Teasdale makes it 4-for-4 at region tournament
Gavin Teasdale works his way into Shawn Broadway of Derry during their 126-pound weight class in the PIAA Class AA Southwest Region Tournament Saturday at the Kovalchick Complex at Indiana University. Teasdale won an 11-4 decision.
John Vargo of Bentworth gets his arm raised after winning the 182-pound weight class in the PIAA Class AA Southwest Region Tournament Saturday at the Kovalchick Complex at Indiana University.
Mike Cusick of South Fayette works to free himself from the hold of Joe Demor of South Side Beaver in the 145-pound weight class in the PIAA Class AA Southwest Region Tournament Saturday at the Kovalchick Complex at Indiana University. Demor won a 3-2 decision.
Gavin Teasdale won his fourth PIAA Class AA Southwest Region title Saturday at Indiana University.
INDIANA – For the second week in a row, Gavin Teasdale passed a milestone.
And for the second week in a row, the three-time PIAA wrestling champion from Jefferson-Morgan treated it like a mile marker on the turnpike.
There are more down the road.
Teasdale accomplished the rare feat of becoming a four-time champion in the PIAA Class AA Southwest Region Tournament Saturday at the Kovalchick Complex on the campus of Indiana University.
He did so with an 11-4 decision over Derry’s Shawn Broadway in the 126-pound finals of this two-day tournament. He unofficially became the seventh wrestler since the tournament began in 1987 to win four titles. Rob Patrick of Ligonier Valley became the eighth when he won the 170-pound title.
The others were: Jefferson Morgan’s Cary Kolat (1989-1992), Burrell’s Joe Makara (2000-2003), Forest Hills’ Jake Strayer (2001-2004), Derry’s Jim Gulibon (2009-2012), Kittanning’s Jason Nolf (2011-2014) and Central Cambria’s Max Murin (2014-2017).
Last week, Teasdale became the 28th wrestler in the history of the WPIAL to win four titles. Again, Broadway was the victim.
Teasdale also broke Jefferson-Morgan’s record for career victories with his 157th in the semifinals, a mark held by Brendan Howard. Four-time state champion Cary Kolat’s record is 137-0.
The top six wrestlers in each weight class advanced to the PIAA Championships at the Giant Center in Hershey March 8-10.
Joining Teasdale at the top of the medal stand was John Vargo of Bentworth, who won the 182-pound with a 5-2 decision over Kyle Myers of West Branch.
Mike Cusick of South Fayette also made the finals but lost a 3-2 decision to Joe Demore of South Side Beaver at 145 pounds.
It was a wild final for Teasdale as he forsaked his usual neutral position dominance to attack with tilts and turns.
“I experimented with a lot of different stuff,” said Teasdale. “I can’t do that stupid stuff. I thought it was there but that’s not my style.”
At one point, Teasdale was balancing on his head while trying to turn Broadway. Another time, he lost his grip and gave up a 4-point move. Each move brought howls from the coaches in the corner.
“I shouldn’t have focused on my turns so much,” he said. “I should have just took him down and let him up, like my regular style. You learn from it and get ready (for the state tournament).”
Teasdale (36-2) needs four straight wins in Hershey to become the 13th four-time champion in PIAA history.
Vargo got the first takedown and the last, with 43 seconds to go, to become the first regional champion from Bentworth since C.J. Wonsettler won the 189-pound weight class in 2001.
“I knew that I had to keep bringing the aggression,” said Vargo, who is now 30-6. “He was gassed so I kept pushing him. That’s what I had in my mind, wrestle hard for six minutes.”
What made this win so significant was that Vargo stepped into the top seed when Beth-Center’s Dom Fundy, a state runner-up in the weight class last year, was forced to pull out of the postseason after hurting his hand in a triangular meet two weeks before the section tournaments.
Cusick gave up a takedown with 28 seconds remaining in the bout. He managed to escape but couldn’t get the takedown.
“In that case, he just got the upper hand,” said Cusick, now 36-6. “Hopefully, next time I come in with a better method.”
Cusick will spend the week off before the state tournament working on his takedown technique.
“I’m excited to go to the state tournament and do the best I can,” said Cusick. “It’s going to be awesome. I’m so pumped.”
McGuffey advanced five wrestlers – Nate Yagle (106), Jett Pattison (126), Christian Clutter (170), Luke Shingle (182) and Dalton Lough (195).
South Fayette advanced Cusick (145) and Bentworth had Vargo (182) and Manny Dovshek (120). Shane Kemper (113) made it from Burgettstown and Connor Main (220) got there for West Greene.