Nov. 5, 2011
YPSILANTI, Mich. – The Arizona State University wrestling team opened its 2011-12 campaign on Saturday as the team competed at the Eastern Michigan Open in Ypsilanti, Mich. Several Sun Devils were able to make it to the third-place matchups in what was an overall productive day for the youthful squad.
Redshirt junior Levi Cooper entered the day as the team’s top returner, earning All-America honors last year and being ranked in the top-10 in most ranking services coming into the season. The heavyweight got the season off on a nice note, pinning Purdue’s Adam Wall in 2:22 but suffered a setback in his second match of the day, losing a decision to Eastern Michigan’s Wes Schroeder, 8-4, in the quarterfinals to drop down to the consolation bracket.
Unfazed, Cooper ripped off three victories – one by major decision - to advance to the consolation final against Adam Chalfant where he utilized another major decision, 9-0, to win the consolation final and finish third overall.
The biggest question mark entering the day may have been to see how the youth on the ASU roster would fare. Of the probable starters heading into the weekend, eight are redshirt freshmen. Several of the youngsters answered the call on Saturday, headed by Tommy Burriel.
Burriel, competing at 197 pounds, got the year started in similar fashion to Cooper as he pinned his first opponent, Kent State’s Keith Witt, in 4:13. Cooper then went on to earn the decision over Eastern Michigan’s Nick Whitenburg, 11-4 to advance to the semifinals. There, Burriel attempted to upset #5 Matt Powless of Indiana, fell just short in the 11-8 decision to the Hoosier All-American and dropped down to the consolation bracket.
Burriel won by decision against Michigan’s Nick McDiarmid to advance to the consolation final where he squared off against No. 19 Tyler Dickenson of Michigan State. There, Burriel scored his first upset of the season as Dickenson was forced to withdraw due to injury, giving Burriel the third-place finish.
Fellow redshirt freshman Nathan Hoffer also advanced to the consolation final at 141 pounds, going down by pin in 2:00 against Indiana’s Matt Ortega but still taking fourth in his collegiate debut. Hoffer did log four victories on the day, including two by pin in the consolation bracket.
In total, seven redshirt freshman earned their first career victories on Saturday in their collegiate debuts.
The Sun Devils will be back in action next weekend in their home opening as they square off in a double dual against in-state squads from Embry-Riddle and Grand Canyon University on Sunday, Nov. 13 beginning at 2 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena.
Eastern Michigan Open – ASU Results
(Rankings based on Amateur Wrestling News preseason rankings)
125- Dalton Miller (3-2, DNP)
Round of 16 – Jared Germaine (Eastern Mich.) dec. Miller, 9-3
Conso First – Miller pinned Patrick Prada (Navy), 6:51
Conso Second – Miller major Logan Shanks (Unat. Central Michigan), 12-2
Conso Third – Miller dec. Myron Bradsbury (Lindsey Wilson), 5-0
Conso Quarter – Johnni Dijulius (Ohio State) tech fall Miller, 18-2
125- David Prado (0-2, DNP)
Round of 16 – No. 5 Nic Bedelyon (Kent State) major Prado, 14-2
Conso Second – Christian Reed (Tiffin) dec. Prado, 3-2
133 – Shane McGough (2-2, DNP)
Round of 32 - McGough pinned Ron Butler (Cleveland), 6:17
Round of 16 – No. 6 Logan Stieber (Ohio State) pinned McGough, 1:16
Conso First – McGough major Chris Lyon (Unat. Michigan St.), 12-3
Conso Second – Tyler Alsip (Campbellsville) dec. McGough, 10-7
133 – Kalin Goodsite (0-2, DNP)
Round of 32 – Matt Fields (Purdue) major Goodsite, 11-3
Conso First – Christian Cullinan (Unat. Michigan St.) dec. Goodsite 3-2
141 – Nathan Hoffer (4-2, FOURTH PLACE)
Round of 16 – Hoffer dec. Nick Lawrence (Purdue), 7-4
Quarters – Raymond Borja (Navy) major Hoffer, 10-2
Conso Third – Hoffer dec. Tommy Pretty (Campbellsville), 11-7
Conso Quarters – Hoffer pinned Seth Schander (Eastern Michigan), 2:52
Conso Semis – Hoffer pinned Corey Phillips (Eastern Michigan), 5:59
Conso FINAL – Matt Ortega (Indiana) pinned Hoffer, 2:00
149 – Joel Smith (2-2, DNP)
Round of 16 – Mike Hillock (Unat. Michigan St.) pinned Smith, 3:29
Conso First – Smith pinned Frankie Porras (Purdue), 2:25
Conso Second – Smith dec. Kyle Begg (Unattached Tiffin), 8-2
Conso Third – No. 13 Dan Osterman (Unat. Michigan St.) pinned Smith, 0:31
149 – Victor DeJesus (2-2, DNP)
Round of 32 – DeJesus dec. Frankie Porras (Purdue), 6-3
Round of 16 –DeJesus pinned Dustin Powell (Heidelberg), 3:47
Quarters – Marcel Clopton (Kent State) dec. DeJesus, 7-6
Conso Third – Ian Miller (Unat. Kent State) pinned DeJesus, 1:00
157 – Hans Rasmusson (0-2, DNP)
Round of 16 – Bobby Barnhisel (Navy) major Rasmusson, 17-3
Conso Second - Mallie Shuster (Kent State) dec. Rasmusson, 6-4
165- Kyle DeBerry (2-2, DNP)
Round of 32 – Mike Brant (Navy) dec. DeBerry, 6-2
Conso First – DeBerry dec. Cooley Dakota (Unat. Central Michigan), 5-2
Conso Second – DeBerry major Cameron Vlahos (Purdue), 10-0
Conso Third – Kyle Long (Indiana Tech) pinned DeBerry, 2:13
165 – Derek Felton (1-2, DNP)
Round of 32 – Felton tech fall Matt Collins (Mount St. Joseph), 15-0
Round of 16 – Preston Keiffer (Indiana) dec. Felton, 6-5
Conso Second – Matt Smilek (Notre Dame (Ohio)) def. Felton, medical forfeit
174 – No. 17 Eric Starks (1-2, DNP)
Round of 16 – Starks major Andy Wiseman (Purdue), 12-3
Quarters – Phillip Joseph (Eastern Michigan) dec. Starks, 9-7
Conso Third – Mannier dec. Starks, 3-2
184 – Bobby Bowman (2-2, DNP)
Round of 16 – Bowman dec. Corbin Boone (Cleveland State), 10-6
Quarters – No. 12 Luke Rebertus (Navy) dec. Bowman, 7-5
Conso Second – Bowman pinned Justin Meineke (Mount St. Joseph), 2:08
Conso Quarters – Casey Newburg (Kent State) dec. Bowman, 6-4
197 – No. 8 Tommy Burriel (4-1, THIRD PLACE)
Round of 16 – Burriel pinned Keith Witt (Kent State), 4:13
Quarters – Burriel dec. Nick Whitenburg (Eastern Michigan), 11-4
Semis – No. 5 Matt Powless (Indiana) dec. Burriel, 11-8
Conso Semis – Burriel dec. Nick McDiarmid (Unat. Michigan State), 12-8
Conso FINAL – Burriel def. No. 19 Tyler Dickenson (Unat. Michigan State), medical forfeit.
HWT- Levi Cooper (5-1, THIRD PLACE)
Round of 16 – Cooper pins Adam Wall (Unat. Purdue), 2:22
Quarterfinal – Wes Schroeder (Eastern Michigan) dec. Cooper, 8-4
Conso Third – Cooper major Alex White (Purdue), 11-0
Conso Quarter – Cooper dec. Roger Vukobratovich (Purdue), 4-0
Conso Semi – Cooper dec. Steve Andrus (Unat. Michigan St.), 7-4
Conso FINAL – Cooper major Adam Chalfant (Unat.), 9-0