28 fighters compete to reach Friday's finals
BIRCH RUN -- The semi-finals of the 2011 East Michigan Golden Gloves tournament invaded the Birch Run Expo Center on Thursday night, as 28 fighters competed to earn a spot in the finals on Friday.
Among the winners in the novice division were Flint's Xerious Broach, who earned a decision over Nolan Linebaugh of Bay City. The bout was stopped in the 3rd round after a blow from Broach broke Linebaugh's nose.
The lone bout on the female side, also a novice matchup, pitted Davison's Leana Hall against Lapeer's Kayla McCorry, with Hall earning the decision. It was her first-ever fight, and she discussed the emotions which ran through her head as she stepped into the ring.
"Before the bell rings, I'm thinking...I gotta listen to my coach, then I've got everybody else down around me," said an excited, but exhausted, Hall. "And you're trying to focus on what your coach is saying, mainly. And you hear everybody else, but you're trying to listen to the background. And it's just, a lot of emotions are going through your head, it's really nerve-wracking. But fun, it's like an adrenaline rush."
For more information visit the Michigan Golden Gloves website.
