Feb 15, 2018 3 min read

Manny Dovshek is happy Gavin Teasdale grew a little over the past two seasons.

Dovshek, a senior from Bentworth High School, could be wrestling for his fourth WPIAL individual title had Teasdale, a three-time PIAA champion from Jefferson-Morgan, not been on the other side of the bracket in his freshman and sophomore seasons.

As it is, Dovshek will be trying for his third section title and back-to-back WPIAL gold medals when both events are held at Canon-McMillan High School.

The three section titles in Class AA will be held today with a 4 p.m. first whistle.

The WPIAL tournament will get underway Saturday with an 11 a.m. start.

This is the second season of the new format. Normally, a one-week break followed the section tournaments.

Teasdale will be looking to become the 28th wrestler in WPIAL history to win four titles. The last person to accomplish it was Spencer Lee of Franklin Regional last season. Teasdale is wrestling at 126 pounds, one weight above Dovsheak.

Dovshek reached the Century Club in the first round of the Ultimate Warrior tournament in West Branch last weekend. His career record is 103-33.

“This is my favorite tournament of the year,” said Dovshek, who will be competing at 120 pounds and has a 16-4 record.

Dovshek is the third seed in the Section 2 Tournament behind Jimmy Gwyer of Beth-Center and top-seed Tyler Cymmerman of Derry.

Dovshek said he has been refining his technique through the season and is hoping it pays off in the individual postseason.

“I’ve been working on my shots, and I’ve been working on slowing the pace of my matches,” Dovshek said. “My strength is the neutral position and my weakness is down.”

Dovshek spends one or two days a week at Quest Wrestling Club, where he puts in 90-minute workouts.

Dovshek said he is certified for 113 pounds but prefers 120.

“I feel stronger there,” he said. “I don’t have to cut weight to stay there.”

Teasdale brings a 27-2 record into the individual postseason. He begins his quest to become only the 13th wrestler in PIAA history to win four PIAA titles.

Teasdale has not competed since losing for the second time in his varsity career, 8-4, to Caleb Rea of Weir High School in the finals of the Buckeye Local Panther Classic in Rayland, Ohio Feb. 2.

The tournament has already lost a strong wrestler when Dominick Fundy was forced to pull out because of an injury to his hand.

Fundy, a junior from Beth-Center, sustained multiple injuries to his hand during a triangular meet with Moon and Peters Township over the weekend. Fundy was a PIAA runner-up last year at 182 pounds, losing his only match of the season to Cody Mulligan of Saegertown, 6-0, in the finals in Hershey.