TEMPE – Sun Devil fans got their first chance to see the 2020-21 Arizona State Wrestling team in action as they held the annual Maroon & Gold Scrimmage Saturday afternoon at Desert Financial Arena. Both sides had a strong showing, but the Gold team came away with a 24-18 victory.
"Overall, we looked good during the intrasquad," head coach Zeke Jones said. "Our conditioning was strong, their bodies looked good and we scored a lot of points on top. All the credit goes to Coach Molinaro."
GOLD WINS??
— Sun Devil Wrestling (@ASUWrestling) December 19, 2020
Gold beats Maroon, 24-18, in the final tune up before the season starts in 2021! pic.twitter.com/gn01xm34jw
Old Dominion transfer and redshirt junior Michael McGee (133) started off the afternoon with a technical victory over freshman Lou Fincher, giving Gold an early 5-0 lead.
Redshirt senior Anthony Valencia (165) followed up with a fall over redshirt sophomore Alex Torres, putting the Maroon squad on the board in the second bout of the afternoon.
The day continued in similar fashion, with the teams trading victories throughout.
That's a W ??@CBelshay ties us up at 14-14 after six matches! pic.twitter.com/NwrmBtcLP0
— Sun Devil Wrestling (@ASUWrestling) December 19, 2020
Redshirt freshman Trey Munoz (174) put Maroon in their place with two victories during the intrasquad, including a technical fall over redshirt sophomore Ryan Moltz to close out the match, 24-18.
"Our lineup continues to look strong," Jones stated. "We were solid on our feet, but we still need to focus on our leg attack defense. Now it's time for us to wrestle someone else. We are hungry for our opponents."
Senior Kordell Norfleet earned Maroon's only technical fall of the day while fellow classmate Cory Crooks defeated Ricky Roberto by a technical fall for Gold.
.@kd70_ putting on a clinic ??
— Sun Devil Wrestling (@ASUWrestling) December 19, 2020
Norfleet leads 20-0 at the end of the second!
?? https://t.co/NNNP7giD7O pic.twitter.com/as15ozon6i
Of note for the Sun Devils, five true freshmen stepped onto the mat for the first time during the afternoon's intrasquad including Roberto and Fincher.
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Maroon & Gold Scrimmage Bouts Results (lbs):
Gold (24) def. Maroon (18)
133: McGee (Gold) def. Fincher (Maroon): Tech 17-2, 5:32
165: Valencia (Maroon) def. Torres (Gold): Fall 4:28
174: Munoz (Gold) def. Rochford (Maroon): MD 15-1
HWT: Norfleet (Maroon) def. Remer (Gold)/Palosika (Gold): Tech 22-0, 7:00
149: Crooks (Gold) def. Roberto (Maroon): Tech 20-4, 5:49
184: Belshay (Maroon) def. Nummer (Gold): Dec. 10-3
125: Courtney (Gold) def. Fincher (Maroon): MD 11-2
157: Teemer (Maroon) def. Torres (Gold): MD 10-2
174: Munoz (Gold) def. Moltz (Maroon): Tech 17-0, 4:20