Area roundup: Kerwick advances to title bout

Spokane’s Mahlon Kerwick will box for the 152-pound title at today’s U.S. Boxing Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The Spokane welterweight, boxing for the U.S. Army out of Fort Carson, Colo., advanced to the final on a medical walkover when top-ranked Demetrius Andrade, from Providence, R.I., was hospitalized with strep throat Thursday. Kerwick will face Charles Hatley, from Dallas, in tonight’s championship bout.

In his fifth trip to the U.S. National Championships, Kerwick outscored the Navy’s Abdullah Johnson 21-1 in the third round to easily win the opening bout, then edged Luis Arias of Milwaukee 27-26 in his second. In the quarterfinals, Kerwick decisioned fellow Fort Carson boxer Boyd Melson.

The top eight boxers in each of 11 weight classes qualify for next year’s Olympic Trials.

Men’s basketball

Guard Sterling Jackson has signed a national letter of intent to play at the University of Idaho, the school announced.

Jackson, 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, averaged 16.6 points and seven assists per game as a senior at Del City High School at Oklahoma City.

“Sterling is a very competitive, hard-nosed basketball player who brings a lot of intangibles,” said UI coach George Pfeifer.

“I just want to be in a program where I can grow as a student-athlete,” Jackson said.

Softball

North Idaho College second baseman Angie Boardman and outfielder Strohm Fouty were named to the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-West Region first team, the school announced.

Boardman (University High) led the NJCAA Division I with 62 runs batted in.

Fouty stole 62 bases for the Cardinals, who finished 46-26 and placed second at the national tournament.

NIC pitcher Kelcey Cavan (1.36 strikeouts per inning) and third baseman Shay Craig (19 home runs) made the region second team.