Long Beach’s Casey Powers celebrates after getting a pin at 101...

Long Beach’s Casey Powers celebrates after getting a pin at 101 pounds during a Nassau Conference 2A wrestling dual meet against MacArthur on Friday at Long Beach. Credit: Jonathan Singh/Jonathan Singh

They rocked the Long Beach High School gymnasium Friday night. Two of Long Island’s top dual meet teams went toe-to-toe to hammer out the Nassau Conference 2A champion before a packed house in Lido Beach.

MacArthur and Long Beach were both 5-0 in conference matches and neither had lost a dual meet this season in non-conference action. Each program had captured 10 regular-season dual meet titles since 2009 and were in search of an 11th.

The dual meet did not disappoint.

Long Beach reeled off six straight wins, including three pins between 101 and 138 pounds to wipe out an 18-point deficit and come away with a 35-26 comeback win over MacArthur to capture the Nassau Conference 2A championship.

“They got us early and then our guys grabbed the momentum in the lightweights,” Long Beach coach Ray Adams said. “This was as good as it gets in wrestling — two powerhouse teams with great traditions going hard.”

Long Beach clinched the title when sophomore Josiah Gibson decisioned Dom Calone, 9-4, at 138 pounds for the 35-22 lead with only one bout remaining.

“I knew the dual meet title was on the line, and I had a vision I’d get my hand raised,” Gibson said. “I needed to work on my opponent and be aggressive. I felt like I was in control of the whole match.”

Gibson’s win clinched the title. But Brody Franklin’s first period pin put Gibson in position to win it. Franklin gained a quick takedown and went into a crab ride to a half-Nelson for the first period pin in 1:08 over Gio Rella at 131 pounds to give the Marines a 32-22 lead.

“We weren’t stressed when they opened the big lead,” Franklin said. “Our light and middle weights are so smooth, and they went out and got the job done.”

“It was going to be a chess match,” MacArthur coach Mike Marrero said. “The matchups were going to be critical. And to Long Beach’s credit they did not give up the bonus points. I’m sure we’ll see each other in the dual meet championships next weekend.”

MacArthur (13-1 overall), which earned the Nassau Conference 2B title last year, reeled off four straight wins to open an 18-point lead. John Fox got things started when he delivered a 15-2 win over Matt Diamond at 152 for the 4-0 lead. Jack Healy turned in a technical fall in 5:23 over Ari Kaye at 160 to open the lead to 9-0.

MacArthur’s Michael Waters suffered a severe bloody nose after an unintentional head butt in the first period at 170 pounds. He had his head wrapped to stop the bleeding and shook off the injury to come back and pin Jahmel Issaac in 2:25 to make it 15-0. And Tom Bennett decisioned Gavyn Vincente, 7-1 at 190 pounds to make it 18-0.

“Waters was a warrior after the bloody nose,” Marrero said. “That bout could have gone either way with all the blood but he’s so tough.”

Long Beach (12-0) won the Conference 2A crown last year and the repeat was just as special.

“Our kids work hard all year,” Adams said. “We have a special family bond. They put it all on the line every time we go out.”

SUBSCRIBE

Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months

ACT NOWSALE ENDS SOON | CANCEL ANYTIME