The Great Neck North Blazers varsity wrestling team took down their hometown rival, the Great Neck South Rebels, 42-37 in a non-league contest on Thursday evening.
After 13 matches and with the scores almost dead even at 37-36, the final 113-pound lightweight match between the Blazers’ Adam Bakhshi and the Rebels’ Andrew Ha decided who went home the winner.
“We knew it would be a close game, coming down to one or two matches,” Great Neck South head coach Ryan Pingitore said.
The Rebels did not have wrestlers in the 106- and 285-poung weight classes and forfeited two matches. The forfeits were considered pins and cost the Rebels six points, giving the Blazers a 12 point advantage.
Great Neck South had dominated the Blazers for most of the game, leading 37-12 after 10 matches.
In the 220-pound match, the Blazers’ Jon Nassimi pined Alex Lin in the second period. Followed by the game’s first forfeit, Great Neck North put 12 points up on the scoreboard, giving them a fighting chance at 37-24.
The Blazers’ Jacob Lustbader then pinned Alex Brunni in the 99-pound match.
Combined with Great Neck South’s second forfeit, Lustbader brought down any chance of the Rebels walking away with an early victory.
One of Great Neck South’s captains, 2011 and 2012 all county place winner Chris Koo pinned Henry Kirshner in the first period.
“He’s a terrific wrestler,” Pingitore said, who is in his first year as head coach.
Great Neck North head coach Daniel DiSalvo, who is in his third year, echoed Pingitore’s sentiments.
“We knew it would be very exciting and come down to the last few matches. Thankfully our guys rose to the occasion,” DiSalvo said. “We’re very fortunate to come out on top.”
Also attending the match was Great Neck South athletic director Tom Umstatter, who praised both teams and coaches.
“Even though we’re opponents, we’re still in the same community,” Umstatter said. “Both coaches are developing wonderful wrestling programs, and this is a very special game for us.”
