Nicholas DiBacco, Syosset pull out 3-overtime win over Massapequa

Syosset heavyweight Nicholas DiBacco knew he would make it through.

Even when Massapequa’s Ed Devanzo evened the score in their 285-pound match, and even as their contest, the last of the night, slipped into a third overtime period.

“I’m conditioned enough because of all of my coaches and senior captains pushing me,” DiBacco said. “I definitely knew I would make it through."

The junior wrestler earned the winning points in Syosset’s 31-30 Nassau I-A victory over Massapequa on Wednesday night.

Syosset (9-2-1) trailed Massapequa 30-28 before DiBacco’s 4-1 match win. DiBacco earned an escape from the bottom position to start the third overtime period, then maneuvered a reversal in the match’s final seconds.

DiBacco’s heroics capped an 18-point comeback in which Syosset won the final four matches of the night. Ron Abatelli’s team has only lost to defending county champion Wantagh and Calhoun this winter.

“That’s all heart because the big guys get tired quicker,” Abatelli said with a smile. “To go into the last period of overtime and get out from the bottom with another big guy on top, that’s a lot of heart, a lot of effort.”

Massapequa earned four pins within the first six matches and led Syosset after the 102-pound opener. Later, Joseph Dabovich secured a pin at 160 pounds and bolstered Massapequa’s lead to 30-13 with four matches remaining.

But Syosset senior captain John Munoz responded for his team and pinned his opponent at 172 pounds. William Henry followed Munoz’s performance with another Syosset pin in under a minute at 189 pounds.

“Once one person gets it going, it’s like a domino effect,” Munoz said. “We all knew going into this match it was going to be hard, people had to fight off their backs, but we stayed the course.”

Sean Dillon’s 7-3 win at 215 pounds kept Syosset alive and set the stage for DiBacco with Syosset trailing by two points in the overall score. DiBacco needed to win. And it appeared he would after two periods.

Devanzo, Massapequa’s last defense, evened the score at one apiece in the third period. The 285-pounders wrestled a one-minute overtime period, then a 30-second frame.

DiBacco earned the points needed to complete Syosset’s comeback in the third overtime period. Munoz said he and his teammates believed DiBacco would handle business.

“I was screaming my head off, but I know everybody in the room can get any points for us,” Munoz said. “I wouldn’t count anybody on this team out.”