EVANSTON, Ill. – After one day of competition at the 54th annual Ken Kraft Midlands Championships, three Sun Devils remain in contention for a title in their respective weight classes while two others will compete for additional podium spots on Friday.
"Overall it was a good day," said head coach Zeke Jones. "There are 39 teams and over 400 wrestlers here competing, so I think we're doing well. Iowa is showing what it takes to win the tournament but I'm not sure our young group knows how to do it on the front and back side of the bracket as far as a team effort. We'll see tomorrow; it's time to strap up the boots and battle."
Anthony Valencia (165) and Tanner Hall (HWT) continue through the championship bracket alongside Zahid Valencia (174), who is still undefeated on the season. Z. Valencia, Hall, and A. Valencia were ranked No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 in their weight classes, respectively, for the tournament.
Josh Maruca (149) and Josh Shields (157) will compete in the consolation bracket on day two.
As a team, ASU is in the top five going into the final day of competition, in fourth place (62.5) just ahead of Illinois (58.5) and behind Iowa (85.5), Nebraska (78.5), and Rutgers (64.5).
In Friday's semifinals, A. Valencia will face Illinois' Isaiah Martinez while his brother is set to take on Martinez's teammate Zac Brunson. Hall faces Iowa's Sam Stoll in the semis.
All brackets for the tournament are on TrackWrestling. Friday's finals will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network while earlier matches Friday are on BTN2GO (www.btn2go.com).
Session three begins at 12 noon CT/11 am AZ time Friday while the two-day event concludes with the evening's finals at 7 pm CT/6 pm AZ time.
Josh Kramer (125)
Championship Round 1 - Travis Piotrowski (Illinois) def. Josh Kramer (Maj 8-0)
Consolation Round 1 - Josh Kramer received a bye
Consolation Round 2 - Josh Kramer def. Michael Nguyen (Arizona State) (Maj 12-3)
Consolation Round 3 - Josh Kramer def. Drew Hildebrandt (Central Michigan) (Dec 4-1)
Consolation Round 4 - Paul Bianchi (North Dakota State) def. Josh Kramer (Fall 1:09)
Michael Nguyen (125)
Championship Round 1 - Michael Nguyen def. Matteo DeVincenzo (Princeton) (Dec 6-3)
Championship Round 2 - Josh Terao (American) def. Michael Nguyen (TF 16-1)
Consolation Round 2 - Joshua Kramer (Arizona State) def. Michael Nguyen (Maj 12-3)
Ted Rico (133)
Championship Round 1 - Ted Rico received a bye
Championship Round 2 - Eric Montoya (Nebraska) def. Ted Rico (TF 15-0)
Consolation Round 2 - Ted Rico received a bye
Consolation Round 3 - Carlos Herrera (CSU Bakersfield) def. Ted Rico (Dec 10-5)
Nikko Villarreal (141)
Championship Round 1 - Nikko Villarreal def. Gabe Moreno (Iowa State) (Fall 2:49)
Championship Round 2 – Nikko Villarreal def. Cole Weaver (Indiana) (Dec 3-1)
Championship Round 3 - Matthew Kolodzik (Princeton) def. Nikko Villarreal (Maj 13-1)
Consolation Round 4 - Nikko Villarreal def. Nathan Smith (North Dakota State) (Fall 1:35)
Consolation Round 5 - Evan Fidelibus (Rider) def. Nikko Villarreal (Fall 1:39)
Christian Pagdilao (149)
Championship Round 1 - John Fahy (SIU Edwardsville) def. Christian Pagdilao (Maj 11-3)
Consolation Round 1 - Christian Pagdilao (Arizona State) received a bye
Consolation Round 2 - Jordan Laster (Princeton) def. Christian Pagdilao (Fall 3:45)
Oliver Pierce (149)
Championship Round 1 - Anthony Giraldo (Rutgers) def. Oliver Pierce (Dec 6-2)
Consolation Round 1 - Oliver Pierce received a bye
Consolation Round 2 - Oliver Pierce def. Alex Murray (Pittsburgh) (TF 19-2)
Consolation Round 3 - Jordan Shearer (Nebraska) def. Oliver Pierce (SV-1 9-7)
Josh Maruca (149)
Championship Round 1 - Josh Maruca received a bye
Championship Round 2 - Josh Maruca def. Andrew Crone (Wisconsin) (Dec 4-1)
Championship Round 3 - Sam Speno (NC State) def. Josh Maruca (Dec 7-4)
Consolation Round 4 - Josh Maruca def. Mikey Racciato (Pittsburgh) (med forfeit)
Consolation Round 5 - Josh Maruca def. Coleman Hammond (CSU Bakersfield) (Dec 7-2)
Josh Shields (157)
Championship Round 1 - Josh Shields def. Taleb Rahmani (Pittsburgh) (Maj 12-3)
Championship Round 2 - Josh Shields def. Thomas Bullard (NC State) (Dec 6-5)
Champ. Round 3 - Josh Shields def. James Wolfe (Eastern Michigan) (Fall 6:54)
Quarterfinal - Tyler Berger (Nebraska) def. Josh Shields (SV-1 3-1)
Jacen Petersen (165)
Championship Round 1 - Jacen Petersen received a bye
Championship Round 2 - Kaleb Young (Iowa) def. Jacen Petersen (Dec 3-2)
Consolation Round 2 - Jacen Petersen received a bye
Consolation Round 3 - Jacen Petersen def. Mike Sepke (Chicago) (SV-1 7-1)
Consolation Round 4 - Andrew Fogarty (NDSU) def. Jacen Petersen (Dec 6-0)
Anthony Valencia (165)
Championship Round 1 - Anthony Valencia def. Hunter Rollins (C. Michigan) (TF 16-1)
Championship Round 2 - Anthony Valencia def. Dane Pestano (Iowa State) (Fall 3:14)
Championship Round 3 - Anthony Valencia def. Dustin Williams (Nebraska) (Maj 12-3)
Quarterfinal - Anthony Valencia def. Brian Hamann (NC State) (Maj 9-1)
Zahid Valencia (174)
Championship Round 1 - Zahid Valencia def. Logan Gruszka (SIU Edwardsville) (Fall 2:41)
Championship Round 2 - Zahid Valencia def. Sam Rowell (Maryland) (Fall 3:48)
Quarterfinal - Zahid Valencia def. Micah Barnes (Nebraska) (Maj 12-4)
Tanner Hall (HWT)
Championship Round 1 - Tanner Hall received a bye
Championship Round 2 - Tanner Hall def. Zak Parker (Ohio) (Maj 12-0)
Championship Round 3 - Tanner Hall def. Shawn Streck (Purdue) (Dec 6-1)
Quarterfinal - Tanner Hall def. Conan Jennings (Northwestern) (Dec 3-1)
"Overall it was a good day," said head coach Zeke Jones. "There are 39 teams and over 400 wrestlers here competing, so I think we're doing well. Iowa is showing what it takes to win the tournament but I'm not sure our young group knows how to do it on the front and back side of the bracket as far as a team effort. We'll see tomorrow; it's time to strap up the boots and battle."
Anthony Valencia (165) and Tanner Hall (HWT) continue through the championship bracket alongside Zahid Valencia (174), who is still undefeated on the season. Z. Valencia, Hall, and A. Valencia were ranked No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 in their weight classes, respectively, for the tournament.
Josh Maruca (149) and Josh Shields (157) will compete in the consolation bracket on day two.
As a team, ASU is in the top five going into the final day of competition, in fourth place (62.5) just ahead of Illinois (58.5) and behind Iowa (85.5), Nebraska (78.5), and Rutgers (64.5).
In Friday's semifinals, A. Valencia will face Illinois' Isaiah Martinez while his brother is set to take on Martinez's teammate Zac Brunson. Hall faces Iowa's Sam Stoll in the semis.
All brackets for the tournament are on TrackWrestling. Friday's finals will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network while earlier matches Friday are on BTN2GO (www.btn2go.com).
Session three begins at 12 noon CT/11 am AZ time Friday while the two-day event concludes with the evening's finals at 7 pm CT/6 pm AZ time.
Josh Kramer (125)
Championship Round 1 - Travis Piotrowski (Illinois) def. Josh Kramer (Maj 8-0)
Consolation Round 1 - Josh Kramer received a bye
Consolation Round 2 - Josh Kramer def. Michael Nguyen (Arizona State) (Maj 12-3)
Consolation Round 3 - Josh Kramer def. Drew Hildebrandt (Central Michigan) (Dec 4-1)
Consolation Round 4 - Paul Bianchi (North Dakota State) def. Josh Kramer (Fall 1:09)
Michael Nguyen (125)
Championship Round 1 - Michael Nguyen def. Matteo DeVincenzo (Princeton) (Dec 6-3)
Championship Round 2 - Josh Terao (American) def. Michael Nguyen (TF 16-1)
Consolation Round 2 - Joshua Kramer (Arizona State) def. Michael Nguyen (Maj 12-3)
Ted Rico (133)
Championship Round 1 - Ted Rico received a bye
Championship Round 2 - Eric Montoya (Nebraska) def. Ted Rico (TF 15-0)
Consolation Round 2 - Ted Rico received a bye
Consolation Round 3 - Carlos Herrera (CSU Bakersfield) def. Ted Rico (Dec 10-5)
Nikko Villarreal (141)
Championship Round 1 - Nikko Villarreal def. Gabe Moreno (Iowa State) (Fall 2:49)
Championship Round 2 – Nikko Villarreal def. Cole Weaver (Indiana) (Dec 3-1)
Championship Round 3 - Matthew Kolodzik (Princeton) def. Nikko Villarreal (Maj 13-1)
Consolation Round 4 - Nikko Villarreal def. Nathan Smith (North Dakota State) (Fall 1:35)
Consolation Round 5 - Evan Fidelibus (Rider) def. Nikko Villarreal (Fall 1:39)
Christian Pagdilao (149)
Championship Round 1 - John Fahy (SIU Edwardsville) def. Christian Pagdilao (Maj 11-3)
Consolation Round 1 - Christian Pagdilao (Arizona State) received a bye
Consolation Round 2 - Jordan Laster (Princeton) def. Christian Pagdilao (Fall 3:45)
Oliver Pierce (149)
Championship Round 1 - Anthony Giraldo (Rutgers) def. Oliver Pierce (Dec 6-2)
Consolation Round 1 - Oliver Pierce received a bye
Consolation Round 2 - Oliver Pierce def. Alex Murray (Pittsburgh) (TF 19-2)
Consolation Round 3 - Jordan Shearer (Nebraska) def. Oliver Pierce (SV-1 9-7)
Josh Maruca (149)
Championship Round 1 - Josh Maruca received a bye
Championship Round 2 - Josh Maruca def. Andrew Crone (Wisconsin) (Dec 4-1)
Championship Round 3 - Sam Speno (NC State) def. Josh Maruca (Dec 7-4)
Consolation Round 4 - Josh Maruca def. Mikey Racciato (Pittsburgh) (med forfeit)
Consolation Round 5 - Josh Maruca def. Coleman Hammond (CSU Bakersfield) (Dec 7-2)
Josh Shields (157)
Championship Round 1 - Josh Shields def. Taleb Rahmani (Pittsburgh) (Maj 12-3)
Championship Round 2 - Josh Shields def. Thomas Bullard (NC State) (Dec 6-5)
Champ. Round 3 - Josh Shields def. James Wolfe (Eastern Michigan) (Fall 6:54)
Quarterfinal - Tyler Berger (Nebraska) def. Josh Shields (SV-1 3-1)
Jacen Petersen (165)
Championship Round 1 - Jacen Petersen received a bye
Championship Round 2 - Kaleb Young (Iowa) def. Jacen Petersen (Dec 3-2)
Consolation Round 2 - Jacen Petersen received a bye
Consolation Round 3 - Jacen Petersen def. Mike Sepke (Chicago) (SV-1 7-1)
Consolation Round 4 - Andrew Fogarty (NDSU) def. Jacen Petersen (Dec 6-0)
Anthony Valencia (165)
Championship Round 1 - Anthony Valencia def. Hunter Rollins (C. Michigan) (TF 16-1)
Championship Round 2 - Anthony Valencia def. Dane Pestano (Iowa State) (Fall 3:14)
Championship Round 3 - Anthony Valencia def. Dustin Williams (Nebraska) (Maj 12-3)
Quarterfinal - Anthony Valencia def. Brian Hamann (NC State) (Maj 9-1)
Zahid Valencia (174)
Championship Round 1 - Zahid Valencia def. Logan Gruszka (SIU Edwardsville) (Fall 2:41)
Championship Round 2 - Zahid Valencia def. Sam Rowell (Maryland) (Fall 3:48)
Quarterfinal - Zahid Valencia def. Micah Barnes (Nebraska) (Maj 12-4)
Tanner Hall (HWT)
Championship Round 1 - Tanner Hall received a bye
Championship Round 2 - Tanner Hall def. Zak Parker (Ohio) (Maj 12-0)
Championship Round 3 - Tanner Hall def. Shawn Streck (Purdue) (Dec 6-1)
Quarterfinal - Tanner Hall def. Conan Jennings (Northwestern) (Dec 3-1)