South Side Loses to Lawrence, 56-7

Lawrence only held  a 7-0 lead heading into the second quarter of South Side's football season opener yesterday, and the Cyclones looked poised to stand head-to-head with the defending Conference III Nassau County Champions. But that was as close as South Side would get, as the Golden Tornadoes rattled off 22 unanswered points in the second quarter, en route to a 56-7 win over the Cyclones at Lawrence High School.

South Side Cyclones Coach Paul Mastronardi said that the team did some good things in the loss, but it wasn't indicative of what they are capable of doing. "I think we can find some bright spots," he said when reviewing the game film on Thursday. "It's a marathon, it's not just one game."

South Side's only touchdown came with 19 seconds left in the third quarter, when senior quarterback James Howard connected with junior tight end Sean Kenny on a five-yard touchdown pass.

After a 35-yard first quarter touchdown run by Lawrence running back Ryan Fredericks gave the Golden Tornadoes a 7-0 lead, South Side put together a long drive, but Howard threw an interception at the Lawrence 44-yard line. The defending county champs converted the South Side turnover into seven points, as Golden Tornadoes running back Tyler Fredericks busted out a 25-yard touchdown run to increase Lawrence's lead to 14.

South Side had two opportunities to score in the second quarter, but didn't cash in on either. With less than five minutes left in the first half, Lawrence stopped the Cyclones on a 4th-and-8 inside Lawrence's 10-yard line.

On the ensuing drive for South Side, Howard threw another interception, which Lawrence converted again into seven points, courtesy of a 49-yard pass play by quarterback Samson Bialostock to Ryan Fredericks. That play set up a goal line sneak by Bialostock with less than a minute left in the half to increase the Golden Tornadoes lead to 21.

A questionable play call by Mastronardi to go for a fourth-and-one on their own 40-yard line with 17 seconds left in the first half — which the Cyclones did not convert — led to another quick touchdown score by Lawrence to end the half up 29-0.

South Side threw two more interceptions in the second half, one by backup quarterback Brendan Jackson in the fourth quarter, which was taken for a score by Lawrence junior lineman Chris Hercules.

South Side plays its home opener against Valley Stream South on Sept. 16 at Mitchell Field at 7 p.m.