By Jamie Rankin
DAILY COURIER
At this time of year when many other teens are playing baseball and softball, or they’re just taking advantage of the summer break, Matt Zavada is wrestling.
Zavada, of Dunbar, will begin his junior year at Connellsville Area High School in the fall and will rejoin the varsity wrestling team in the winter. In the meantime, he is keeping busy — and winning medals — with another group of wrestlers.
“It’s Team Cow Rock. It’s Connellsville’s offseason team, “Zavada said, noting that former Falcons wrestler Kyle Martin coaches the team.
Zavada goes straight from the end of the high school season into competition with his summer team. He has been wrestling with Team Cow Rock for the past four years This summer, he’s brought home some hardware.
In June, Zavada took first in the 215-pound weight class at the Freestyle Pennsylvania States at Clarion University. He was also chosen to wrestle as a member of the Pennsylvania Dual team in late June in Kansas City. The dual team squared off against wrestlers from all over the country and claimed first place in the freestyle and Greco Roman disciplines.
“It feels great, “Zavada said of winning his medals.
Zavada first took up the sport when he was young, joining the Connellsville elementary wrestling program and competing in Junior Olympic tournaments before focusing on wrestling at the varsity level. Now, Zavada wrestles during the summer to stay in shape for the high school season.
“It’s completely different (in style), but if I wouldn’t have wrestled this summer, I would have been all out of timing and everything, and it would have been hard to get back in, “he said.
Zavada wrestled at 189 pounds as a sophomore in his first varsity season for the Falcons, but he said he’ll most likely move up to 215 this season.
Before he hits the mat, however, Zavada will use his size in a different sport: He is set to play middle linebacker for Connellsville’s football team, also headed by Falcons wrestling coach Tommy Dolde. As with wrestling, Zavada’s football career began when he was young.
“I didn’t play last year, but (I played) all through elementary and junior high.”
Still, it’s clear that wrestling is Zavada’s main concentration. He is hoping to see the Falcons earn a team state championship, and he’s also already outlined a goal for himself.
“I want to place in the top four in the WPIAL, “he said.
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