waits for the right opportunity to lay down a strategically-placed punch. His defense is also very strong, as he is able to be patient and regain offensive momentum at opportune moments. He also maintains a good variety in the placement of his attacks.
Wrede is an intelligent yet aggressive fighter. His calculated aggression will be the key to the finals match as he will look to dictate the pace of the fight and control the ring.
Plantz is tough to push around. The sophomore rarely gives ground, and when he does, he makes his opponent pay for it. Though Plantz is aggressive, he does not, for the most part, let his aggression get him into difficult situations.
