Feb. 6, 2009
Stanford, Calif. - After claiming the first win in school history over powerhouse Arizona State a year ago, the Stanford wrestling team (7-12-1, 2-4 Pac-10) repeated the feat tonight in Burnham Pavilion. Despite forfeiting a weight class, the Cardinal climbed back from a 16-3 deficit and secured a 20-19 win.
Arizona State falls to 5-6 overall and 3-2 in Pac-10 duals. Stanford has now won three consecutive matches, including two against Pac-10 competition.
Junior Tyler Parker (2-2) highlighted the night with a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory at 149 pounds. Parker scored a takedown with less than 10 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the bout at three, then recorded an escape in the tiebreaker to claim what proved to be a pivotal victory.
It was Stanford's only senior, Luke Feist (18-10), who came through under pressure for Stanford, however. With Stanford down 19-17 heading into the final bout, the Cardinal 197-pounder earned a 5-0 decision to secure the team win.
The night began at heavyweight, where Stanford was forced to forfeit and thus start the dual at a 6-0 disadvantage. At 125 pounds, the hole only got deeper when sophomore Austin Quarles (3-6) was pinned by 12th-ranked Anthony Robles.
Now down 12-0, sophomore Porfirio Madrigal (15-8) stepped up and put Stanford on the board. Madrigal bested David Prado at 133 pounds with a 5-1 decision to nab his 15th win of the year.
At 141 pounds, sophomore Cameron Teitelman (12-15) lost by major decision to the Sun Devils' other ranked wrestler, No. 6 Chris Drouin. After Teitelman's loss, Arizona State took its largest lead of the night, 16-3.
The Stanford comeback was about to begin, however. Parker began the rally with his takedown with time winding down in regulation. His exciting overtime win over Vincente Varela then spurred a string of three consecutive Cardinal wins.
Sophomore Lucas Espericueta (25-11) nabbed his 50th career win in the next bout, dominating Te Edwards for a 20-3 technical fall. Espericueta joins teammates Jake Johnson, Zack Giesen and Feist as current wrestlers who have hit the notable career milestone.
Redshirt freshman Nick Amuchastegui (25-4) followed with his 12th consecutive win, defeating Kyle DeBerry, 10-5. Amuchastegui continued to build on his impressive dual point total, increasing it to 72 on the year. The rookie is now tied with Espericueta (2007-08) as the fourth-winningest freshman in school history.
In the next bout, freshman Victor Haug (8-19) suffered a 10-4 loss to ASU's Eric Starks.
Stanford wasn't fazed, however, and its upperclassmen stepped up in must-win bouts to propel Stanford forward. At 184 pounds, Johnson (27-13) nabbed a 5-0 win over Jake Meredith and pulled Stanford within two, 19-17. Johnson's win was his career-best 27th of the year.
With the dual in his hands, Feist came through. The two-time NCAA qualifier bested Jake Cranford, 5-0, in the 197-pound bout and clinched Stanford's second Pac-10 win in a row.
Stanford is back on the mat on Sunday, heading to Idaho to wrestle defending Pac-10 champion Boise State in another conference dual. Action is set to begin at 1 p.m. (MT) Sunday afternoon.
Stanford 20, Arizona State 19
125 - No. 12 Anthony Robles (A) pinned Austin Quarles (S), 2:20
133 - Porfirio Madrigal (S) dec. David Prado (A), 5-1
141 - No. 6 Chris Drouin (A) maj. dec. Cameron Teitelman (S), 12-4
149 - Tyler Parker (S) dec. Vicente Varela (A), 4-3 (OT)
157 - Lucas Espericueta (S) tech. fall Te Edwards (A), 20-3
165 - Nick Amuchastegui (S) dec. Kyle DeBerry (A), 10-5
174 - Eric Starks (A) dec. Victor Haug (S), 10-4
184 - Jake Johnson (S) dec. Jake Meredith (A), 5-0
197 - Luke Feist (S) dec. Jake Cranford (A), 5-0
HWT - Imanibon Etukeren (A) by forfeit