Kyle Mosher advances to semifinals at Nassau Division I championships
South Side's Kyle Mosher wins his bout against Roosevelt's Juwan White in the 160-pound class during the Nassau Division I preliminaries held at the Pratt Center at LIU Post on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019. Credit: Photos by Alan J Schaefer/Action/Alan J Schaefer
Kyle Mosher is no stranger to wrestling multiple matches in long, multi-day tournaments.
Saturday at the Nassau Division I championship at LIU Post was just another. The South Side senior began the day looking to place for a sixth time at the tournament and to win his third title.
He ended it with a 39-second pin of Johnny DiBenedetto of Lynbrook in a quarterfinal at 160.
Wrestling resumes with the semifinals 10 a.m. Sunday.
Mosher spent hours waiting around but made the most of his time on the mat. His first victory of the day came in just 13 seconds over Juwan White of Roosevelt.
It was in stark contrast to last weekend when Mosher, who has a record of 39-1 heading into Sunday, secured 15-0 technical falls over each of his four opponents on the way to winning that tournament’s most outstanding wrestler.
“I’ve never won the most pins in the least time at this tournament,” Mosher said. “I made the decision that was what I wanted to do and was my goal.”
It was the opposite type of day for Port Washington’s Dan Gibson. He defeated John Duff of Mineola, 9-5, in a back-and-forth quarterfinal at 138.
It was the third meeting of the season between the two - Gibson won in overtime earlier in the season and Duff won by a point at last week's Nassau qualifier.
“I just try to forget about the past results - everything starts and ends on the mat,” Gibson said. “The only thing that matters is the results and I try to forget about my record and my opponent and try to wrestle the best match I can.”
Gibson took a 4-2 lead late in the second period with two back points before Duff secured a quick reversal. Gibson then escaped to go up 5-4 before the end of the period and led from there.
“Between matches I go over the film,” Gibson said. “I look at gaps in my style and try to improve.”
Massapequa’s Chase Liardi talked during the season about the improvements he’d made this year in his quest to become the Chiefs first state champion since Mike LaBella in 2003.
After finishing as a runner up last year, Liardi, who defeated Paul Lichter of MacArthur via tech fall in 3:16 at 106, knows that everyone will be out to give him their best shot.
“I feel good and healthy,” Liardi said. “This first day is usually not as tough but you always have to come with the same mindset.”
Gene Morris joined Newsday's sports department in September 2012 and covers high school sports. He earned a journalism degree from Stony Brook University in 2010.
