South Side Pride for homecoming

Rockville Centre’s school community celebrated South Side High School’s Homecoming with a parade, a fair and a football game last Saturday. On a cool, partly sunny day with a light breeze, Nickelodeon TV-themed floats, accompanied by cheering students from each class, made their way up North Long Beach Road and down Shepherd Street to the high school. A panel of judges, including Mayor Francis Murray, Trustee Ed Oppenheimer, school Superintendent Dr. William Johnson, school board Vice President Mark Masin and Marcy Pedone, a South Side High School guidance counselor, gave the seniors’ “Sponge Bob Square Pants”-themed float first prize. The seniors won for overall spirit as well. Other floats included the juniors’ “Fairly Odd Parents,” the sophomores’ “Jimmy Neutron” and “Rocket Power” by the freshman class.

The parade featured South Side’s cheerleading squads, Homecoming queen and king Emily Lawless and Craig Felson, who waved to parade spectators from a red convertible, and the football team, whose members arrived atop a village fire truck.

The football game delighted the home crowd as well — the Cyclones defeated Roslyn 40-6. At halftime, South Side players thanked cheerleaders with long-stemmed roses and the cheerleaders performed a dance routine. Volunteers from the school’s Alumni, Touchdown and Booster clubs sold school merchandise, raffles and refreshments to the crowd. The event accommodated young children as well, with organizers setting aside an area with games for them.