Wantagh football seals tough win over Cold Spring Harbor on Oliver Iacobazzi's pick-6
Oliver Iacobazzi (29) seals the Wantagh victory with an interception for a touchdown in the final minutes of a Nassau Conference IV football game against Cold Spring Harbor on Friday, November 1, 2024. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Cold Spring Harbor quarterback Sam Bruno led two late fourth quarter scoring drives to draw within a point of Wantagh.
There was much on the line in Friday's Nassau Conference IV season finale on senior night before a packed house in Cold Spring Harbor.
The Seahawks were trying to finish an undefeated season. And one-loss Wantagh, holding a one-point lead, was in their way. Adding to the excitement of the final moments was the possibility of grabbing the top seed for the Conference IV playoffs.
A Wantagh defense that shut out the Seahawks for three quarters found itself reeling against the hard running of Bruno and halfback Alex Bauer. Only a blocked extra point by Wantagh’s John Gendels with 4:36 left kept the Seahawks from tying the score.
With momentum clearly theirs, the Cold Spring Harbor defense forced another Wantagh punt and took over at its own 17 with 1:39 left.
The improbable comeback was right in front of them.
Bruno completed three straight short passes to the 38 as the clock ticked under a minute to play. His next pass into the flat was picked off by Wantagh’s Oliver Iacobazzi. The defensive end jumped the short route for a 38-yard interception return for a touchdown to give Wantagh a 20-13 win. Both teams finished the regular season at 7-1.
In next weekend's quarterfinals, No. 2 seed Cold Spring Harbor will host No. 7 Island Trees and No. 3 Wantagh will host No. 6 Locust Valley.
It was Iacobazzi’s second interception return for a score this season. The senior also had a 55-yard pick-6 against East Rockaway.
“There was no tight end on my side and my responsibility is to be in stop-route coverage,” he said. “The quarterback looked my way, and the running back went into the flat, so I jumped the route. I didn’t think it was a risk because it was my responsibility.”
The Seahawks cut a 14-0 deficit in half when they embarked on an eight-play, all-on-the-ground, 65-yard drive capped by a 16-yard Bauer TD run with 7:48 left in the game. A shanked punt set up a four-play, 29-yard scoring drive capped by a Brady McKean 14-yard TD run to make it 14-13. Gendels then blocked the extra-point kick.
“They were very well coached and relentless on defense,” said Wantagh halfback Dylan Martini, who ran for 96 yards. “It was one of the more physical games I’ve played in my career. Walking away from there with a big road win was important for us. We need to win these close games.”
The first half was all about the defense. Seahawks nose tackle Greyson Meak, the state’s Division II wrestling champion at 190 pounds, continually penetrated the Wantagh backfield for big stops. And Wantagh’s defense, led by tackle Shareek McMillan, held the Seahawks to 62 yards and three first downs. Both teams had only three possessions in a half that lasted 44 minutes.
“We had one very long drive and finished it off,” Wantagh coach Keith Sachs said. “They took advantage of good field position and drove to the red zone where we made a big stop.”
Wantagh’s first possession went 74 yards in 11 plays and ate up 9:33 of the clock. Martini scored on a 5-yard run and Matt Giacobello added the kick with 11:54 left in the half for the 7-0 lead.
“It was incredible that we both had one possession in the first quarter,” Sachs said. “We had to earn every yard. We’ve been breaking off big plays all season but not against Cold Spring Harbor.”
Joseph Nicholson of Wantagh pulls in the reception during a Nassau Conference IV football game against Cold Spring Harbor on Friday, November 1, 2024. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
The longest play of the game, however, did come in the first touchdown march. Wide receiver Joe Nicholson turned a short pass into a 35-yard catch and run to the Seahawks' 10-yard line to set up the score.
“He had a terrific game,” Sachs said. “He made some nice catches.”
Nicholson finished with six receptions and 93 yards.
Cold Spring Harbor had a chance to tie the score in the final minute of the first half. A pass to the end zone was tipped by Martini and intercepted by defensive back Carter Loughman with 57 seconds left.
“I saw them on film and underestimated them,” Martini said. "They’re very good on the line and eliminated my cutback runs. This was a very good win.”
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.