South Bend-Area Boxers Look For Local Glory
71st annual Bengal Mission Bouts begin February 22

Feb. 16, 2001

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – South Bend-area boxers are looking to etch their names in local lore during the 71st annual Bengal Bouts, the University of Notre Dame’s boxing club tournament that begins February 22.

St. Joseph’s High School graduate and junior captain Mark Criniti looks to repeat his championship performance from the 70th annual tournament while representing the Granger area. He bested senior Mishawaka resident Joey Leniski in last year’s battle of southpaws.

Fellow Granger resident and senior Josh Thompson, who narrowly missed championship glory last year, looks to secure his first title. The Clay High School graduate delivers blows in the ring while also running the boxing club as team president.

Another Clay alumnus, freshman Luke Dillon, looks to follow in the winning ways of his big brother Ben (a junior) in his first tournament. Dillon and law student Marc Ricchiote round out the Granger lineup from Clay and St. Joseph’s High Schools, respectively.

South Bend’s hopes for a hometown hero lie in Patrick Kolesiak, a fifth-year student out of Riley High School and Patrick Dillon, a freshman from Marian High School.

Area fans are encouraged to root on their local favorites during the Bengal Bouts preliminaries Feb. 22, quarterfinals Feb. 26, and semifinals Feb. 28, all at 7:30 p.m. EST. Finals will be held March 2 at 8:30 p.m. EST.

All competition is at the Joyce Center on the Notre Dame campus. Tickets are available through the Notre Dame Joyce Center ticket office at 219-631-7356.

For more information, contact Josh Thompson at 219-243-1542 or Brian Hobbins at 219-288-4329.