By Pat Donahue
Staff Photographer
West High School Wrestling Coach Felix Catheline is pictured here with Matthew (left) and Dawson Shaw during a warm up session on the second day of the State Wrestling Tournament, held March 8-10 at The Jerome Schottenstein Center.
Dawson and Matthew Shaw are seniors at West High School.
They moved to the Westside four years ago from the Youngstown area. The twins had played football, but neither had wrestled before.
The West High School Wrestling Coach Felix Catheline was also the defensive coordinator on the football team and encouraged the twins to start wrestling. At first, there was little interest, but that changed once they gave it a shot.
While Matthew took to wrestling and sunk his teeth into it, Dawson was more partial to football and was an all-state defensive lineman. As juniors, both wrestled in backup roles because the 220 pound and 285 pound spots were filled by others.
The brothers elevated their wrestling interest and skills last summer by participating in the Cardinal Wrestling Club at Otterbein University.
Throughout the 2017/18 season, Matthew had a record of 37-5 at 220 pounds and Dawson had a record of 37-4 at 285 pounds. Both qualified at the regional and district tournaments to earn a spot as one of the top 16 in the state in Division I.
Catheline said this was quite an accomplishment after just a few years.
Both wrestlers gained a win in the first night of competition to come back for the second day, but both exited the tournament after three matches.
Their last matches were tough and were going on at the same time four mats apart. Both lost.
No one from West High School has placed in the State Wrestling Tournament since 1941.
