Teasdale signs, officially headed to Penn State
Jefferson-Morgan wrestler Gavin Teasdale shakes hands with Rockets’ coach Mike Lesko after Teasdale signed a national letter of intent with Penn State.
Joe Tuscano/ Observer-Reporter
Kristen Haywood smiles after her son, Gavin, signed his national letter of intent with Penn Sate.
Joe Tuscano/Observer-Reporter
Submitted Photo
Three Trinity High School girls were national letter of intent signees Wednesday.Payton Barr, left, signed with Alderson Broaddus University for softball. Abigail Cermak, middle, signed with Indiana University of Pennsylvania to play lacrosse and Christina Clutter, right, signed with Edinboro University for lacrosse.
JEFFERSON – With one swipe of his pen, Gavin Teasdale went from top wrestling recruit to a Penn State Nittany Lion.
Teasdale held the signing ceremony Wednesday morning with family members, a few friends and Jefferson-Morgan High School officials, including head coach Mike Lesko.
The No. 1 recruit at 126 pounds will join coach Cael Sanderson’s team in June.
Teasdale begins the final leg of a four-year high school journey to possible wrestling immortality with the Eastern Wrestling Tournament at Gateway High School Dec. 8-9,
Teasdale has won three straight PIAA Class AA championships and has a 122-0 record. He is hoping to become the second wrestler from Jefferson-Morgan to be a four-time undefeated state champion, joining Cary Kolat.
Teasdale will be attending the same college as Kolat did after the latter won four titles and compiled a 137-0 record with the Rockets. Kolat spent two seasons at Penn State, then transferred to Lock Haven, where he won two NCAA Division I titles.
“We could be the first school in (PIAA) history to have two undefeated four-time champions,” Teasdale said.
“Going into my freshman year, I knew there would be more pressure because everyone was older than you and you’re expected to win the big titles. This year, I am going to (treat) it like the other ones. I’m not going to overlook anyone.”
Teasdale originally said he would attend the University of Iowa, following his good friend Spencer Lee of Franklin Regional, who won three PIAA titles. The two announced their intentions to go to Iowa on the same day in March, but Teasdale changed his mind a couple weeks later.
“I went up to Penn State after I committed to Iowa,” said Teasdale. “I liked the facilities, the coaching staff and all the wrestlers on the team, their style. . . . It was a big reason why I decommitted from Iowa. Anything can happen in recruiting but you have to feel comfortable. I feel comfortable there.”
Teasdale is shootingto become only the sixth PIAA four-time champion who completed their career without a loss. Only 12 wrestlers in PIAA history have won four titles.
“He looks more relaxed because this whole thing is over,” Lesko said of the recruiting process. “He can concentrate on one thing: wrestling. We’ve always had good wrestlers but when Gavin came up and won a state title as a freshman, that’s the only thing you can expect. Anything else is considered a failure.”
Lesko said he expects he’ll have to pack a suit for the state tournament finals.
“When he is in the practice room, he is just like any other wrestler . . . except you don’t want to wrestle him,” Lesko said.
Teasdale was one of a group of area athletes to sign Wednesday. Among those were:
• Alexa Williamson of Chartiers-Houston, signed with Temple to play basketball. Williamson is an all-state selection and chose Temple over Xavier, Indiana, Pitt and Duquesne.
• Bailey Parshall, a left-handed softball pitcher from Belle Vernon, signed with Penn State. She led the WPIAL in strikeouts last season.
• Ringgold’sLauren Gohacki and Taylor Mendicino signed to play softball at Pittsburgh-Johnstown.{
• Waynesburg volleyball player Abby Gibbons signed with West Virginia.
• Trinity’s Abigail Cermak, who signed with Indiana University of Pennsylvania for lacrosse.
• Trinity lacrosse goalkeeper Christian Clutter, who signed with Edinboro.
• Payton Barr of Trinity, who signed with Alderson-Broaddus to play softball.
• Monessen softball pitcher Dana Vatakis signed with Robert Morris.