Tom von Bargen comes up big in Wantagh's win
Tom von Bargen of Wantagh reacts after catching a pass for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Conference III semifinals against South Side at Hofstra on Nov. 10, 2018. Credit: James Escher
Wantagh’s “Little Man” made many of the big plays Saturday night.
Tom von Bargen, who is 5-9 and weighs 150 pounds, had a 61-yard touchdown run, a 66-yard punt return for a TD and a 35-yard reception for his third touchdown of the game as No. 4 Wantagh defeated No. 6 South Side, 34-7, in a Nassau Conference III semifinal at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium. He added a 40-yard kickoff return and a key 32-yard halfback pass.
“He’s an explosive player who can do everything,” Wantagh coach Keith Sachs said. “He’s a little guy who can do it all.”
Said von Bargen, “I just try to play tough physically. I just make things work.” He added, “It was a great team win. It was more of a team win than anything I did.”
Wantagh, which lost to Lawrence in the Nassau III final a year ago and returned only two starters this season, will meet Plainedge at 4 p.m. Saturday for the Nassau III championship.
With the score tied at 7-7, Von Bargen returned the second-half kickoff 40 yards to give Wantagh (7-3) the ball near midfield. Two plays later, he found Kyle Graham for 32 yards on a halfback pass to set up a 15-yard touchdown run by Nick Teresky that gave Wantagh a 14-7 lead.
After the Warriors got the ball back, Graham scampered 75 yards on a counter run for a 20-7 lead.Von Bargen added a 66-yard punt return for a touchdown later in the quarter.
Earlier, South Side (7-3) marched 80 yards on seven plays, capped by an 11-yard touchdown pass from William Pickett to Nick LiCalzi, as the Cyclones — who last played in a Nassau final (Conference II) in 2001 — took a 7-0 lead with 5:33 left in the second quarter.
Wantagh responded on the ensuing drive as von Bargen scampered 61 yards along the Warriors’ sideline and received a great block from wideout Mason McLane. Mark Hack’s kick tied the score at 7 with 3:39 to go in the first half.
Sachs added some of the explosive plays that worked on Saturday night this past week in practice.
Is there anything else the Warriors can come up with?
“Probably,” von Bargen said with a smile. “Sachs always has something up his sleeve.”
