LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The No. 4 Sun Devil wrestling team found its stride in the back half of the lineup, securing the win over Little Rock, 38-9 at the Jack Stephens Center on Friday night.
ASU notched seven bonus-point wins, including three-straight pins from Anthony Valencia (174), Zahid Valencia (184), and Kordell Norfleet (197) to secure win No. 11 and push its winning streak to six matches.
Opening the match, redshirt sophomore Brandon Courtney continued to find success in what has been a breakout year for the Goodyear, Ariz. product as he notched his 11th bonus-point win of the season with a technical fall over Jayden Carson of Little Rock.
Little Rock, who is competing in its inaugural season as a division one program, would answer with three straight victories at 133, 141 and 149 to take the lead 9-5, with Jacori Teemer on deck.
At 157, Teemer added takedown after takedown to secure his 10th career win in an ASU singlet and put the Sun Devils back on top 10-9 with his second technical fall of the year.
Redshirt senior Josh Shields (165) kept his foot on the gas out of the break, earning his 9th bonus-point win and placing his name amongst the all-time ASU greats, tying for 5th all-time in career bonus wins with 56 after picking up the major decision over Thomas Lisher, 16-5.
The Valencia brothers picked up back-to-back pins for the second time in a dual meet this season, with A. Valencia doing so in just 1:36 and Z. Valencia taking down Matthew Muller in over five minutes. A. Valencia joins Shields for 5th all-time in bonus wins (56).
Chicago native Kordell Norfleet followed the lead, adding the third-straight pin of the night in 1:14 for the fourth-fastest fall of the season by an ASU wrestler.
At heavyweight, Little Rock put up no contest with a forfeit and gave Tanner Hall the night off to secure the win for the Sun Devils.
The Sun Devils will head up north to face No. 20 Missouri on Sunday, February 9 at 12 p.m. MST to round out the weekend. The bout can be streamed live on ESPN3.
Results: No. 4 Arizona State 38, Little Rock 9
125: #8 Brandon Courtney TF Jayden Carson (Little Rock) 20-4 (6:20)
133: Paul Bianchi (Little Rock) DEC Josh Kramer (ASU), 8-6
141: Connor Ward (Little Rock) DEC Cory Crooks (ASU), 8-7
149: Tyler Brennan (Little Rock) Josh Maruca (ASU), 4-2
157: #15 Jacori Teemer (ASU) TF Thomas Lisher (Little Rock), 17-2 (4:52)
165: #6 Josh Shields (ASU) MD William Edgar (Little Rock), 16-5
174: #9 Anthony Valencia (ASU) FALL Tristan Tadeo (Little Rock), 1:36
184: #1 Zahid Valencia (ASU) FALL Matthew Muller (Little Rock), 5:25
197: #9 Kordell Norfleet (ASU) FALL James Johnson (Little Rock), 1:14
HWT: #4 Tanner Hall wins by forfeit