LAS VEGAS—Including Zahid Valencia's championship performance, four members of the Arizona State wrestling team qualified for the Junior World Team Trials with their finishes on Saturday at the UWW Junior Nationals at the South Point Convention Center.
The UWW Junior World Team Trials are slated for May 20-22, also in Las Vegas, and Z. Valencia, along with Anthony Valencia (74 kg, Fourth Place), Jacen Petersen (79 kg, Third Place), and Lance Benick (96 kg, Second Place), will vie for a chance to represent USA at the Junior World Championships, Aug. 30 to Sept. 4, in Macon, France.
In his opening bout of the day at 84 kg, Z. Valencia posted an 11-1 tech over Nathan Traxler in the quarterfinals, and followed with a 4-0 decision over Bobby Steveson in the semifinals. In the finals, Z. Valencia defeated Myles Martin, the reigning NCAA Champion from Ohio State, 7-0.
Along with qualifying for the Junior World Team Trials, Z. Valencia qualifies to compete in the Beat the Streets USA vs. Iran dual meet in Times Square in New York City on May 19.
At 96 kg, Benick opened the day with a 12-1 tech over Andrew Marsden in the quarterfinals. He then went on to beat Evan Hansen, 6-3, in the semifinals, before falling to Jacob Seely in the finals, 9-2.
Petersen finished third at 79 kg, starting the day with a win over Billy Bigelow in a fall in 1:30 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Petersen fell to Beau Breske, 13-9, and fell into the consolation rounds, where he defeated Steven Schneider in a 9-3 decision. In the Third Place bout, Petersen defeated Carter Nielsen in a 12-1 tech.
At 74 kg, A. Valencia opened the day with a 13-11 win over Jordan Kutler in the quarterfinals, but fell to Logan Massa, 11-0, in the semifinals. In his first consolation bout of the day, A. Valencia defeated Kimball Bastian in a 7-3 decision, and then fell to Vincenzo Joseph in the third-place match with a 1:02 fall.
Arizona State Results
55 kg/121.25 pounds
Josh Kramer (2-2)
Second Round: Gavin Teasdale def. Josh Kramer: Tech 10-0
Second Conso: Josh Kramer def. Luc Herrera: Tech 10-0
Third Conso: Josh Kramer def. Hasan Krigger: Fall 0:20
Fourth Conso: Kris Williams def. Josh Kramer: Dec 13-4
74 kg/163 pounds
Josh Shields (2-2)
Second Round: Josh Shields def. Casey Dobson: Tech 10-0
Third Round: Josh Shields def. Jeremiah Moody: Tech 11-0
Quarterfinals: Mark Hall def. Josh Shields: Tech 10-0
Sixth Conso: Kimball Bastian def. Josh Shields: Dec 6-6 (Criteria)
74 kg/163 pounds
Anthony Valencia (4-2, Fourth Place, Qualifies For World Team Trials)
Second Round: Anthony Valencia def. Joseph Gunther: Tech 10-0
Third Round: Anthony Valencia def. Kimball Bastian: Tech 12-1
Quarterfinals: Anthony Valencia def. Jordan Kutler: Dec 13-11
Semifinals: Logan Massa def. Anthony Valencia: Tech 11-0
Eighth Conso: Anthony Valencia def. Kimball Bastian: Dec 7-3
Third Place: Vincenzo Joseph def. Anthony Valencia: Fall 1:02
79 kg/174 pounds
Jacen Petersen (4-1, Third Place, Qualifies For World Team Trials)
Second Round: Jacen Petersen def. Steven Schneider: Dec 6-6 (Criteria)
Quarterfinals: Jacen Petersen def. Billy Bigelow: Fall 1:30
Semifinals: Beau Breske def. Jacen Petersen: Dec 13-9
Sixth Conso: Jacen Petersen def. Steven Schneider: Ded 9-3
Third Place: Jacen Petersen def. Carter Nielsen: Tech 12-1
84 kg/185 pounds
Zahid Valencia (5-0, First Place, Qualifies For World Team Trials)
First Round: Zahid Valencia def. Michael Smith: Tech 11-0
Second Round: Zahid Valencia def. Blake Reid: Tech 10-0
Quarterfinals: Zahid Valencia def. Nathan Traxler: Tech 11-1
Semifinals: Zahid Valencia def. Bobby Steveson: Dec 4-0
Finals: Zahid Valencia def. Myles Martin: Dec 7-0
96 kg/211.5 pounds
Lance Benick (4-1, Second Place, Qualifies For World Team Trials)
First Round: Lance Benick def. David Chadd: Dec 12-6
Second Round: Lance Benick def. Jackson Striggow: Dec 8-5
Quarterfinals: Lance Benick def. Andrew Marsden: Tech 12-1
Semifinals: Lance Benick def. Evan Hansen: Dec 6-3
Finals: Jacob Seely def. Lance Benick: Dec 9-2
120 kg/264.5 pounds
Sully Cauley (3-2)
First Round: Sully Cauley def. Robert Enmon: Tech 12-2
Second Round: Daniel Stibral def. Sully Cauley: Fall 6:00
Second Conso: Sully Cauley def. Lewis Arendall: Dec 10-4
Third Conso: Sully Cauley def. Thomas Helton: Tech 11-0
Fourth Conso: Christian Lance def. Sully Cauley: Dec 5-4