South Side dealt first loss

Not often are football games won with 100 yards of offense and four first downs, but two-time defending Nassau Conference III champion Plainedge did just that Friday night to hand South Side its first defeat of 2023.

A fumble recovery on special teams and a game-altering pick-6 did the trick for the Red Devils, who bounced back from an upset loss to Roosevelt to knock off the visiting Cyclones, 21-16. Jack Rizzo’s 86-yard interception return for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter provided the difference and left a lot to be decided in the final week of the regular season.

“We couldn’t have asked for more from our defense,” South Side head coach Phil Onesto said. “Our special teams and offense could’ve been better. We had some good drives that stalled in the red zone and of course two turnovers that hurt. All things we can fix.”

The loss was South Side’s first since last Nov. 11 when it dropped a Conference II semifinal playoff game to Garden City. The Cyclones won six straight out of the gate in their return to Conference III and didn’t allow a point through the first 19 quarters.

“Plainedge is a very good team and there’s a chance we’ll see them again at Hofstra,” Onesto said. “First we have to worry about Floral Park.”

Senior quarterback Owen West had rushing and passing touchdowns for South Side, which hits the road this Saturday for the regular-season finale and is locked in to one of the top three playoff seeds. West connected with senior Michael Melkonian on a 5-yard scoring strike to cap a 65-yard opening drive.

The Cyclones’ 7-0 lead was short-lived. Plainedge also made the most of its first possession, needing just six plays to march 53 yards to get even. Nick Girardi scored from 3 yards out. The ensuing kickoff resulted in a fumble, recovered by the Red Devils (5-2) at the South Side 32. One snap later, Dylan Fella busted free for a 32-yard touchdown run the Plainedge held a 13-7 lead after the extra point was blocked.

Onesto said the Cyclones “felt good” at halftime clinging to a 14-13 lead thanks to West’s 1-yard touchdown run and Nick Papadopulos’ extra point in the second quarter. The offense was compromised by the absence of standout senior lineman Bobby Galindo, who rolled his ankle in the first half.

“He’ll be fine for Floral Park or at the latest for the playoffs,” Onesto said of Galindo.

The result, coupled with Wantagh’s win over Glen Cove, took South Side out of the driver’s seat for the No. 1 playoff seed and the Warriors now control their own destiny in terms of seeding. The Cyclones will be no worse than the second seed with a victory at Floral Park this Saturday at 2 p.m. The Knights are locked into the No. 4 seed.

“We played Floral Park twice in 2021,” Onesto said. “We beat them in overtime and they beat us in the playoffs. Our seniors who were sophomores then remember it well.”