As a freshman last year, Gavin Fehr didn’t expect to have a 28-win season total.

Now, the Catasauqua sophomore has been battling the rigors of trying to do more this coming season.

“It’s been frustrating,” said Fehr, who posted a 28-14 overall record last season. “As coronavirus got worse, our hopes of having a complete season got worse. It really [had] been disappointing when we had to stop practice until January (4th).

“I have been working out and trying to stay in shape.”

Fehr recalled how a fourth-place finish at the Lehigh Valley Junior High Tournament and a performance at the Coal Cracker Tournament helped shape his season a year ago.

“I was pretty happy how I did last season,” said Fehr, who wrestled at the 120- and 126-pound weights. “I didn’t expect that many wins, and I was hoping for a decent season.

“Finishing as high as I did in the junior high tournament helped, and I started off the season a little slow. I really began to gain my confidence at the Coal Cracker Tournament. I felt really good there and everything came together for me.

“It really helped me the rest of the season.”

Fehr gained momentum the rest of the way and finished sixth at districts. He admittedly was anxious there being on a different stage for the first time in the 126-pound bracket.

“It was a weird feeling,” he stated. “I was really nervous. I knew I had to calm down and just go out there and be myself. Once I started wrestling, I was fine.

“I won my first match, but then I lost to (Pen Argyl’s) Lucas Buskirk, who made it to states. I lost again, but I was able to battle back with a couple of wins. It was a big confidence booster for me.”

Wrestling has been a constant in Fehr’s life, as he began the sport at the age of five.

“I started in kindergarten, and I love it as soon as I began,” he said. “In fourth grade, I really started to do better with the sport. Two years later in sixth grade, I finished sixth at the school’s annual tournament.

“From there, I knew I had to keep working at it.”

In sixth grade, Fehr began working out with Jaryn Hartranft, his current wrestling partner in the room, The duo will split their time between the 132- and 138-pound bracket this winter. Hartranft, a junior this season, finished third at regionals last season in the 106-pound bracket.

“We’ve been working with each other since sixth grade,” said Fehr. “He really has helped me through everything. I could not have been in this situation without him.”

Head coach Joe Russo has been aware of Fehr’s longterm dedication.

“Gavin is a tough competitor who has been putting in the extra offseason work in wrestling clubs and in the weight room for years. His dad has been taking him to the state tournament since he was little, his goal always has been to qualify and medal.

“He’s a big piece of a strong group of lightweight wrestlers we have in our lineup with Hartranft, brother Mikhail Hartranft, (Cole) Brown, (Austin) Brett, and (Jacob) Nye.”

Fehr remains optimistic about his team’s attrition for the upcoming season.

“It has been hard because you have to stop every time your mask falls off, which seems to be every 30 to 45 seconds,” he said. “We also can’t have that many people in the room at one time.

“We started with 16 wrestlers and now we’re down to 12. Four of them quit because they didn’t feel comfortable.

“But we are still confident we can have a good season. We’ll see how successful we can be. I would like to place at districts and it will be harder because of COVID. It will be harder to get there this year.”

Despite it all, Fehr will be looking forward to the challenge.