Three-peat for Teasdale at WPIAL Championships
Joe Tuscano/Observer-Reporter Gavin Teasdale of Jefferson-Morgan controls Dillan Jeffrey of Burrell during their 126-pound final of the WPIAL Class AA Championships at Canon-McMillan High School Saturday. Teasdale won his third title with a 20-8 major decision.
Joe Tuscano/Observer-Reporter Jett Pattison of McGuffey is about to pin Trent Bechtold of Burrell in 1:39 during their 120-pound final of the WPIAL Class AA Championships at Canon-McMillan High School Saturday.
CANONSBURG – Gavin Teasdale wrestles at a different level.
Looking strong and quick, the junior from Jefferson-Morgan High School showed the large crowd at Canon-McMillan High School why he is one of the top wrestlers in the country by breezing through the 126-pound field and winning his third consecutive WPIAL Class AA championship Saturday.
Teasdale dismantled Dillan Jeffrey of Burrell, 20-8, to keep his season record perfect at 32-0 and his career record even more sparkling at 114-0.
If there was some solace for Jeffrey, it was that he was only the fifth wrestler this season to extend Teasdale, a two-time PIAA champion, to the full six minutes. The remaining opponents were washed under in pins and technical falls.
“I wrestled all six minutes and I have to be prepared for the tie-ups,” said Teasdale. “You have to keep working close and be prepared when they try to keep it close. You have to shoot 100 times to their five times.”
Teasdale is one of six local champions who will enter the PIAA Class AA Southwest Region Tournament at Indiana University next weekend with good seeds. They included Jett Pattison (120) and Christian Clutter (160) of McGuffey; Manny Dovshek (113) of Bentworth, R.J. Hall (170) of Chartiers-Houston and Dom Fundy (182) of Beth-Center.
The top seven wrestlers from each weight class advanced to the region tournament. The top six from that tournament advance to the PIAA Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey March 9-11.
Teasdale built a 6-2 lead after one period, extended it to 10-4 after two and outscored Jeffrey, 10-4, over the final two minutes.
“I’m taking it one step at a time, sections, WPIALs, regionals and states,” said Teasdale. “Each opponent, whether it’s a first-year kid or an experienced kid, I’m going to wrestle the same way.”
Pattison stunned Trent Bechtold of Burrell after a takedown 30 seconds into the match by turning him on his back and pinning him in 1:39. It was the first title for the sophomore, who was unable to break into the lineup when the Nicolella brothers, Teague and Gage, dropped for the postseason.
“At the beginning of the year, not so much,” Pattison said when asked if envisioned a WPIAL title in his future. “I was at a heavier weight class. Now that I’ve done it, it’s a different story.”
Clutter used a strong defense to stifle Jaden Datz of Southmoreland. After a scoreless two periods, Clutter broke through for an escape, then a takedown for the win.
Hall had a nearly identical match to Clutter’s against Luke Shingle of McGuffey but he allowed an escape in the third period that tied it, 1-1. Hall wrapped it up with a takedown with 26 seconds to go.
“I wrestled him two times this season (and beat him),” said Hall. “It’s a little tough because you get used to wrestling them and they know how to counteract your shots.”
Fundy traded escapes with Anthony Marra of Burrell in regulation, then won it in the third overtime, 2-1, with another escape with 26 seconds remaining.
“I wrestled him at Bedford (tournament),” said Fundy, who was third here last year. “It gets harder because you learn each other’s moves and how you work (against them). But you usually get better no matter the outcome.”
Dovshek built a 7-1 decision over Zach Ward of Freedom, but had to ward off a rally by Ward. It was Dovshek’s first WPIAL title after finish second in the previous two. Josh Kuslock of Chartiers-Houston made it to the 138-pound finals, where he was pinned in 5:59 by Thayne Lawrence, a superb freshman from Frazier.
Jeff McConn of McGuffey dropped a 4-1 decision to Logan Witwicki of Carlynton in the 152-pound final.