The Lancaster City Boxing Academy team brought home gold, silver and bronze medals in June.
Eight boxers competed for their gyms and for Lancaster at the USA Boxing Association's 2024 National Junior Olympics, held June 22-29 in Wichita, Kansas.
“The kids represented the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania very well,” Lancaster City Boxing coach Will Torres said in a text message after the event.
Torres may have underestimated the boxers' achievements.
The team performed admirably in the tournament, winning a total of two gold medals, one silver and three bronze medals.
London Enaia (6-1) defeated Texas' Luciano Rodriguez (record unknown) in the second round of the 50-pound peewee division finals in what Enaia and Torres said was a dramatic ending.
“I got two standing eights and destroyed his mouthpiece,” Ener said after the team returned home. According to records, the referee stopped the bout 45 seconds into the second round, giving Ener the gold medal.
This is Enaia's second national championship in less than a year. The 8-year-old made his national debut in February and won the 2024 National Silver Gloves.
“Winning is the best thing,” Ener said.
The trip to and from the tournament wasn't so great: He didn't like the airport in Texas, he said.
But he's clearly dedicated to boxing, traveling and all. Enerle drives from Harrisburg with his father, Jeremy Enerle, to train at Lancaster City Boxing.
The gym is just a short distance from home for Mila Torres (9-1), the daughter of Will Torres and sister of former U.S. champion Will “Paba” Torres.
In 2019, Poorva, then 15 years old and with a record of 19-11, won a gold medal at the Junior Olympics, one of many national championships he won as a youth boxer.
The national championships may be miles away from her gym, but Mila Torres is clearly trying to surpass her older brother.
She also won a gold medal at the National Junior Olympics – this was her fifth national championship and she's only 10 years old.
“If Torres just keeps hitting, he'll win,” she said.
“I won it 3-4 every time,” Torres said of her final match of the tournament against Texas' Maia Pinney (record unknown).
The classic combo of an uppercut to the body and a hook to the head clearly worked, as Torres, fighting at 60 pounds in the peewee division, won a close split decision.
Two-time national champion Major Seth (18-4) competed four days in a row and made it to the finals in the 60-pound peewee division, but lost to Colorado's Tabius Penrose (record unknown). The 10-year-old Seth won the silver medal.
Recent McCaskey graduate Jerimiah Munoz (70+ games) and 17-year-old Jacia Ortiz (70+ games), who is in her final year at Hempfield High School, both lost in the semifinals to win bronze medals.
“She fought well but fell short,” said Will Torres of 8-year-old Janisia Aguilera in her debut, who also won the bronze medal.
