Gavin Teasdale is looking to add to his wrestling legacy at Jefferson-Morgan by becoming the second wrestler in school history to go undefeated and win a state title all four years of his high school career.
This would make not just history at Jefferson-Morgan, but it would also be an overall record as no high school has ever had two wrestlers win four state titles. The other wrestler was Cary Kolat, who also won two NCAA titles at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania.
Teasdale is currently the number two ranked wrestler in the 2018 recruiting class, and is committed to Penn State after changing his mind from Iowa where he was originally committed as a sophomore in high school. Teasdale ultimately came to the conclusion that Penn State was the better choice for his future.
“I liked everything about Iowa, the atmosphere was amazing, they are always winning, and I liked their style of play with relentless offense,” said Teasdale. “I feel like I was getting along with the Penn State coaches and they fit my style better.”
One thing he likes about wrestling is the individual competitive aspect of the sport.
“You know in football or basketball the team can place the blame on the quarterback for not making a pass or blaming someone for missing a shot, but in wrestling if you lose it is on you because there is no one else out there to blame but yourself for losing,” said Teasdale.
Ever since his freshman year Teasdale has been in the spotlight, but he feels this has not put any kind of pressure on himself.
Jefferson-Morgan is coached by Michael Lesko, and has been there with Teasdale since the beginning. Lesko put heavy emphasis on how hard Teasdale has worked to get where he is. “Sometimes I just sit back and just think to myself how does he do the things he does,” said Lesko. “He eats, sleeps and breathes wrestling, and he has put everything he has into this sport and has earned everything he has worked for.”
He was well aware of Teasdale’s talents from even an early age.
“Normally, I never have junior high practice with varsity, but I wanted to see what he could do, and here he was a 70-pound middle schooler beating up on my 106 and 115-pound varsity kids,” said Lesko.
Teasdale has used his platform in a positive way to become a good influence for his school and community as Lesko said Teasdale has been such an impact for his team and a strong role model for the little league wrestlers at Jefferson-Morgan.
“Seeing the kid’s faces when [Teasdale] walks in to help with practices is priceless because they are just so in awe to get the chance to just shake a three-time state champs hand,” said Lesko.
Teasdale will be looking to make history in his last year and join Kolat as the only other wrestler to win four state titles at the same high school.
“I think sometimes he does feel a little bit of pressure trying to do what [Kolat] did, but he is special in his own way like Cary is in his, and he just needs to be the best Gavin Teasdale he can be, and he knows that,” said Lesko.
For Teasdale, what it takes to win four state titles is simply a matter of hard work and dedication.
“If you dedicate yourself to the sport, and put in the time to make yourself better, and focus on the fundamentals that make you better, then it can go a long way in helping you improve,” said Teasdale. “You cannot get discouraged if you do not win right away because you need to use that to drive yourself to be better.”