By JUDY RATTNER and TONY BELLISSIMO
On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, hundreds waved as class floats paraded up Long Beach Road and across Shepherd Street, following homecoming queen and king Maria Ravn and Mike McDerby, who waved from the back of a red convertible. A crowd turned out to meet and greet friends and neighbors, sample food and drink, buy school apparel, and enjoy a number of activities sponsored by South Side's Alumni Association.
The highlight of the day-long Homecoming festivities was the football game, and a large crowd packed the stands to watch South Side's Cyclones score a big win over the Plainedge Red Devils. The crowd's hometown spirit reached a crescendo late in the game, fired up by events on the field and the school's cheerleading squad and Pep Band.
The Cyclones sealed their spot in the Nassau Conference III playoffs with a 35-30 upset victory over Plainedge. Senior Brendan Banks's 4-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter put South Side (5-1) ahead for good. Banks also scored in the second quarter. Senior Nick O'Reilly rushed for 168 yards and a score, while senior Robert Remy (75-yard catch) and junior Dillon Scaduto (1-yard run) added touchdowns.
In addition to the football rivalry, the annual competition for best float among the school's classes featured entries with video game themes. At halftime, first place was awarded to the freshmen for their Donkey Kong float. The seniors (Super Mario Bros.) tied for second place with the juniors (Pokemon), while the sophomore class (Pac-Man) finished third. The floats were rated by a panel of five judges: school Superintendent Dr. William Johnson, school board President Mark Masin, Deputy Mayor Chuck Joyce and village Trustees Jeanne Mulry and Andrew Karamouzis, with the help of guidance counselor Marci Pedrone, the Student Government Association advisor. In the Spirit Week competition, which preceded Homecoming, the seniors took first place, followed by the juniors, freshmen and
sophomores.
Tina Pittelli Rekus of South Side's Alumni Association said she felt the event was very successful, attracting a number of new alumni club members. She said that many parents took advantage of the bouncy castle, cotton candy and face painting and tattoos - applied by middle school girls performing community service - to keep their children happily occupied in the football field parking lot while they watched the game. Rekus added that organizers were pleased that the alumni cocktail party, at The Fishery in East Rockaway (owned by a South Side graduate), drew about 50 people. It was the final event scheduled for alumni celebrating their beloved high school.
Comments about this story? RVCeditor@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 208.
photo # 44465 RH b
credit: Judy Rattner/Herald
caption: Mark Ahern of the RVC Athletic Council accepts a check for the
proposed artificial-turf field project from SSHS Booster Club co-president Lisa Gerrato at halftime.
At halftime, of the Cyclones' win over Plainedge, the proposed project to replace the existing football field with an artificial-turf field and add a lighting system and new bleachers received a big push when the South Side High School Booster Club announced plans to donate $10,000 to the project. Earlier in the week, the Rockville Centre Athletic Council, a group of residents who are raising funds, announced a major funding commitment, a written contract pledging to contribute $1 for every $2 raised, up to $300,000, from an anonymous graduate donor.
"The Athletic Council is very thankful for all the efforts the Booster Club puts in," said the council's president, Mark Ahern. "We're especially grateful for this $10,000 donation, which, coupled with the matching plan, actually brings the donation to $15,000."
"The Booster Club is extremely pleased to be able to donate this check to help out our student athletes and South Side High School," said Lisa Gerrato, who shares the Booster Club presidency with Mary Piselli.
The Athletic Council has estimated that the proposed project will cost $1.3 million. It is vehemently opposed by a group of residents who live near the high school, and have formed the Rockville Centre Quality of Life Council. The group has made several attempts to block the project, including litigation against the school district, but to date it has been unsuccessful. According to the Athletic Council, the project has received $150,000 in private donations, and another $250,000 will come from a promised state grant. The council's goal is to raise another $600,000 from private donations, including the anonymous commitment. The group says it will soon reach out to the 6,500 members of the South Side High School Alumni Association for contributions. "If each alumnus contributes $100, this project would be fully funded," said Ahern, adding, "with this matching commitment, we feel we are very close to crossing the goal line and getting this project completed."
