AKRON, Ohio – Half of the Sun Devils competing at the 2017 University Freestyle Nationals in Akron over the weekend earned placement (1-8), significant improving from 2016 in which only one finished in the top eight in freestyle competition.
Rising junior Tanner Hall (125 kg) earned his second consecutive top-three finish, following up last year's second place finish with an impressive third place finish in 2017. After an early loss, he faced a tough road back to medal rounds, but ultimately battled back to earn the highest finish of the weekend for a Sun Devil.
Josh Shields (5th/74 kg), Jacen Petersen (8th/74 kg), and Jason Tsirtsis (8th/70 kg) also finished in the top eight of their respective weight classes. After being granted an additional season, Tsirtsis will finally join the Sun Devil roster in 2017-18, while Pac-12 champion Shields and member of the Pac-12 championship team Petersen return to ASU this fall.
Pac-12 champion Josh Maruca, Christian Pagdilao, Nikko Villarreal, and Cory Crooks rounded out the Sun Devils in competition over the weekend.
Results:
Tanner Hall (125 kg) – 3rd Place (8-1)
Round of 64 – Matt Voss (George Mason) def. Tanner Hall, PP 16-12
Consolation of 32 #2 – Tanner Hall def. Cary Miller (App State), PP 4-2
Consolation of 16 #1 – Tanner Hall def. Trevor Rasmussen (CARTC), SP 12-1 (3:29)
Consolation of 16 #2 – Tanner Hall def. Brandon Ngati (MRTC), VT 11-1
Consolation of 8 #1 – Tanner Hall def. Charles Miller (HWC), ST 10-0 (0:54)
Consolation of 8 #2 – Tanner Hall def. Connor Tolley (Chattanooga), PO 9-0
Consolation of 4 – Tanner Hall def. Andrew Dunn (SERTC-VT), PP 2-1
Consolation Semifinals – Tanner Hall def. Michael Boykin (WWC), SP 16-6 (4:55)
3rd Place Match – Tanner Hall def. Cory Daniels (THWC), PP 10-2
Josh Shields (74 kg) – 5th Place (5-2)
Round of 64 – Josh Shields def. Tyler Zimmer (NYC RTC), SP 13-2 (3:37)
Round of 32 – Josh Shields def. Jacob Wentzel (Pitts), SP 11-1 (3:23)
Round of 16 – Josh Shields def. Matt Malcom (Iowa), PP 15-12
Quarterfinals – Josh Shields def. Nate Higgins, PP 11-10
Semifinals – Chance Marsteller (Mat Town USA) def. Josh Shields, ST 10-0
Consolation Semifinals – Joseph Lavallee def. Josh Shields, PP 8-8
5th Place Match – Josh Shields def. Cole Walter (LVWC), Forfeit
Jason Tsirtsis (70 kg) – 8th Place (6-3)
Round of 128 – Jason Tsirtsis def. Ryan Camp (NWIWC), ST 10-0 (1:39)
Round of 64 – Jason Tsirtsis def. Kyler Rea (MRTC), PP 4-1
Round of 32 – Jason Tsirtsis def. Andrew Crone (Wisconsin), PP 4-3
Round of 16 – Matthew Zovistoski (App State RTC) def. Jason Tsirtsis, PP 9-6
Consolation of 16 #2 – Jason Tsirtsis def. Alex Smythe (Buffalo WC), PP 3-1
Consolation of 8 #1 – Jason Tsirtsis def. Geordan Martinez (OKST), PP 7-6
Consolation of 8 #2 – Jason Tsirtsis def. Kenan Carter (VBRTC), ST 10-0
Consolation of 4 – Troy Heilmann (THRC) def. Jason Tsirtsis, ST 10-0
7th Place Match – Paul Fox (Stanford) def. Jason Tsirtsis, PP 10-1
Jacen Petersen (74 kg) – 8th Place (5-3)
Round of 128 – Jacen Petersen def. Sage Castillo (CMU), ST 13-0 (1:38)
Round of 64 – Jacen Petersen def. Richard Stamm (B&G), ST 12-0 (1:45)
Round of 32 – Jacen Petersen def. Justin Thomas (SWC), ST 11-0 (2:14)
Round of 16 – Jacen Petersen def. Seldon Wright (VBRTC), SP 13-3 (5:45)
Quarterfinal – Ian Brown (LVWC) def. Jacen Petersen, ST 12-0
Consolation of 8 #2 – Jacen Petersen def. Bryant Clagon (BWC), VB 0-0 (0:05)
Consolation of 4 – Joseph Lavalee (MWF) def. Jacen Petersen, SP 14-4 (4:02)
7th Place Match – Markus Scheidel (NYC RTC) def. Jacen Petersen, VB 0-0 (0:00)
Josh Maruca (70 kg) (2-2)
Round of 64 – Josh Maruca def. Jordan Shearer (NWTC), PP 4-4
Round of 32 – Kenan Carter (CBRTC) def. Josh Maruca, PP 4-3
Consolation of 32 #2 – Josh Maruca def. Landon Knutzen (WWC), VT 9-6 (3:37)
Consolation of 16 #1 – A Smythe (BWC) def. Josh Maruca, SP 12-1 (5:16)
Christian Pagdilao (70 kg) (2-2)
Round of 128 – Christian Pagdilao def. Joe Oliva (Penn), PP 10-3
Round of 64 – Troy Heilmann (THWC) def. Christian Pagdilao, SP 12-2 (1:41)
Consolation of 64 – Christian Pagdilao def. Tristen Moran (OKST), SP 15-4 (3:52)
Consolation of 32 #1 – Dylan Van Sickell (Edge) def. Christian Pagdilao, VB 5-5 (0:45)
Nikko Villarreal (70 kg) (1-2)
Round of 128 – Nikko Villarreal def. Zac Carson (E. Michigan), PP 9-5
Round of 64 – Andrew Crone (Wisconsin) def. Nikko Villarreal, ST 11-0
Consolation of 64 #2 – Matthew Raines (George Mason) def. Nikko Villarreal, PO 5-0
Cory Crooks (65 kg) (2-2)
Round of 128 – Cory Crooks def. Jordan Eley (Campbell), ST 10-0 (1:14)
Round of 64 – Chad Red (NWTC) def. Cory Crooks, ST 10-0 (1:31)
Consolation of 64 #2 – Cory Crooks def. Brady Ruden (Coe College), PP 14-6
Consolation of 32 #1 – Michael Magaldo (OKST) def. Cory Crooks, SP 12-1
Rising junior Tanner Hall (125 kg) earned his second consecutive top-three finish, following up last year's second place finish with an impressive third place finish in 2017. After an early loss, he faced a tough road back to medal rounds, but ultimately battled back to earn the highest finish of the weekend for a Sun Devil.
Josh Shields (5th/74 kg), Jacen Petersen (8th/74 kg), and Jason Tsirtsis (8th/70 kg) also finished in the top eight of their respective weight classes. After being granted an additional season, Tsirtsis will finally join the Sun Devil roster in 2017-18, while Pac-12 champion Shields and member of the Pac-12 championship team Petersen return to ASU this fall.
Pac-12 champion Josh Maruca, Christian Pagdilao, Nikko Villarreal, and Cory Crooks rounded out the Sun Devils in competition over the weekend.
Results:
Tanner Hall (125 kg) – 3rd Place (8-1)
Round of 64 – Matt Voss (George Mason) def. Tanner Hall, PP 16-12
Consolation of 32 #2 – Tanner Hall def. Cary Miller (App State), PP 4-2
Consolation of 16 #1 – Tanner Hall def. Trevor Rasmussen (CARTC), SP 12-1 (3:29)
Consolation of 16 #2 – Tanner Hall def. Brandon Ngati (MRTC), VT 11-1
Consolation of 8 #1 – Tanner Hall def. Charles Miller (HWC), ST 10-0 (0:54)
Consolation of 8 #2 – Tanner Hall def. Connor Tolley (Chattanooga), PO 9-0
Consolation of 4 – Tanner Hall def. Andrew Dunn (SERTC-VT), PP 2-1
Consolation Semifinals – Tanner Hall def. Michael Boykin (WWC), SP 16-6 (4:55)
3rd Place Match – Tanner Hall def. Cory Daniels (THWC), PP 10-2
Josh Shields (74 kg) – 5th Place (5-2)
Round of 64 – Josh Shields def. Tyler Zimmer (NYC RTC), SP 13-2 (3:37)
Round of 32 – Josh Shields def. Jacob Wentzel (Pitts), SP 11-1 (3:23)
Round of 16 – Josh Shields def. Matt Malcom (Iowa), PP 15-12
Quarterfinals – Josh Shields def. Nate Higgins, PP 11-10
Semifinals – Chance Marsteller (Mat Town USA) def. Josh Shields, ST 10-0
Consolation Semifinals – Joseph Lavallee def. Josh Shields, PP 8-8
5th Place Match – Josh Shields def. Cole Walter (LVWC), Forfeit
Jason Tsirtsis (70 kg) – 8th Place (6-3)
Round of 128 – Jason Tsirtsis def. Ryan Camp (NWIWC), ST 10-0 (1:39)
Round of 64 – Jason Tsirtsis def. Kyler Rea (MRTC), PP 4-1
Round of 32 – Jason Tsirtsis def. Andrew Crone (Wisconsin), PP 4-3
Round of 16 – Matthew Zovistoski (App State RTC) def. Jason Tsirtsis, PP 9-6
Consolation of 16 #2 – Jason Tsirtsis def. Alex Smythe (Buffalo WC), PP 3-1
Consolation of 8 #1 – Jason Tsirtsis def. Geordan Martinez (OKST), PP 7-6
Consolation of 8 #2 – Jason Tsirtsis def. Kenan Carter (VBRTC), ST 10-0
Consolation of 4 – Troy Heilmann (THRC) def. Jason Tsirtsis, ST 10-0
7th Place Match – Paul Fox (Stanford) def. Jason Tsirtsis, PP 10-1
Jacen Petersen (74 kg) – 8th Place (5-3)
Round of 128 – Jacen Petersen def. Sage Castillo (CMU), ST 13-0 (1:38)
Round of 64 – Jacen Petersen def. Richard Stamm (B&G), ST 12-0 (1:45)
Round of 32 – Jacen Petersen def. Justin Thomas (SWC), ST 11-0 (2:14)
Round of 16 – Jacen Petersen def. Seldon Wright (VBRTC), SP 13-3 (5:45)
Quarterfinal – Ian Brown (LVWC) def. Jacen Petersen, ST 12-0
Consolation of 8 #2 – Jacen Petersen def. Bryant Clagon (BWC), VB 0-0 (0:05)
Consolation of 4 – Joseph Lavalee (MWF) def. Jacen Petersen, SP 14-4 (4:02)
7th Place Match – Markus Scheidel (NYC RTC) def. Jacen Petersen, VB 0-0 (0:00)
Josh Maruca (70 kg) (2-2)
Round of 64 – Josh Maruca def. Jordan Shearer (NWTC), PP 4-4
Round of 32 – Kenan Carter (CBRTC) def. Josh Maruca, PP 4-3
Consolation of 32 #2 – Josh Maruca def. Landon Knutzen (WWC), VT 9-6 (3:37)
Consolation of 16 #1 – A Smythe (BWC) def. Josh Maruca, SP 12-1 (5:16)
Christian Pagdilao (70 kg) (2-2)
Round of 128 – Christian Pagdilao def. Joe Oliva (Penn), PP 10-3
Round of 64 – Troy Heilmann (THWC) def. Christian Pagdilao, SP 12-2 (1:41)
Consolation of 64 – Christian Pagdilao def. Tristen Moran (OKST), SP 15-4 (3:52)
Consolation of 32 #1 – Dylan Van Sickell (Edge) def. Christian Pagdilao, VB 5-5 (0:45)
Nikko Villarreal (70 kg) (1-2)
Round of 128 – Nikko Villarreal def. Zac Carson (E. Michigan), PP 9-5
Round of 64 – Andrew Crone (Wisconsin) def. Nikko Villarreal, ST 11-0
Consolation of 64 #2 – Matthew Raines (George Mason) def. Nikko Villarreal, PO 5-0
Cory Crooks (65 kg) (2-2)
Round of 128 – Cory Crooks def. Jordan Eley (Campbell), ST 10-0 (1:14)
Round of 64 – Chad Red (NWTC) def. Cory Crooks, ST 10-0 (1:31)
Consolation of 64 #2 – Cory Crooks def. Brady Ruden (Coe College), PP 14-6
Consolation of 32 #1 – Michael Magaldo (OKST) def. Cory Crooks, SP 12-1