Javen Taff's win via technical fall at 215 helps Sayville wrestling to come-from-behind victory

Sayville’s wrestling team was so excited that its dual meet with Miller Place was coming down to Javen Taff that coach Gary Pesko had to remind them that the meet wasn’t over.

But Taff didn’t take much time to end it.

The sophomore defeated Taye Bennett-Guma, 19-2 via technical fall in 2:08 at 215 pounds in the final match of host Sayville’s 36-31 win over the Panthers in Suffolk League VI on Thursday.

“I know I’m one of the best on the Island,” Taff said. “I just have the confidence that I’m gonna go out and dominate my opponent, wrestle free and not let the circumstances affect me.”

Taff was dominant from the opening whistle and took a 16-2 lead into the second period, before securing his fifth takedown of the match to seal Sayville’s win.

“I’m happy I stepped up for my team, but I know any of my teammates in that circumstance would do the same thing,” Taff said.

Just before Taff’s match, Alex LaBella stepped up to keep the Golden Flashes alive at 190 pounds. LaBella led Andrew Bennett-Guma, 3-2, entering the third period, but almost got put on his back to lose the lead. Instead, he shot off the mat and earned a reversal with 20 seconds left to take a 5-2 decision and tie the meet at 31.

“I was looking at the clock and I was about to get pinned, but he went off to the side and had his right arm up, so I sat out and reversed him,” said LaBella, a junior who started wrestling last year.

Had LaBella lost by decision, Miller Place (9-7, 3-2 League VI) would have held a 34-28 lead and even if Taff won by pin to tie the score at 34, the Panthers would have won on criteria with seven individual match wins.

“(LaBella) has a lot of heart and determination to not give up and that showed tonight,” Pesko said.

Sean Casey pinned Jack Miller in 1:53 at 170 pounds to set LaBella’s match up. Sayville trailed 25-10, but Andrew Jacobs (145 pounds) and Leo Mongiello (152) each picked up a first period pin to cut the Panthers’ lead to 25-22.

Sayville (12-1, 5-0) controls its own destiny, as a win over Kings Park next Wednesday would give the Golden Flashes the outright league title. Mongiello, a senior in his sixth year on the team, has been through it all.

“I was on the team when we won the county in 2022 and I’ve been on the team when we didn’t win the league,” Mongiello said. “We have a very strong team . . . Winning the league together would be a big accomplishment.”