(Photo: Courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics)
TEMPE-Arizona State wrestling faced a goliath in No. 4 Oklahoma State on Sunday. The Sun Devils, however, could not be David and upset Oklahoma State.
With 4,449 people in attendance, it was the second-largest crowd ever in Sun Devil wrestling history. Despite the loss, the crowd erupted with each point Sun Devil conjured. However, while Oklahoma State would win in dominant fashion, ASU’s wins would end up being close affairs. These close wins and dominant losses lead to a 25-11 final.
“I mean anytime you have a great crowd, the guys are going to try harder,” ASU head coach Zeke Jones said. “You know, wrestling’s in front of a rabid crowd. I mean, you saw any time we scored a point I loved it.”
It all started at 157 pounds, where Chance McLane, despite multiple escapes, each getting loud cheers from the crowd, could not generate any offense. He would fall 15-5 in a major decision to Landon Robideau, who dominated the whole match with a slew of double-leg takedowns
ASU aimed to rally behind star 165-pounder junior Nicco Ruiz. However, Ruiz would lose a 30-second scramble drill to go down 3-0 in the first to Kody Routledge.
Down 6-3 in the second, Ruiz would win a scrabble drill of his own and tie it up 6-6. In the third, Ruiz would erase a 3-point deficit with a take down grab the win for the Sun Devils 10-9.
“It feels great coming back to DFA, starting off with a win,” said Ruiz “Just feels amazing to get the season on my track”
Graduate 174-pound Cael Valencia would bring the energy into the next match as he would take down redshirt junior Alex Faucundo halfway through the first to go up 3-0. In the second, it would flip as after an escape and a takedown would put Valencia down 6-3. This momentum would carry into the third period as Valencia could not fight back and would lose 18-8 and put the Sun Devils down 8-3 going into the fourth match. 184 would show at first to be promising for the Maroon and Gold, as ASU’s Senior Aziz Fayzullaev would stalemate No. 9. Zack Ryder. However the tides would turn as Ryder hit a headlock in the second and took over from there and won by decision to put the Cowboys up 11-3.
197 would show to be another dominant win for the Cowboys as No.9 Cody Merrill would tech Junior Max Acciardi 22-6 in a match where offense was again sparse for the Sun Devils.
Down 16-3 the Sun Devils would look to graduate heavyweight David Szuba to bring them back within striking distance. Down 1-0 in the second Szunba would escape what seemed to be a certain takedown by Konner Doucet to keep the score 1-0 heading into the third. With 35 seconds remaining in the third Szuba would escape to even the score 1-1. This would prove not to be enough as Doucet would take down Szuba and win the match 4-2.
Junior Damien Moreno would try to reignite ASU with an ankle pick off the whistle but Oklahoma State’s Troy Spratley would defend it and lead to a stalemate. After an intense scramble drill which would have both wrestlers close to points, the first period would end 0-0. However just like many other matches in the afternoon Oklahoma State would take over and it win be 4-0 and extend the team lead to 21-3
The homecoming of former Sun Devil No.17 Richard Figueroa would be intense, and the 133-pound matcha o would deliver, with Freshman Kyler Larkin looking to show why he was taking over the spot. Figueroa would get a takedown, but in the waning moments of the first, Larkin would get a takedown.
With Figueroa getting multiple stalling warnings and challenges from both sides halfway through the second, Figueroa would get another stalling call to put Larkin up 7-3 going into the third. Larkin would be out for blood, however, as he would defeat the former Sun Devil 10-5 and send the crowd into a frenzy.
“What matters is Kyler getting out there and wrestling Richie,” said Jones, “and really in my mind, knowing our guy won today, but it’s not over. We’re going to the Big 12 and I’m sure we are going to see each other again.”
No. 30 redshirt freshman Peirosn Manville and Arizona Native No. 2 Sergio Vega also lit the crowd ablaze with many coming to the homecoming as defeated Manville in a close 5-3 affair, which heard massive cheers from both sides.
No. 2 redshirt sophomore Kaleb Larkin would finish the dual at 141 vs Cutter Sheets. Larkin would take control with multiple takedowns in the first, putting him up 6-1. He would continue this and leave Sun Devil fans with a 19-4 tech fall. This would not be enough as ASU would fall 25-11 to the Cowboys.
“We got to continue to work on and we just got to take advantage of the moments, you know the close matches,” said Jones.
