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Cooper, Smith represent Sun Devils at 2011 NWCA Classic


November 22, 2011

Click here for pictures from the event

Arizona State redshirt junior Levi Cooper defeated Grand Canyon's Jordan Johnson in the first match of the night, while redshirt freshman Joel Smith took a defending All-American all three rounds in front of more than 1,500 fans at the 46th annual NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marines Corp at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz.

In the only exhibition match of the night, Cooper used a takedown in the third period to collect a 3-2 decision over Johnson, a transfer from the University of Iowa and two-time place winner at the Asics University National Championships.

Smith, who took the mat in place of Tyler Nauman of Pittsburgh in the 149-pound bout, fell behind early to Oklahoma State's Jamal Parks, but countered with a pair of reversals and escapes to help cut the margin. Parks, however, tacked on a pair of takedowns and two bonus points for riding time in the third period to win the match.

Jordan Oliver and Parks helped Oklahoma State pick up a pair of victories, while Edinboro's Chris Honeycutt registered the only pin of the night. Maryland, American and Wyoming, who all also had two wrestlers in the classic, each registered a win and a loss.

Nic Bedelyon of Kent State won 7-3 over Oklahoma's Jarrod Patterson in the 125-pound bout. It was scoreless after the first period and knotted at three apiece heading into the third before Bedelyon recorded a near fall and a bonus for riding time to get the win.

In the closest match of the night, Oliver won an 8-7 decision over Illinois' B.J. Futrell in the 133-pound bout. Oliver led 3-0 after a takedown in the first period and an escape in the second, but Futrell collected three takedowns in the third period to tie it up. However, a late escape by Oliver gave him the win.

After the 141-pound match was scoreless through the first period, Cal Poly's Boris Novachkov gained three points in the second period and added one at the buzzer to get a 4-0 decision over Zack Kemmerer of Penn.

American's Ganbayar Sanjaa got the early takedown, but Jason Welch of Northwestern countered with a pair of his own takedowns and an escape to win the 157-pound match, 8-5.

It was a rematch of last year's all-star classic at 165 pounds, but the result was different. Maryland's Josh Asper took a 6-4 decision over Wyoming's Shane Onufer, who won at last year's event. Asper had a 2-1 lead after the first period and stretched the margin to 5-1 after two periods. Onufer battled back in the final period and brought the deficit to two, but Asper was able to hold on for the win.

The 174-pound match was scratched due to injury.

In the 184-pound matchup, Ben Bennett of Central Michigan got an early takedown in the first period, but Wyoming's Joe LeBlanc, trailing 3-1, used a reversal and a late takedown of his own in the third to win the match, 5-4.

Honeycutt pinned two-time defending national champion Byron Tate of Div. III Wartburg a mere 32 seconds into the first period to record the victory in the 197-pound match.

Ryan Flores of American jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the first period and never relinquished his lead, using a late takedown and a bonus for riding time to win an 11-2 decision over Maryland's Spencer Myers in the 285-pound division.

46th Annual NWCA All-Star Classic
Monday, Nov. 21 - Wells Fargo Arena
125 - Nic Bedelyon dec. Jarrod Patterson, 7-3
133 - Jordan Oliver dec. B.J. Futrell, 8-7
141 - Boris Novachkov dec. Zack Kemmerer, 4-0
149 - Jamal Parks major dec. Joel Smith, 17-4
157 - Jason Welch dec. Ganbayar Sanjaa, 8-5
165 - Josh Asper dec. Shane Onufer, 6-4
174 - Scratched due to injury
184 - Joe LeBlanc dec. Ben Bennett, 5-4
197 - Chris Honeycutt pinned Byron Tate, :32
285 - Ryan Flores dec. Spencer Myers, 11-2
EXH- 285 - Levi Cooper dec. Jordan Johnson, 3-2