Email   Print   Share By Staff Sgt. Renee Daniels, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

Facebook Digg Delicious July 15, 2010 | Sports

4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div.’s winning combatives team pose with their brigade commander, Col. Brian Winski, and the brigade’s top NCO, Command Sgt. Maj. Antoine Overstreet. The fighters are: (back row, from left) Pvt. Philip Alberternst, Spc. Raymond Billett, Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Klibert, Pvt. Darren Jones, Pfc. Ryan McCorry, Sgt. Ryan McCracken, asst. coach Staff Sgt. Lehi Benton and Sgt. Christopher Alcala; (front row) Spc. Silvero Perez, 1st Sgt. Daniel Pilewski, Spc. Jason Figgemeier and Pvt. Tyson Johnson (not pictured). Staff Sgt. Renee Daniels, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

After many rounds of enduring forceful kicks, shattering punches, and vigorous body slams, Soldiers of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division combatives team came out victorious during Fort Hood’s tournament July 1 at the Abrams Physical Fitness Center.

“For me coming out of JRTC (Joint Readiness Training Center), it was a big challenge, because I went to sniper school, then the field and JRTC,” said Sgt. Ryan McCracken, a sniper team leader assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div.

Although he could not train as intensely as he had for previous competitions, McCracken entered the tournament knowing he could win the title bout again.

“It was different from last year with pretty much no train up (this year),” said the first-place finisher in the heavyweight division.

During each bout, three judges scored the Soldiers on a 10-point system for three rounds.

“Two out of three judges will decide who wins, but we would rather see the fighters win by submission,” said Jeff Montgomery, the troop school military occupational specialty instructor at Central Texas College.

Soldiers applied moves such as rear neck and choke, the mount and the arm bar to gain dominance over their opponents, resulting in a possible win by submission.

“I’m real proud of my fighters, they fought hard,” said 1st Sgt. Daniel Pilewski, the senior noncommissioned officer for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2-7 Cav. Regt.

After a long night of fighting, the Long Knife Brigade walked away with the overall team win with four individuals making it to the final round of the competition: McCracken was the heavyweight division winner; Spc. Jason Figgemeier placed second in welterweight; Pvt. Tyson Johnson, was the third-place heavyweight; and Spc. Silvero Perez finished fourth in the lightweight division.

“Am I surprised by the Long Knife team? Not really,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Antoine Overstreet, the brigade’s senior NCO. “It speaks very highly of the discipline of the Soldiers coming out of JRTC.”