March 17, 2011
Updated Brackets - Through Day One (pdf) | Updated Team Scores - Through Day One (pdf)
PHILADELPHIA - Three members of the Arizona State University wrestling team advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2011 NCAA Wrestling Championships while only one of the Sun Devils’ six qualifiers has been eliminated as the first of three days of competition came to a close Thursday night inside the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Anthony Robles (125), Bubba Jenkins (157) and Levi Cooper (285) each advanced to the quarterfinals where each man is one win away from earning All-America honors and a spot in the semifinals.
In the team standings, the Sun Devils are currently in sixth place with 21 points while Penn State leads the way with 30.5. The Top 5 is rounded out by Cornell (29.0), Iowa and Oklahoma State (25.0) and American (23.5). ASU is currently ahead of all Pac-10 schools, including Boise State, who is eighth (19.5) and Oregon State (14th, 16.5).
Robles punched his ticket into the quarterfinals with another strong showing and another technical fall, his second of the day and 24th of the season, as he rolled up Steven Keith (Harvard) with a 15-0 score in 3:32. Robles scored a takedown just nine seconds into the match and turned Keith four times in the first period, earning three points on each turn, to build a 14-0 lead through one. In the second, Robles had choice and selected down. Robles kicked and kicked before finally breaking free from Keith’s grip to score the escape and terminate the match. The win now sets up a meeting with No. 8 Jarrod Patterson (Oklahoma), who Robles has defeated twice this season, including a 16-1 technical fall at home and a 13-1 major decision to win the title at the Las Vegas Invitational one month later.
One of the more exciting finishes came from Jenkins at 157 as he fought back to win his way into the quarterfinals with a pin of Mark Lewandowski (Buffalo) in 5:41 of their match. In the first, Jenkins surrendered a takedown and two near-fall points before escaping and looking for his offense, but the clock ran out on the period with the Sun Devil senior down, 4-1. Jenkins chose bottom to start the second and escaped for the only scoring, cutting his deficit to 4-2. In the third, Lewandowski chose down and Jenkins let him up before scoring a takedown and releasing him again to trail, 6-5. From there, Jenkins locked up his Bull opponent, hit the cement mixer and put Lewandowski on his back before scoring the fall to complete the comeback and set up a meeting with No. 12 Paul Young (Indiana), who upset No. 5 Jesse Dong (Virginia Tech) in the second round.
Just when Jenkins thought he held the distinction of the best pin of the day for the Sun Devils, Cooper took top billing as he was locked in a close match with Joseph Rizqallah (Michigan State) and stuck the Spartan at 6:24 for the win. After scoring a takedown for a 2-1 lead through one before Rizqallah escaped to tie the score to open the second. In the third, Rizqallah was riding strong and keeping Cooper in control before both went to the mat, Cooper turned and put Rizqallah’s shoulders to the mat, earning the fall and the win. In the quarterfinals, Cooper will look to knock off another seeded wrestler as he will face #5 Dom Bradley (Missouri).
At 184, Jake Meredith lost his first match of the tournament as No. 3 Steve Bosak (Cornell) built a 5-0 lead into the second period before pinning Meredith at 4:41 to send the Sun Devil to the consolation round. On Friday morning, Meredith will start his quest to become an All-American by needing to win his next three matches in a row to gain that status. That journey will begin with a rematch against Jonathan Fausey (Virginia), who he dropped an 11-1 major decision to at the Virginia Duals in January.
In the consolations, Eric Stark staved off elimination as he won a 2-0 decision against Brandon Wright (Chattanooga). Starks, who defeated Wright, 8-3, at the Virginia Duals, was locked in a scoreless draw through one period before Wright chose down to start the second. In that period, Starks rode tough on top and kept Wright down for the entire two minutes, keeping the score at 0-0. In the third, Starks escaped 14 seconds into the period to lead, 1-0, and then added the riding time bonus (1:46) to take the match, 2-0. Next up for Starks on Friday morning will be a match against Scott Glasser (Minnesota).
Also in the consolations was Luke Macchiaroli, who faced Tyler Dickerson (Michigan State). In the first, Dickerson took down Macchiaroli and added three near-fall points for a 5-0 lead before Macchiaroli chose bottom to open the second period where he was unable to escape and gave up two near-fall points to trail, 7-0, through two. In the third, Dickerson started neutral with both looking for shots, but none connected. Dickerson added the riding time bonus to take an 8-0 major decision that eliminated Macchiaroli from the tournament.
NOTES
• Robles now has 119 career wins, placing himself in the eighth position on the all-time wins list at ASU
• Robles’ two technical falls on the day give him 24 on the year (ASU season record) and gives him 31 bonus point victories (majors, techs and falls), which surpasses the 30 Cain Velasquez had as the record for one season
• Jenkins only has two wins by fall this season, both coming in the third period
• NCAA Quarters: Robles advanced to the quarterfinals for the third year in a row while Jenkins advanced to the same round for the second time in his career
Action continues on Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. ET (6:30 a.m. Arizona) with all five Sun Devils still in the tournament competing.
2011 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships
Wells Fargo Center • Philadelphia, Pa.
Day One Results - Session 2 ONLY - March 17, 2011
# before name indicates tournament seeding
125 - #1 Anthony Robles (2-0)
Round of 16 - #1 Robles tech fall Steven Keith (Harvard), 15-0 (3:32)
Quarterfinal - #1 Robles vs. #8 Jarrod Patterson (Oklahoma)
157 - #4 Bubba Jenkins (2-0)
Round of 16 - #4 Jenkins pinned Mark Lewandowski (Buffalo), 5:41
Quarterfinal - #4 Jenkins vs. #12 Paul Young (Indiana)
174 - Eric Starks (1-1)
Conso. First - Starks dec. Brandon Wright (Chattanooga), 2-0
Conso. Second - Starks vs. Scott Glasser (Minnesota)
184 - Jake Meredith (1-1)
Round of 16 - #3 Steve Bosak (Cornell) pinned Meredith, 4:41
Conso. Second - Meredith vs. Jonathan Fausey (Virginia)
197 - Luke Macchiaroli (0-2, eliminated)
Conso. First - Tyler Dickerson (Michigan State) major Macchiaroli, 8-0
285 - Levi Cooper (2-0)
Round of 16 - Cooper pinned Joseph Rizqallah (Michigan State), 6:24
Quarterfinal - Cooper vs. #5 Dom Bradley (Missouri)
FULL TOURNAMENT RESULTS
# before name indicates tournament seeding
125 - #1 Anthony Robles (2-0)
Round of 32 - #1 Robles tech fall Matthew Snyder (Virginia), 17-1 (4:23)
Round of 16 - #1 Robles tech fall Steven Keith (Harvard), 15-0 (3:32)
Quarterfinal - #1 Robles vs. #8 Jarrod Patterson (Oklahoma)
157 - #4 Bubba Jenkins (2-0)
Round of 32 - #4 Jenkins major Alex Medved (Gardner Webb), 16-5
Round of 16 - #4 Jenkins pinned Mark Lewandowski (Buffalo), 5:41
Quarterfinal - #4 Jenkins vs. #12 Paul Young (Indiana)
174 - Eric Starks (1-1)
Round of 32 - #5 Chris Henrich (Virginia) major Starks, 10-2
Conso. First - Starks dec. Brandon Wright (Chattanooga), 2-0
Conso. Second - Starks vs. Scott Glasser (Minnesota)
184 - Jake Meredith (1-1)
Round of 32 - Meredith major Richard Shafer (Iowa State), 10-0
Round of 16 - #3 Steve Bosak (Cornell) pinned Meredith, 4:41
Conso. Second - Meredith vs. Jonathan Fausey (Virginia)
197 - Luke Macchiaroli (0-2, eliminated)
Round of 32 - #2 Clayton Foster (Oklahoma State) major Macchiaroli, 11-1
Conso. First - Tyler Dickerson (Michigan State) major Macchiaroli, 8-0
285 - Levi Cooper (2-0)
Round of 32 - Cooper dec. #4 Dominic Russo (Rutgers), 5-2
Round of 16 - Cooper pinned Joseph Rizqallah (Michigan State), 6:24
Quarterfinal - Cooper vs. #5 Dom Bradley (Missouri)
Top 5 Team Standings - Through Day 1
1. Penn State - 30.5
2. Cornell - 29.0
3. Iowa/Oklahoma State - 25.0
5. American - 23.5
6. Arizona State - 21.0