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Heavyweight wrestling win secures ASU's victory over UTC


January 07, 2011

The No. 25 Arizona State University wrestling team won a back-and-forth dual against Chattanooga to open the 31st Virginia Duals on Friday morning, using a 10-1 major decision victory by heavyweight Levi Cooper to break the tie and give the Sun Devils a 22-18 victory inside the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Va. Six different Sun Devils won their matches on the day to help ASU improve to 4-2 on the year while UTC fell to 5-7 overall.

The Sun Devils received victories from No. 2 Anthony Robles (125), David Prado (133), No. 4 Bubba Jenkins (157), Eric Starks (174), Luke Macchiaroli (197) and Cooper with three winning with bonus points. Robles added his 10th technical fall of the year while both Prado and Cooper won by major decision.

Robles opened much like he always does, scoring a quick takedown before turning Joe DeAngelo for several three-point near falls. After five different scoring turns, Robles nearly stuck DeAngelo, but the Moc rolled through to his stomach, ending the chance for the fall and giving Robles the 17-0 technical fall of the first period to stake ASU to an early 5-0 lead. The technical fall win is the 10th of the season for Robles, equaling his own school record for technical fall wins in a season that he recorded two years ago.

Prado immediately scored on a takedown to start the 133 match and worked Adam Wilson from the top position, eventually grabbing three more points on a near-fall count before the Moc reversed Prado and the Sun Devil escaped, making it 8-2 through the first period. Wilson chose down to open the second stanza with Prado riding him the entire period and scoring three more near-fall points for an 11-2 lead. Prado chose bottom and escaped to open the final period of action before Wilson took him down and Prado escaped once again to make it 13-4. Prado added one point for riding time to bring the final of 14-4 and earn the four-point major decision, putting ASU ahead, 9-0.

At 141, Kalin Goodsite fell behind early on a takedown and escaped to make it 2-1 heading into the second period where the Sun Devil chose bottom against Shawn Greevy. In the second, Greevy scored on a two-point near-fall to make it 4-1 before adding an escape to open the third period, putting Goodsite down, 5-1. Goodsite was then pinned with 1:02 remaining in the third to put ASU ahead, 9-6, in the team race.

Tai Fukumoto battled tough in the first period at 149 and shot in on Trevor Herron, but the Moc slipped behind and scored the takedown to make it 2-0 through the opening stanza. In the second, Fukumoto chose down and could not escape, sending Herron down to open the third with the Moc leading, 2-0. In the final period, Herron opened with an escape before Fukumoto scored a takedown and released Herron, making it 4-2. Herron added one point for riding time to take the match, 5-2 and tied the team score at nine all.

Back in front of his hometown fans, Jenkins opened his 157 match against Josh Condon with a takedown and took a 2-0 lead into the second period. Condon chose down to start the second and escaped one minute into the period to bring the score to 2-1 heading into the final stanza. In the third, Jenkins started on bottom and quickly reversed Condon to take a 4-2 lead after the Mocs’ escape. Jenkins added another takedown and Condon escaped to make it 6-3 with one minute remaining. Jenkins finished the match with another takedown and the riding time bonus to score a 9-3 decision and put ASU back on top, 12-9. That lead did not last as Dan Waddell won by forfeit at 165 to put the Mocs on top, 15-12.

At 174, Starks went on defense quickly as Brandon Wright shot in, but Starks fought off the attempt and eventually countered to score a 2-1 lead. Starks capped the period with another two points as he blasted through a double-leg shot and held a 4-1 lead heading into the second. After an escape on the optional start for Wright, Starks again scored on a takedown and optional start release, making it 6-3 heading into the final period. In the third, Starks chose down and escaped before adding the riding time bonus for the 8-3 win to tie the team score, 15-15.

The team decision would now come down to the three heaviest weights, starting with Jake Meredith at 184 against Jason McCroskey. The match opened with some fast scrambles where McCroskey got the first takedown before Meredith reversed the Moc to knot it at 2-2 heading into the second. Meredith chose down and got into a scramble where he nearly reversed McCroskey once again, neither wrestler scored to keep the match tied at two heading into the third. In the final period, McCroskey chose down and eventually scored two on a reverse with 45 seconds remaining in the match. McCroskey added one more point on riding time, bringing the match to a 5-2 final and putting the Mocs back in front, 18-15.

Needing a victory to keep it close, Macchiaroli took to the mat at 197 and battled through some scrambles to score a takedown with three seconds remaining in the first period for a 2-0 lead. Robert Prigmore chose down to open the second and escaped with 48 seconds to go to make it 2-1 with one period to go. In the third period, Macchiaroli chose down and quickly escaped, making it 3-1. The Sun Devil added two more on a takedown and cut Prigmore for a 5-2 lead with one minute remaining. A takedown with 42 seconds remaining put Macchiaroli ahead for good and the riding time gave him the victory, 8-3, to tie the score once again at 18-18.

The dual now came down to one final match with the hopes of a team victory on the shoulders of heavyweight Cooper. The Sun Devil big man pushed the action and scored a takedown with 15 seconds remaining in the opening period, giving him a 2-0 lead. Matt Lettner chose to start down to open the second period where Cooper rode tough looking for a turn and nearly getting a pair, but the period came to an end with no change in the score. Cooper took his turn on bottom to start the final stanza and quickly escaped to extend his lead to 3-0. Cooper added another takedown and Lettner escaped on a roll-through, making it 5-1 before Cooper scored another takedown, two near-fall points and the riding time bonus for a 10-1 major decision. Those four team points gave ASU the victory in the team standings, 22-18, as well.

ASU will next face No. 23 Kent State today at 1 p.m. in the quarterfinal round after the Golden Flashes defeated Rider, 25-16, in their first round match.

#25 Arizona State def. Chattanooga, 22-18
Virginia Duals - First Round
Friday, January 7, 2011 • Hampton Coliseum (Hampton, Va.)
125 - #2 Anthony Robles (AS) tech fall Joe DeAngelo, 17-0
133 - David Prado (AS) major Adam Wilson, 14-4
141 - Shawn Greevy (C) pinned Kalin Goodsite, 5:58
149 - Trevor Herron (C) dec. Tai Fukumoto, 5-2
157 - #4 Bubba Jenkins (AS) dec. Josh Condon, 9-3
165 - Dan Waddell (C) won by forfeit
174 - Eric Starks (AS) dec. Brandon Wright, 8-3
184 - Jason McCroskey (C) dec. Jake Meredith, 5-2
197 - Luke Macchiaroli (AS) dec. Robert Prigmore, 8-3
285 - Levi Cooper (AS) major Matt Lettner, 10-1
ASU advances to quarterfinals vs. #23 Kent State at 1 p.m. Friday