Top-ranked senior Anthony Robles will lead the ASU wrestling team on another tough road trip this weekend as the Sun Devils travel to Corvallis for a Friday showdown versus No. 21 Oregon State (9-5-2) before heading south to Palo Alto for a 2 p.m. dual against Stanford (7-9-1) on Sunday.
The Sun Devils (5-11) are coming off of two tough duals against Big 12 powerhouses Nebraska and Iowa State, in which they were roughed up 35-8 and 33-14, respectively. The upcoming road trip will be ASU’s last chance to correct its mistakes before the Pac-10 tournament, which starts Feb. 27 in Corvallis.
“Hopefully we’ll see a difference this weekend,” Robles said. “I think we’re going to turn it around and get ready for Pac-10s.”
Robles, who is 26-0 and has beaten 19 of his opponents by technical fall this year, is the heart and soul of an injured and struggling Sun Devil squad.
“Robles leads by example so much that you can learn a lot by basically just watching his swagger,” redshirt freshman Luke Macchiaroli said. “The definition of leading by example would be him.”
Undoubtedly, Robles is heading into this weekend expecting to put two more victories under his belt to keep up the momentum heading into the conference tourney.
The real question is whether or not his teammates will be able to follow the precedent he sets.
“You’ve got to have faith in your teammates, and I think that when you have faith in your teammates, it gives them more faith and courage,” Macchiaroli said. “We need to stick together.”
It would be a huge lift if the Sun Devils were able to gain some momentum from this weekend’s duals, as senior captain Bubba Jenkins and junior Eric Starks are both scheduled to return next week from knee injuries that have sidelined them for over a month.
“I’m just anxious and I’m ready to get back out on the mat,” Starks said.
This should be the Sun Devil’s last time they have to forfeit weight classes this year, something that ASU says will affect its expectations once again against both the Beavers and the Cardinal.
“I really think at this point, the team is just learning, and we’re starting to get that winner’s mentality,” Macchiaroli said.
Robles agreed, saying the most important things for ASU to do this upcoming weekend are wrestle hard and continue to improve for Pac-10s.
“I don’t think it’s so much about looking at the score,” Robles said. “I think it’s about looking at each weight and just making sure that every guy is wrestling to the best of their abilities. If each of us can do that in every weight, then it’s a win in my book, and I think we’ll be prepped for Pac-10s.”
Reach the reporter at kyle.j.newman@asu.edu
