Three times as nice for J-M’s Teasdale
Marc Billett/For the Observer-Reporter
Observer-Reporter online readers voted Gavin Teasdale of Jefferson-Morgan winning his fourth PIAA wrestling title as the best scholastic moment of 2017-18.
Marc Billett/For the Observer-Reporter Gavin Teasdale of Jefferson-Morgan pressures Austin Clabaugh of Bermudian Springs during their 126-pound finals bout in the PIAA Class AA Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey Saturday. Teasdale won a 13-5 major decision for his third straight title.
Marc Billett/For the Observer-Reporter Gavin Teasdale of Jefferson-Morgan traps the legs of Austin Clabaugh of Bermudian Springs during the 126-pound finals in the PIAA Class AA Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey Saturday. Teasdale won a 13-5 major decision for his third straight title.
Marc Billett/For the Observer-Reporter Gavin Teasdale of Jefferson-Morgan has Austin Clabaugh of Bermudian Springs on his back during the 126-pound finals bout in the PIAA Class AA Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey Saturday. Teasdale won a 13-5 major decision for his third straight title.
HERSHEY – Gavin Teasdale had just won his third straight PIAA Class AA Wrestling Championship and capped another undefeated season. But he couldn’t be found in the back entrance of the Giant Center, where a professional photographer was taking pictures of all the medalists after they competed.
The junior from Jefferson-Morgan High School who just joined one of the elite groups in this tournament’s history and appears a lock to become the next four-time champion was standing matside forsaking the photos for now while watching his friend, Max Murin of Central Cambria, compete in the 138-pound final.
Not only did Murin win a second title but he was named Outstanding Wrestler after knocking off Cole Matthews of Reynolds, who won in 2015.
Teasdale raised his record to 40-0 for the season and 122-0 overall. Teasdale joined the likes of George Custer of Canonsburg, Coleman Scott of Waynesburg and Manuel Pihakis of Canonsburg in the group of three-timers. Teasdale and Custer, who went 76-0, are the only undefeated wrestlers in this group.
Teasdale, who is tracking the same path another Jefferson-Morgan great, Cary Kolat, took on the way to four undefeated seasons and four state titles. Kolat went 137-0 while compiling his four titles and becoming the seventh four-timer in 1992.
Here’s the scary part: Teasdale didn’t think he wrestled particularly well in this tournament.
“I scored points but I had a lot of mistakes,” he said. “I made mistakes on the bottom, let them in on my ankles, let them hold on and not wrestle my best.”
Teasdale dominated Clabaugh, leading 4-1 after one period and 7-1 after two. The lead stretched to 13-2 before Teasdale got out of position, allowing a meaningless escape and takedown in the final 10 seconds. Teasdale scored 80 bout points, 17 shy of besting the 96 he scored winning the 113-pound title last year. Teasdale won at 106 as a freshman.
“I was just trying to get the five points at the end to get the tech,” said Teasdale. “I was trying to go for it all.”
Teasdale wrestled this tournament with a calm demeanor, rare for someone who just turned 18. His coaches, and especially Mike Lesko, was not.
“I can’t believe how calm he is,” said Lesko. “He’s so calm and here we are as coaches throwing up in the corner. I think the calmness is instilled in him. Heck, he lives on the mat. It’s his home.”
Teasdale said each state title stands out for different reasons.
“Last year’s was points,” he said. “This year was having my offense dominate. I feel I separated myself from the group I was with this year. In my freshman year, I had close matches.”
Lesko said he is overwhelmed at Teasdale’s status in the wrestling world.
“You come up here and some coaches are just hoping their kid can win a medal,” Lesko said. “We’re thinking we can’t give up a takedown. That’s unbelievable for a coach to say that. You put your work in, get him ready and you did everything right. I love sitting in that corner.”