CRANBERRY TWP — Erik Gavula calls it “unprecedented.”

And he would know.

Gavula, head instructor of Young Brothers taekwondo in Cranberry Township, was referring to one of his prize students, 15-year-old Seneca Valley sophomore Joe DeFazio, winning Grand Champion honors at the U.S. Open in Charleston, W.Va., earlier this month.

Gavula, 48, has claimed Grand Champion honors himself on more than one occasion.

“But this was his first time ever competing in the men's division,” Gavula said of DeFazio. “To do what he did, for his first time, competing against men in their 20's and 30's, much taller and bigger than himself ... It's unheard of.”

The men's division at the U.S. Open is 18-over. DeFazio got started in taekwondo at age 5 — under Gavula's instruction — and began competing in the U.S. Open at age 11. He took first place in his division in patterns, sparring and breaking that first year he competed. He has finished second in sparring at the Open only one time since, claiming first place the other three years.

“We took him down there (to the U.S. Open) when he was 10 years old and he just watched. He was afraid to compete,” Gavula said. “It does get pretty rough there. There are no pads and you can kick to the head and face.”

DeFazio learned quickly through the years, however. He competed in an AAU regional in Houston, Texas, the weekend before the U.S. Open and took home four gold medals and a silver. He is now training for AAU Nationals, scheduled for July in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“I can't say I expected to do that well, but I was pretty confident going down there,” DeFazio said of the AAU Regional. “That's more Olympic-style sparring. It's more continuous, longer and requires a lot more endurance than what I've been used to.

“I trained hard for a month getting ready. That really helped me leading into the U.S. Open.”

DeFazio excelled in Houston despite missing some training time because of an injured ankle.

“My ankle was sore for a few weeks,” DeFazio said. “I could still train, but nowhere near as hard. I had to wait for the ankle to get better.”

Everything was working properly at the U.S. Open.

Standing 5-foot-9 and weighing 150 pounds, competing in the lightweight division, DeFazio defeated three competitors by scores of 3-0, 2-1 and 2-0 to advance into the Grand Champion competition. A competitor wins a match once he scores three points, or has the lead when time runs out.

DeFazio took on the defending Grand Champion and defeated him, 3-1. He then defeated the heavyweight champion 3-0 to win the Grand Championship.

“He dominated those last two matches, against the defending champion and the heavyweight champ who weighed at least 200 pounds,” Gavula said. “I competed in the men's division at age 15, but I didn't win. That took a while. What Joe did was amazing.

“When you're facing somebody taller and with longer legs, that person has a reach advantage in kicks to the head. I'm 5-7 and I won it. It's technique. You move your head in different ways to avoid getting hit.”

DeFazio trains three days a week at Young Brothers. He also teaches a class one day a week and trains with Grand Master Kong each Friday.

“My experiences with Grand Master Kong have helped me a great deal,” DeFazio said.

Gavula agreed.

“We have such an advantage up here learning under Grand Master Kong,” Gavula said. “He's a two-time world champion who had 200 matches without ever losing. Neither Joe nor myself would be anywhere near where we're at if not for him.”

After college, DeFazio said he hopes to open his own school under Young Brothers. He also has a few more championships to win.

“I'm a fourth-degree black belt with much more to learn,” he said.

Gavula has won championships in four different decades. He said DeFazio has to win championships in five different decades.

“I tease him about having to beat me that way,” Gavula said. “Hde may be well on his way.

“I'm so proud of him. Watching him become Grand Champion was more exciting to me than any championship I've ever won. I've been his teacher for 10 years. I cried hard when he won. He's like a son to me. He's a special kid.”