(Photo By: Sun Devil Athletics)
Tempe – ASU Senior Jesse Vasquez walked away from the center disappointed. He was dominating the premier match of the night 7-0, between the No.16 and No.17 ranked 149-pound wrestlers in the country. But, in a matter of minutes, the lower-ranked redshirt senior Colin Realbuto, from the University of Northern Iowa, was able to mount a comeback and pin Vasquez.
Just like Vasquez, Arizona State wrestling (4-3, 1-2 Big 12) showed flashes in its dual with the fifth-ranked team in the country, but was unable to keep up with Northern Iowa (9-0, 3-0 Big 12), losing 33-10.
“I’m disappointed we didn’t finish matches,” ASU head coach Zeke Jones said. “We could have easily gone five-five with them right, a top-five team in the country, but we’re not finishing matches.”
Jones pointed out disappointing losses from Vasquez and redshirt senior Julian Chlebove as areas for improvement.
”Julian tried to manage the win,” Jones said. “He didn’t try to take the win. Jesse’s up seven to zero. He didn’t try to take the win. He tried to manage the score, you can’t manage.”
Chlebove had an opportunity to improve his No.22 ranking against No.21 redshirt junior Julian Farber. He got the first takedown, but Farber proved more clutch, using his high pressure to win the 133-pound bout 5-4.
“Just as a whole group, we need more matches,” Jones said. “We need about 10 to 12 matches. I think the guys will hit their rhythm, like guys like Jesse and Julian.”
National Champion and redshirt junior Richard Figueroa believes in his team’s ability to improve.
“Right now we just had a good hard month of training and right now we’re just figuring it out,” Figueroa said. “By the time March comes, we’ll be good.”
Improvement will have to come before March to match last year’s sixth-place finish. UNI dominated five of the seven matches they won.
The No.5 141-pound wrestler in the country, Panther redshirt senior Cael Happel, bested ASU sophomore Daniel Miranda 19-5. Miranda showed determination, fighting till the end to avoid being tech-falled.
Miranda’s teammate at 157 was not able to avoid giving up the extra, fifth team point. Sun Devil junior Michael Kilic was teched by No.4 Ryder Downey, who is having a nearly perfect season (17-1).
Beginning at 174 pounds the Panthers strung together three dominant tech falls. First, UNI redshirt junior Jared Simma defended his ranking against fellow redshirt junior ASU’s Max Wilner.
UNI redshirt senior and reigning 184-pound national champion Parker Keckeisen showed levels in his match against ASU redshirt junior Cael Valencia. He was dominant in top, bottom, and neutral after giving up one takedown.
UNI’s No.12 redshirt sophomore Wyatt Voelker had a similar result, using his speed and slickness to win 19-4 over ASU junior Jacob Meissner.
Those losses did not tell the whole story for the Sun Devils, many of their wrestlers looked sharp.
“Richie showed us how to do it,” Jones said. “When Richie took the lead and the kid tried to make it hard on him, Richie kept shooting.”
Figueroa earned two quick takedowns to grab a 6-1 lead at the end of the first quarter. He led 11-4 in the third period of his first home dual back from injury. On the brink of giving up a major decision, Panthers’ No.21 ranked redshirt sophomore Trevor Anderson earned a takedown to prevent UNI taking a 4-0 hole to begin the dual.
On a night meant to honor his team’s 2024 Pac-12 championship and his national championship, Figueroa did enough to win.
“I felt good getting a victory in the DFA and in front of the ASU fans,” Richard Figueroa said. “That means the whole world to me because I like to put on a show. I just hate losing.”
Figueroa started the dual with a win and ASU heavyweight Cohlton Schultz ended it with one. He put on a clinic against Panthers’ No. 21 redshirt sophomore Trever Anderson, winning a 12-3 major decision.
“I like Cohlton’s energy, he’s wrestling free,” Coach Jones said. “He wrestled with confidence. He has a smile on his face. He’s having fun. It’s his senior year.”
ASU won three out of five of the matches featuring a ranked wrestler from both teams. The final wrestler to do that was ASU sophomore Nicco Ruiz, who defeated redshirt senior Jack Thomsen. Ruiz was ranked No.12 to Thomsen’s No.17.
“He’s a freshman to deal with,” Jones said. “He is special, he’s gonna have a special career. Mark my words, that kid’s gonna be a force now and in the future.”
Sun Devil fans can be optimistic about a team that has shown flashes and typically performs better in tournaments.
“I just always believe that we’ll be prepared by the time March comes,” Figueroa said.
*All rankings are FloWrestling rankings except UNI team rankings which come from the commentator*
