Jeff-Morgan’s Teasdale improves record to 126-0
Tri-State Sports & News Service
Gavin Teasdale’s decision to wrestle up one weight class at the Eastern Area Invitational Tournament almost backfired on him.
Teasdale, a JeffersonMorgan senior who claimed his third PIAA Class 2A title in March while competing at 126 pounds, decided to enter the tournament last weekend at Gateway High School at 132 pounds so teammate Josh Agnew could enter at 126.
That placed Teasdale in the same weight class as Franklin Regional junior Colton Camacho, who placed third in WPIAL Class 3A at 120 last year.
“Gavin and Colton work out all the time at Young Guns Wrestling Club, so he knows Gavin better than anybody,” Jefferson-Morgan coach Mike Lesko said. “It didn’t surprise me that the bout was so close.”
Teasdale and Camacho faced off in the 132-pound final. A third-period escape by Teasdale was the deciding point in his 4-3 victory, which earned him a fourth Eastern Area title and improved his career record to 126-0.
“Colton got in a leg with 15 seconds left, but Gavin did a great job of fighting it off,” Franklin Regional coach Matt Lebe said. “That’s why Gavin is a three-time state champ.”
Despite the loss, Lebe was impressed with Camacho’s performance.
“Colton has the talent and dedication required to win WPIAL and PIAA titles,” Lebe said. “Hopefully this match will show him just how close he is.”
Jefferson-Morgan and Franklin Regional are both entered in the Powerade Christmas Tournament Dec. 29-30 at Canon-McMillan High School, but don’t expect a rematch.
“Gavin will be at 128 [with a 2-pound weight allowance] for the Powerade tournament,” Lesko said. “It should be a strong weight class with Gavin, [National Prep Champion] Beau Bartlett and [CanonMcMillan’s] Logan Macri.”
Kiski Area
Kiski Area dominated the Eastern Area Invitational, despite having its top wrestler out of the lineup. Isaac Reid, a PIAA Class 3A runner-up at 285 pounds, was ill and did not wrestle.
Even without an entry at 285, the Cavaliers still accumulated 224 points to claim their third consecutive Eastern Area title. DuBois was a distant second with 139 points.
“We had 10 kids finish among the top five in their weight class and were 8-2 in the medal round,” Kiski Area coach Chris Heater said. “We had 4 champs, 2 runners-up, 2 thirds, and 2 fifths.”
Kiski Area’s four champs were Darren Miller, at 120, Noah Levett (138), Cam Connor (145) and Logan Pollick (182).
“Cam [Connor] should have been the Outstanding Wrestler,” Heater said. “He beat [Penn-Trafford’s] Job Chishko, 3-0, in the semifinals, and [DuBois’] Kolby Ho, 7-4, in the finals. It was his third Eastern Area title.”
Chartiers-Houston
Reid was one of two PIAA finalists who missed a tournament last weekend. The other was North Hills’ Sam Hillegas, who scratched from the Chartiers-Houston tournament with an ear infection.
“Sam has a bad case of cauliflower ear,” said North Hills coach Jose Martinez of Hillegas, who won a PIAA Class 3A title at 113 last year. “We’re hoping to get him back in the lineup this week.”
South Fayette claimed the team title at the Chartiers-Houston tournament, despite having six of its seven place-winners lose in the medal round.
“Quentin Franklin was our only winner in the medal round,” South Fayette coach Rick Chaussard said. “His pin in the heavyweight third-place match gave us the deciding points.”
South Fayette totaled 158 points to finish three points ahead of runner-up Upper St. Clair. The Lions had three entries advance to the finals, but all three had to settle for a silver medal.
Albert Gallatin’s Tim Wallace claimed his third Chartiers-Houston tournament title with a 7-0 win against Butler’s Christian Sequete in the 182-pound final.
Beth-Center’s Dominic Fundy and Upper St. Clair’s Jake Slinger claimed their second title. Fundy won at 195, while Slinger defended his title at 220.