(Photo: Reece Andrews/WCSN)
Looking to build momentum off its three-meet winning streak, No. 19 Arizona State (5-4, 2-1) will travel west for an 8 p.m. (AZT) Sunday matchup with Oregon State (6-5, 2-0) that’ll feature 11 ranked wrestlers.
ASU finished its latest dual with a season-high 31 points in a dominant display against Little Rock. Half of its wins were in the first four weight classes, which have been dominant for much of this season. The Sun Devils’ wrestlers in the 125-, 133-, 141- and 149-pound divisions have gone 15-1 since their Cal Poly loss on Jan. 20, a stretch that included their 4-0 showing Friday in which they racked up four bonus-point victories.
But, as has been seemingly crucial during their recent stretch of success, others in the heavier weight classes have stepped up — especially sophomore Josh Nummer, who jumped up two weight classes and secured a much-needed victory in the depleted 197-pound division for ASU.
The Sun Devils will see some familiar faces Sunday, as No. 6 184-pound sophomore Trey Munoz and No. 15 141-pound sophomore Cleveland Belton spent two-plus seasons in Tempe. Munoz boasted a 19-6 record at 174 pounds across that span, though Belton was winless in his three appearances before joining the Beavers.
With a 24-5 record a season ago, Munoz was an NCAA qualifier in the 184-pound division whose first match versus ASU ended as a technical fall victory against Nummer.
This year, Munoz is set to battle Sun Devils No. 21 junior Anthony Montalvo, who is coming off his 50th career victory – a 13-3 major decision against Trojans redshirt freshman Mason Diel.
Belton has thrived since relocating, having boasted a 15-6 record with 10 bonus-point wins in his 2021-2022 debut at Oregon State. Ahead of his meeting with No. 20 sophomore Jesse Vasquez, who holds a 15-7 record, Belton has already logged two ranked wins.
The Beavers have four more top-20 ranked wrestlers on the roster: No. 11 125-pound junior Brandon Kaylor, No. 19 133-pound junior Jason Shaner, No. 18 165-pound sophomore Matthew Olguin and No. 19 174-pound junior Aaron Olmos.
The only top-15 match of the meet will take place between Kaylor — a 2021 NCAA Qualifier with a 17-6 record this season — and No. 8 senior Brandon Courtney or No. 6 sophomore Richard Figueroa. In splitting starts with Figueroa, who is 14-0 this season, Courtney is 7-2 with his most recent win of the season marking the 100th of his career.
Shaner versus No. 4 senior Michael McGee serves as a top-20 matchup in which McGee will be looking for his seventh straight dual win after etching his name into ASU’s sixth all-time position in career wins (125) on Friday.
After ASU No. 4 149-pound sophomore Kyle Parco overpowered Little Rock junior Joseph Bianchi in a 20-2 technical-fall win, he’ll confront junior Riley Gurr, who is 9-6 this season. As a two-time All-American who is the defending 149-pound Pac-12 champion, Parco is 18-4 this season and has been as reliable as almost anyone on the Sun Devils. Gurr has lost his last two dual matches as the only wrestler to fall in the Beavers’ most recent win against CSU Bakersfield.
Olguion, who is 17-6 this season after placing third in the 2021 Pac-12 Championships, and Sun Devils junior Tony Negron will likely be the 165-pound competitors. Working through his first season at Tempe, Negron is 8-10.
