Jefferson-Morgan’s Teasdale going for 3-peat
Jefferson-Morgan’s Gavin Teasdale is 82-0 heading into his junior season and looking to win his third straight PIAA championship.
Jefferson-Morgan’s Gavin Teasdale, a University of Iowa recruit, is set to open his season tonight at the Eastern Area Tournament at Gateway High School.
JEFFERSON – The hair is longer, the body larger and the look on his face still intense.
Most important, Gavin Teasdale has the same resolve to be a champion, and that’s bad news for his upcoming opponents.
The junior from Jefferson-Morgan High School’s wrestling team is halfway to joining one of the most exclusive clubs in the sport: that of four-time undefeated state champion. Only five wrestlers have accomplished the feat in PIAA history and one of them also attended Jefferson-Morgan, Cary Kolat.
Maybe the most well-known wrestler in the country at that time, Kolat went 137-0. Teasdale has reached 82 straight wins. Waynesburg James Conklin (70-0-1), Clearfield’s Jerry Maury (67-0), Lock Haven’s Mike Johnsonn (84-0) and Kennard Dale’s Chance Marsteller (166-0) are the others.
“My expectations are the same as last year,” said Teasdale. “I just want to dominate more. I want to extend my victories. I want to work hard. I don’t think anyone can come near me because I want to dominate as much as I can. If I do that, I think I can win at states again.”
Teasdale’s quest for a third consecutive undefeated season begins tonight at the Eastern Area Tournament at Gateway. It’s the first step in another long journey, but he prefers not to look ahead.
“You lose track of time when the season starts,” said Teasdale. “It goes so fast. Before you know it, states are coming up.”
Teasdale plans to wrestle at 126 for all but one event: the Powerade Christmas Wrestling Tournament Dec. 29-30 at Canon-McMillan High School. He will drop to 120 to separate from his good friend and main workout partner at the Young Guns Wrestling Club, Spencer Lee of Franklin Regional.
Lee also is undefeated, a three-time PIAA champion and a senior at Franklin Regional. Teasdale does not want to wrestle his best friend and future teammate at the University of Iowa. The two released a joint video when they committed to Iowa in April.
They work out together at Young Guns all the time and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
“My main partner at Young Guns is Spencer,” said Teasdale. “The toughest tournament is Powerade. You get the top 10 talent in the country there. … I think that definitely prepares you for the state tournament.”
Lesko knows Lee-Teasdale would be a dream match for the fans, but understands why it won’t happen.
“Even though everyone wants to see it, they don’t want to see it,” said Jefferson-Morgan head coach Mike Lesko said. “They don’t want that to happen.”
Teasdale had an up-and-down offseason, losing in the finals of the UWW Junior Freestyle Championships in Las Vegas in April, winning in a Junior Freestyle title in Fargo, N.D., in July and losing to Jordan Decatur of Ohio in the who’s No. 1? event in Bethlehem in October. Both losses were by one point.
“He enjoys the pressure,” said Lesko. “He gets on the mat and he (concentrates) on one thing: dominating the match. There is nowhere else he’d rather be right now: undefeated and a two-time state champ.”
Teasdale roared through the Class AA 113-pound weight class in Hershey, winning by four technical falls and outscoring opponents, 96-35. The last one was 23-8 over Kollin Myers of Boiling Springs. Teasdale won the 106-pound title as a freshman.
“He’s going to have a bull’s-eye on his back,” Lesko said. “He knows that. But he’s ready to go.”