Jan 3, 2017 5 min read

Gavin Teasdale made it three for three in the Powerade Christmas Tournament on Friday in the 50th edition of the prestigious event at Canon-McMillan High School.

The Jefferson-Morgan junior who has committed to wrestle at Iowa picked up a 10-4 decision over the Big Macs’ Logan Macri in the finals of the 120-pound weight class. Teasdale’s five victories at the Powerade pushed his career record to 92-0.

It won’t be long before Teasdale picks up win No. 100, which is not the mark it once was as wrestlers compete in many more matches during their careers, but to do it midway through your junior year is an impressive feat.

Teasdale will have the opportunity next season to be the seventh wrestler in the history of the Powerade to win four championships. Throughout the first 40 years of the tournament, North Allegheny’s Ty Moore (1986, ’87, ’88, ’89) was the only four-time champion, but five more have won four golds in the last 10 years.

Central Dauphin’s Marshall Peppelman started his run in 2006, and Franklin Regional’s Nico Megaludis began his run in 2007. Derry Area’s Jimmy Gulibon opened up his run in 2008.

Kennard-Dale’s Chance Marsteller (2010, ’11, ’12, ’13) and Greater Latrobe’s Luke Pletcher (2012, ’13, ’14, ’15) have accomplished the four-peat. Not surprisingly, all four-time winners are multiple state champions.

Franklin Regional senior Spencer Lee has three Powerade titles but wasn’t able to compete in the 2015 tournament due to injury. Lee and Teasdale will be teammates at Iowa but decided not to wrestle in the same weight class in this year’s event, as Teasdale dropped down to 120, while Lee stayed at 126 and won the championship without much of a challenge.

Lee and Teasdale are practice partners at their wrestling club, Young Guns, and decided not to compete in the same weight class, as they would have most likely been seeded 1-2 and met in the finals, much to the chagrin of some fans.

I really don’t have any issue with them wrestling in different weight classes. It is their decision, and I’m sure they have plenty of battles in the wrestling room anyway. They are friends and always take time out to credit each other for helping accomplish their goals. In a world of many selfish athletes, these two are being selfless, and I applaud them.

One wrestler that was in Teasdale’s weight class that was projected to pose a threat to the Rockets’ unblemished mark was Wyoming Seminary freshman Beau Bartlett. Bartlett won the top-tier Ironman Tournament and was the No. 2 seed at 120. Marcri upset Bartlett, 3-2, in the semifinals and the match-up with Teasdale was wiped out. They may meet at next season’s Powerade.

One thing about Teasdale, he will never stop working. He said after the quarterfinals that he wasn’t happy with his performance so far and he also believes he needs to work on opponents grabbing his ankles when he gets in on his shot.

The Rockets get back to action on Tuesday when they wrestle Beth-Center in a dual meet, then wrestle in the TriCADA tournament on Friday and Saturday at Albert Gallatin High School. Teasdale is scheduled to compete in both the dual meet and the tournament.

Teasdale knows that every opponent he faces will be looking to knock him off the top of the mountain, but he will not overlook anyone he wrestles.

And I believe him.

Garbrandt is the new champ

Cody Garbrandt picked apart Dominick Cruz in winning the UFC bantamweight title on Friday night at UFC 207.

Garbrandt (11-0) is a native of Uhrichsville, Ohio, but began his career in the Pittsburgh area and had fights in Canonsburg and Pittsburgh to begin his pro MMA career. He also trained with Mark Cherico, who is a Pittsburgh-based fighter, before moving to Sacramento to train in the gym that is owned by veteran UFC fighter Urijah Faber.

Hopefully, Garbrandt’s pull will influence UFC President Dana White to give a look at Cherico and other Pittsburgh-area fighters. Local MMA professional Nick Browne, who is a Laurel Highlands graduate and Uniontown resident, has worked with Cherico and uses Garbrandt’s success as inspiration that a small-town fighter can make it to the big time.

Is Rousey done?

I don’t know if Ronda Rousey is done, but it appears that being a judoka won’t work in the UFC.

Amanda Nunes only needed 48 seconds to pummel Rousey at UFC 207. Nunes wasn’t too humble in victory, as she claimed that Rousey is done, she needs to stick with making movies and has a lot of money already.

It appears that the hype is not living up to the skill when it comes to Rousey, and if she wants to get back on top again, she is going to have to work on becoming an all-around fighter.

Herald-Standard sports writer Jonathan Guth can be reached via email at jguth@heraldstandard.com or jonathanguth85@gmail.com