Photos: Blue team is back on top once more

Screams of joy echoed through the South Side High School gymnasium on Saturday night as the Blue team emerged victorious over the Red team, to declare “Team Victory” with a resounding score of 63-23.

The culmination of a three-day competition, this event marked a celebration of camaraderie, talent, and spirited rivalry within the Rockville Centre school district.

Carol Roseto, the district’s athletics director, set the stage for the evening’s festivities with words of appreciation for all participants.

“I just want to first thank everybody who participated,” she declared, acknowledging the dedication and enthusiasm of the nearly 300 girls and several boys who took part in the tradition. “You ladies were great over the last month. I hope you had a wonderful time. Give yourselves a round of applause.”

For more than a century, this tradition has been a highlight of Rockville Centre’s school calendar, bringing together students, from freshmen to seniors for three nights of skits, songs, relays, dance, and athletic events.

This year was no exception as the teams, adorned in their respective colors, dazzled the audience with their performances and athleticism.

The excitement began on March 2 with poster and revue night, where both teams unveiled their themes – “REDTown Girls” and “High School BLUEsical.” Three judges were selected to score the singing portion of the evening, setting the stage for the intense competition ahead.

Under the guidance of meet directors Jenna Carey and Lisa Guerriero, team members devoted hours of their time toward perfecting their routines, showcasing their talent and teamwork throughout the event.

Scores were tallied by a group of seven judges on Friday night, followed by a different group of seven judges on Saturday night, who awarded points for costume, props, skits, tumbling, dance, and posters.

Each team is also awarded points based on attendance, organization, sportsmanship and meet decorum, which are awarded by Roseto and the meet directors.

“Meet decorum points are awarded to the team that demonstrated appropriate behavior and complied with directions given by the directors, the advisors, captains and officials during all three nights of Red and Blue,” Roseto said, emphasizing the importance of the categories and how integral they are to each team’s overall evaluation. “Sportsmanship points are awarded on a variety of factors. It considers the team’s behavior from day one through the events this evening, including sideline cheering participation in sporting events. It is also reflective of the behavior displayed towards the opposing team, as well as behavior displayed towards their own teammates.”

As the final event concluded, anticipation mounted as both teams awaited the announcement of the winners.

While the Red team secured victories in several categories, including posters, emblems, volleyball, the concentration relay and tug-of-war, it was the Blue team that emerged triumphant, earning top marks for song, costumes, skits, tumbling, sportsmanship and all five dance dance performance categories — Aerobic, Disco, Jazz A, Jazz B, and Tap.

Despite the competitive nature of the event, the spirit of camaraderie prevailed as both teams congratulated each other on their achievements. Emotions ran high, with cheers and tears reflecting the intense dedication and pride of all participants.

In the end, it wasn’t just about the score – it was about the bonds forged, the memories created, and the enduring spirit of community that defines Rockville Centre’s school tradition.

As the gymnasium emptied and the echoes of celebration faded, one thing remained clear — the true winners were those who embraced the spirit of friendly competition and camaraderie, embodying the values that make this tradition a cherished part of Rockville Centre’s heritage.