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ROANOKE RAPIDS – Several area students from Kenny Buffaloe’s Kyokushin Karate Class at VINFIT in Murfreesboro recently competed in the 2023 North Carolina Kyokushin Karate Inter-Dojo Kumite(Fighting) Competition held April 22 in Roanoke Rapids.

Local students earned 1st and 2nd place awards (trophies) in several categories in Kyokushin Karate Kumite (Contact Fighting) in male and female divisions.

First place winners were Hailey Moore, Philip Villegas, Alex Tzompaxtle, Kaedence Barnes, Dustin Carroll, Dev Patel, Priansh Patel, Rachel Harrison, Samuel Brodsky, Braylon Deloatch, Worth Villegas, Kaiden Horton, Daniel Hodges, Jason Villegas, Erik Santana, Dylan Watts, Tanner Kean, Dracen Bennett, Jason Chandler, Caleb Garcia, Joey Brodsky, and Caleb Tzompaxtle.

Earning second pace trophies were Tony Branch, Jim Walker, Erik Santana, Jr., Cash Sumner, Dawson Deloatch, Philip Villegas, Miriam Villegas, Jenni Helmkamp, Malakia Robinson, Wyatt Crutchlow, Landen Garner, Matthew Crisp, Jason Chandler, Kirk Richardson, Lourdes Benitez, Jarious Brown, Austin Bugsbee, Thomas Tran, Issac Scott, Issac Nieto, and Worth Villegas.

Kenny Buffaloe, Chief Instructor of the Murfreesboro class, was very pleased by the technical performances of all the students who fought with good spirit and positive attitude.

“It was a great opportunity for our students to test themselves so that they can further grow and develop in their weekly Kyokushin Karate training in our classes,” Buffaloe said.

These matches were fought under the Kyokushin contact rule from where points and decisions are only awarded for the actual effectiveness of techniques against the opponents.

There were youth, teen, and adult categories in this event and many spectators witnessed the action.

For more information on Kyokushin Karate and area training classes, call or text (252) 589-4281.