Las Cruces' Ariana Carrasco soldiers to victory at the USA Boxing National Open

Specialist-4 Ariana Carrasco did the United States Army proud on Saturday.

That goes for her hometown of Las Cruces, too.

Carrasco, a member of the Army boxing team stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado —but a Las Crucen through and through — defeated Philadelphia’s Stacia Suttles for the women’s 146-pound Elite Division title at the USA Boxing National Open.

With the victory by close but unanimous decision at the Albuquerque Convention Center, Carrasco avenged a loss to Suttles last December in the U.S. Olympic Trials.

“This is a good win for me, coming off that,” Carrasco said afterward.

New Mexico boxers went 2-3 on Saturday in the Elite finals.

Albuquerque super heavyweight (for now) Leroy Clark defeated Deonte Willis of Paso Robles, California by unanimous decision.

Albuquerque’s Yoruba Moreu Jr. lost by unanimous decision to Olympic Trials champion Jordan Fuentes of Fresno, California, in the men’s 125-pound final.

Peralta’s Alexa Garrobo lost by unanimous decision to Olympic Trials semifinalist Casey Dial of Clarksville, Tennessee in the women’s 132-pound title bout.

Albuquerque 114-pounder Alexandra Rocha lost by unanimous decision to Lansing, Michigan veteran Zoe Hicks.

Carrasco, who’d lost to Suttles in the first round at the Trials, lost Saturday’s first round on three of the five scorecards. The National Open features open scoring, so that information was available to Carrasco.

She didn’t want it.

“I prefer not to know,” she said, “because it lets me stay in the present moment, not think back on the last round I just did.”

Regardless, Carrasco came out for the second round with a vengeance, winning it on all five cards with fast-handed aggressiveness that Suttles failed to match.

The third and final round was more of the same, though Suttles did win it on one scorecard. The totals: 30-27 once and 29-28 four times for the Spec-4.

Carrasco joined the Army some two years ago. Her MOS, or, military occupational specialty, is 88-Mike, a Motor Transport Operator — defined online as “disciplined, technical experts that provide the Army with motor transportation capabilities to support movement of personnel and cargo.”

“It’s a good job,” Carrasco said, “but in the future I’ll reclassify.”

Carrasco’s boxing future includes eventual reclassification as a professional. But for the time being, she said, “I’ll just keep boxing (as an amateur) and staying motivated for my military career.”

In the super heavyweight final, Clark made it look easy in defeating a far heavier man in Willis.

“But it wasn’t (easy),” Clark said. “He was strong. He was quick.”

Clark, who stands a lanky 6-foot-6, entered the National Open at 203-plus pounds while weighing only 208; Willis, in contrast, was listed at 265 pounds when he played football at Bakersfield (California) College.

No matter. Clark, keeping a long right jab in Willis’ face, blunted the California boxer’s aggressiveness with movement — gradually increasing his offensive output as the bout progressed.

“My fundamentals got me through this tournament,” Clark said. “Fundamentals and footwork.”

Last August, Clark won the USA Boxing Summer Festival at the heavyweight limit of 203 pounds. He entered the National Open at 203-plus, he said, because “I like challenging myself.”

He’ll compete in future tournaments at his more natural weight of 203 before, perhaps, turning pro by the end of the year.

In a bout between skilled southpaws, Moreu was unable to consistently catch up with Fuentes. The bout was a shutout on the scorecards: 30-27 three times, 30-26 twice.

“He’s a great fighter, man, great timing. … Good experience,” Moreu said. “He’s the Olympic Trials champion for a reason.”

Moreu, 18, still relatively new to Elite Division competition, has gone 7-3 in his past three tournaments.

It’s about “getting as much experience as I can for the next step (the pros),” he said. “No need to rush right now.”

On Thursday, Garrobo had won her first bout at the national level by defeating Emily Bazan of Azusa, California. Facing the more accomplished Dial, she said, even in defeat, was another step forward.

“This is exactly what I wanted,” Garrobo said. “I don’t have close to as many fights as she does, so I’m proud that I was able to stand toe to toe with her.”

Photos: Step inside the ring during the 2024 USA Boxing National Open at the Albuquerque Convention Center