Wrestling opens home slate with victory over Grand Canyon
With three wins by fall and three more by forfeit, the No. 20 Arizona State University wrestling team snapped a two-dual losing streak and handily defeated visiting Grand Canyon, 39-16, Sunday afternoon inside Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe. The Sun Devils, who won 7-of-10 matches, improved to 3-2 overall on the season while their local rivals from the Phoenix slipped to 1-1 overall.
The win over the Antelopes improved ASU’s record to 3-0-0 in the all-time series and 56-9-0 all-time against teams from the state of Arizona. The Sun Devils also won their home opener for the fourth year in a row.
The dual opened at 125 pounds with the Sun Devils taking an instant 6-0 lead in the team race as No. 3 Anthony Robles won by forfeit to raise his record to 5-0 on the year. That lead grew to 9-0 after the 133-pound as No. 20 Ben Ashmore won a 6-3 decision over previously undefeated Todd Wilcox. Ashmore took a 3-0 lead into the second period with a takedown and penalty point before making it 4-0 with an escape in the second. In the third period, however, Wilcox escaped and scored a takedown to make 4-3, but Ashmore escaped, fought off another shot and added a point for 1:56 of riding time to take the decision.
At 141, No. 5 Chris Drouin joined Robles at 5-0 on the season as he scored a pin of Kyle Wilson at 5:36 for six more team points and a 15-0 lead. Drouin took down Wilson and then added five back points to finish the first on top, 7-0. Drouin chose down in the second and escaped before adding a takedown and two near-fall points before the end of the period and a 12-0 lead. In the third, Wilson chose neutral before Drouin took him down and turned him to his back for the pin. From there, the ASU team advantage grew to 27-0 as both Vicente Varela (149) and Te Edwards (157) won by forfeit.
At 165 pounds, Michael Swigart saw his first action of the season as he filled in for Kyle DeBerry and found himself on the short end of a pin by Stephen Towne at 4:18. GCU’s Victor Carazo followed that at 174 pounds as he caught Eric Starks on the edge of the mat and pinned him in 1:43 to make it 27-12 in the team race.
Jake Meredith halted the Antelopes’ winning streak in the 184 pound match as the Sun Devil sophomore recorded the fastest fall of the day by sticking Daniel Garay in 1:00. Meredith earned the takedown and started his ride on the edge of the mat before locking up Garay and earning the fall for a 33-12 lead. GCU won their final match of the day at 197 as Kevin Treftz won a 16-4 major decision over Anthony Pike before ASU’s Erik Nye pinned Brian Cooper in 1:34 to close out the dual with ASU on top, 39-16.
The Sun Devils will enter into their first tournament competition of the season next weekend as they travel to Primm, Nev., for the Cliff Keen/Las Vegas Invitational on Friday and Saturday.
#20 Arizona State defeats Grand Canyon, 39-16
Wells Fargo Arena • Tempe, Ariz.
125 - #3 Anthony Robles (AS) won by forfeit
133 - #20 Ben Ashmore (AS) dec. Todd Wilcox, 6-3
141 - #5 Chris Drouin (AS) pinned Kyle Wilson, 5:36
149 - Vicente Varela (AS) won by forfeit
157 - Te Edwards (AS) won by forfeit
165 - Stephen Towne (GC) pinned Michael Swigart, 4:18
174 - Victor Carazo (GC) pinned Eric Starks, 1:43
184 - Jake Meredith (AS) pinned Daniel Garay, 1:00
197 - Kevin Treftz (GC) major Anthony Pike, 16-4
285 - Erik Nye (AS) pinned Brian Cooper, 1:34
Official: Charlie Jones • Attendance: 367