Quarterfinal action opened with a featherweight clash between 2007 Golden Gloves silver medallist Raynell Williams (Cleveland, Ohio) and Victor Valenzuela (Passaic, N.J.). Williams grabbed the early lead and pushed it to a 13-8 advantage after two rounds. Valenzuela pressed the late action, but Williams extended his lead in the final two rounds to win a 30-20 final decision. He will face 2006 National Golden Gloves champion Efrain Esquivias (Torrance, Calif.) in semifinal action.

Ryan Schmidt (Grand Rapids, Mich.) took the second featherweight victory, defeating hometown boxer Manuel Gonzales (Salt Lake City, Utah). Schmidt grabbed the first lead, taking a four-point advantage into the second round, but Gonzales pulled the bout to a 6-6 tie at the midway point. Schmidt retook control in the third stanza, moving out to a 22-12 lead as the final round beganand went on to win a 28-15 final decision. Schmidt will take on Daniel Martinez (Covina, Calif.) in the championship bout. Martinez boxed in a close contest with Rene Anaya (Huntington Park, Calif.), and enjoyed a slim lead throughout the bout. He took a 20-16 advantage into the fourth round, and Anaya cut his deficit in half but couldn’t pull out the victory. Martinez won a 30-23 final decision to advance to the semifinals.

The light welterweight division took the ring for the second time in Salt Lake City, Utah, for four quarterfinal bouts. Jamal James (Minneapolis, Minn.) grabbed the first victory in the 141-pound weight class, taking a stoppage victory over Devonte Donaldson (San Pedro, Calif.). James controlled the bout from the start, taking 17-5 lead after the first round and continued with the same theme in the second. His efforts earned James a mandatory stoppage victory at the :05 mark of the second round. James will take on Mike Faragon (Schenectady, N.Y.) in the semifinal round. Faragon pulled out a much closer victory in his quarterfinal contest with Milton Ramos (Waco, Texas). Ramos enjoyed the first lead, a 9-7 advantage after the first round, but Faragon pulled to within one after the second. A strong third round pushed Faragon to a 27-22 lead as the final round began and he held on in the fourth to win a 34-32 decision.

Kevin Barger (Foster City, Calif.) won the second light welterweight stoppage over Tony Gonzalez (Ogden, Utah). The bout stayed relatively close through the first two rounds with Barger taking a 15-7 at the midway point. He took over in the third round, moving out to a 29-9 lead at the :36 point to win the mandatory stoppage victory. Barger will battle Michael Concepcion (E. Orange, N.J.) in the second light welterweight semifinal bout, following Concepcion’s victory over George Newkirk (National City, Calif.). The first round between the two boxers ended in a two-all tie, but Concepcion won the next two rounds to go into the fourth round with a 15-5 lead. He held on through the fourth round to win an 18-9 decision and a berth in the medal rounds.

The welterweight division was the next group to climb through the ropes, boxing in four quarterfinal bouts. Arturo Crespin (Las Vegas, N.M.) and Patrick Brennan (Ft. Mitchell, Ky.) opened the action with a high scoring bout. Crespin took a commanding lead early on and enjoyed a 26-12 advantage at the halfway mark. The final two rounds told a similar tale and he moved out to a 49-27 final decision. Crespin will battle Demetrio Soto (Los Angeles, Calif.) in the semifinal round. Soto earned a stoppage victory over Jeremy Ramos (Colorado Springs, Colo.) in their quarterfinal contest to advance to the next round. After a first round tie, Soto began to pull away from his opponent, taking a 21-15 lead after the second. He controlled the third stanza, grabbing a 20-point lead to win the mandatory stoppage victory at the :06 mark of the round.

2004 Under 19 National Champion Enver Halili (Weatherford, Texas) recorded his second victory of the tournament with a second round stoppage of Joseph Barela (Layton, Utah). Halili grabbed a 12-3 lead after the first round and never looked back. He moved out to a 25-5 advantage at the :46 mark of the second to take the stoppage victory. Halili will battle Rodrigo Garcia (Santa Ana, Calif.) in the semifinals. Garcia won another high scoring affair with Javontae Starks (Minneapolis, Minn.). He took a double-digit lead after the second round and continued to extend it over the final four minutes to win a 50-27 decision.

The light heavyweight division boxers took the ring for the first time at the Western Trials, boxing in four quarterfinal bouts to close Thursday’s action. Mike Montoya, Jr. (Colorado Springs, Colo.) opened the action with a 37-16 victory over Kevin Riding-In (Tempe, Ariz.). Montoya took the early advantage and never let it go, taking a 15-4 advantage at the midway point. He continued to pad his lead over the final two rounds to win the 37-16 decision. Montoya will face Lionell Thompson (Buffalo, N.Y.) in the semifinal round. Thompson recorded a third round stoppage victory over Jesus Berrelleza (Fontana, Calif.) in their quarterfinal contest to advance in the tournament. Thompson took a commanding 20-7 lead after two rounds and moved out to the necessary 20-point advantage in the final seconds of the third round to earn the stoppage victory.

Dennis Hasson (Philadelphia, Pa.) put an early end to his bout with Michael Meadows (Long Beach, Calif.). Hasson took a 15-5 lead into the third round of action and doubled it in the two-minutes to win a stoppage victory at the :24 mark of the round. Hasson will face Michael Ortiz (Moreno Valley, Calif.) in the semifinal round. Ortiz won a fourth round retirement victory over Stacey Harrington (South Haven, Mich.). He went into the final round with a 22-17 advantage before taking the win on retirement with one minute left in the bout.

Semifinal action will be contested in all 11weight divisions on Friday at the Salt Palace.

Thursday’s Quarterfinal Results
125 lbs/57 kg: Ryan Schmidt, Grand Rapids, Mich. dec. Manuel Gonzales, Salt Lake City, Utah, 28-15
125 lbs/57 kg: Raynell Williams, Cleveland, Ohio dec. Victor Valenzuela, Passaic, N.J., 30-20
125 lbs/57 kg: Daniel Martinez, Covina, Calif., dec. Rene Anaya, Huntington Park, Calif., 30-28
141 lbs/64 kg: Jamal James, Minneapolis, Minn., stopped Devonte Donaldson, San Pedro, Calif., RSCO-2 (1:05)
141 lbs/64 kg: Kevin Barger, Foster City, Calif., stopped Tony Gonzalez, Ogden, Utah, RSCO-3 (:36)
141 lbs/64 kg: Mike Faragon, Schenectady, N.Y. dec. Milton Ramos, Waco, Texas, 34-32
141 lbs/64 kg: Michael Concepcion, E. Orange, N.J. dec. George Newkirk, National City, Calif., 18-9
152 lbs/69 kg: Arturo Crespin, Las Vegas, N.M. dec. Patrick Brennan, Ft. Mitchell, Ky., 49-27
152 lbs/69 kg: Enver Halili, Weatherford, Texas stopped Joseph Barela, Layton, Utah, RSCO-2 (:46)
152 lbs/69 kg: Demetrio Soto, Los Angeles, Calif., stopped Jeremy Ramos, Colorado Springs, Colo., RSCO-3 (:00)
152 lbs/69 kg: Rodrigo Garcia, Santa Ana, Calif., dec. Javontae Starks, Minneapolis, Minn., 50-27
178 lbs/81 kg: Mike Montoya, Jr., Colorado Springs, Colo., dec. Kevin Riding-In, Tempe, Ariz., 37-16
178 lbs/81 kg: Dennis Hasson, Philadelphia, Pa., stopped Michael Meadows, Long Beach, Calif., RSCO-3 (:24)
178 lbs/81 kg: Lionell Thompson, Buffalo, N.Y. stopped Jesus Berrelleza, Fontana, Calif., RSCO-3 (1:59)
178 lbs/81 kg: Michael Ortiz, Moreno Valley, Calif. won on retirement over Stacy Harrington, South Haven, Mich., RET-4 (1:04)

Friday’s Semifinal Bout Sheets
Light flyweight
Jesus Aguilera, Los Alamos, Calif. vs. Diego Hurtado, Reno, Nev.

Flyweight
Suanitu Hoague, Albuquerque, N.M. vs. Jerry Guevara, Brownsville, Texas

Bantamweight
Shawn Nichol, Lakewood, Colo. vs. Rick Lopez, Brighton, Colo.
Christopher Avalos, Lancaster, Calif. vs. Sergio Perales, Los Fresnos, Texas

Featherweight
Efrain Esquivias, Torrance, Calif. vs. Raynell Williams, Cleveland, Ohio
Ryan Schmidt, Grand Rapids, Mich. vs. Daniel Martinez, Covina, Calif.

Lightweight
Carlos Arce, Los Angeles, Calif. vs. Enrique Nievas, Phoenix, Ariz.
Jeffrey Salas, E. Carbon, Utah vs. Roberto Vargas, Santa Ana, Calif.

Light welterweight
Jamal James, Minneapolis, Minn. vs. Mike Faragon, Schenectady, N.Y.
Michael Concepcion, E. Orange, N.J. vs. Kevin Barger, Foster City, Calif.

Middleweight
Peyton Boyea, Sacramento, Calif. vs. Dominic Wade, Largo, Md.
Stepan Zeytunyan, Aurora, Colo. vs. Kelly Max Buchanan, Teague, Texas

Light heavyweight
Mike Montoya, Jr., Colorado Springs, Colo. vs. Lionell Thompson, Buffalo, N.Y.
Dennis Hasson, Philadelphia, Pa. vs. Michael Ortiz, Moreno Valley, Calif.

Heavyweight
Michael Dubowsky, Calif. vs. Akeem Holland, San Mateo, Calif.
Andres Taylor, Johnstown, Pa. vs. Javier Torres, Medford, Ore.

Super heavyweight
Excell Holmes, Amherst, N.Y. vs. Justin Jones, Houston, Texas
Tyler Washington, Lynchburg, Va. vs. Tim Washington, Toledo, Ohio