A blue wind whipped through Rockville Centre

It was wild outside and wild inside South Side High School’s gym as near hurricane force winds and rain did nothing to dampen the spirits and the crowd at the completion of the 94th annual Red and Blue indoor meet last Saturday night.

The Blue team, coming into the final hours of the three-night competition with a strong lead, won the meet by a score of 55 over the Red team’s 46.

Most of the Blue team’s dominance came in athletic events, but it also won the dance, skit and emblem categories, as well as meet organization. The Red team prevailed in poster, songs, prop and tumbling. The teams tied on costume and on meet decorum.

With well over half of the school’s female population deeply involved in the weeks of planning, preparing and rehearsing that go into the competition, the teams of approximately 160 girls each were busy developing and perfecting skits, songs, dances, costumes, props, posters, emblems and a tumbling routine — the major categories on which they’re judged — for the competition that was televised live on Cablevision and Verizon’s education channels.

The meet got under way on March 11 as the girls, dressed in white, sang their march and friendship songs, and presented their team’s posters and emblems to the three art and music judges — all teachers — and to the capacity crowd of family, friends and interested spectators who filled the gym.

The gym again filled Friday and Saturday nights as cheering ticketholders watched each team’s skit and dances, and rooted for them during the relay races and the floor hockey, tug of war, volleyball and basketball competitions.

“Blue Side Story,” under the direction of Blue team captains Dorothy Caccavale and Mersina Onesto delighted the audience while the Red team, with captains Julie Marazzo and Gina Quagliata, thrilled onlookers with its “Copyright Red 2010.”

Groups of girls in elaborate costumes performed aerobic, jazz, disco and tap arrangements that were incorporated into the skits.

Liz Marshall and Fran Wasserman were Blue’s advisors. Nicole Knorr and Shannon McEntee were advisors for Red. Meaghan Healey and Walter Denton served as meet directors. Former English teacher Edward Hillman emceed the event. Dot Zaiser accompanied the girls on piano Thursday night, as she’s done for many years. Former English teacher Al Freeman and Social Studies teacher Chris Colesanti provided running commentary during the live broadcast of the event. Nick Aldana, Jared Corwin, John Cosenza and Tom McGrath were Blue boys; Dan Alles, Greg Cove, Ryan Nelson and Terence White were Red boys.

Comments about this story? RVCeditor@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 208.

The Blue team, coming into the final hours of the three-night competition with a strong lead, won the meet by a score of 55 over the Red team’s 46.

Most of the Blue team’s dominance came in athletic events, but it also won the dance, skit and emblem categories, as well as meet organization. The Red team prevailed in poster, songs, prop and tumbling. The teams tied on costume and on meet decorum.

With well over half of the school’s female population deeply involved in the weeks of planning, preparing and rehearsing that go into the competition, the teams of approximately 160 girls each were busy developing and perfecting skits, songs, dances, costumes, props, posters, emblems and a tumbling routine — the major categories on which they’re judged — for the competition that was televised live on Cablevision and Verizon’s education channels.

The meet got under way on March 11 as the girls, dressed in white, sang their march and friendship songs, and presented their team’s posters and emblems to the three art and music judges — all teachers — and to the capacity crowd of family, friends and interested spectators who filled the gym.

The gym again filled Friday and Saturday nights as cheering ticketholders watched each team’s skit and dances, and rooted for them during the relay races and the floor hockey, tug of war, volleyball and basketball competitions.

“Blue Side Story,” under the direction of Blue team captains Dorothy Caccavale and Mersina Onesto delighted the audience while the Red team, with captains Julie Marazzo and Gina Quagliata, thrilled onlookers with its “Copyright Red 2010.”

Groups of girls in elaborate costumes performed aerobic, jazz, disco and tap arrangements that were incorporated into the skits.

Liz Marshall and Fran Wasserman were Blue’s advisors. Nicole Knorr and Shannon McEntee were advisors for Red. Meaghan Healey and Walter Denton served as meet directors. Former English teacher Edward Hillman emceed the event. Dot Zaiser accompanied the girls on piano Thursday night, as she’s done for many years. Former English teacher Al Freeman and Social Studies teacher Chris Colesanti provided running commentary during the live broadcast of the event. Nick Aldana, Jared Corwin, John Cosenza and Tom McGrath were Blue boys; Dan Alles, Greg Cove, Ryan Nelson and Terence White were Red boys.

Comments about this story? RVCeditor@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 208.