Rams Run Over Cyclones, 38-12

The West Hempstead Rams defeated the Cyclones on Saturday, 38-12, ending South Side's season with a 1-7 record.

"The kids showed a lot of perserverance," said head coach Paul Mastronardi. "They're a great group of kids and unfortunately, the ball didn't bounce our way this year."

The game was scoreless ten minutes into the first quarter before the Rams Daniel Sheeler booted a field goal, giving West Hempstead a 3-0 advantage. The Cyclones tried to answer, but fumbled on its own 20-yard line and West Hempstead recovered. With 6:37 left in the first half and up three, the Rams' Justin Boatwright ran for a 22-yard score to extend West Hempstead's lead to 10.

With less than a minute left in the half, West Hempstead's Tayvon Hall ran for a six-yard touchdown, giving the Rams a 17-point advantage going into halftime.

A recharged South Side team started the second half strong, highlighted by a 55-yard run by senior Taaj Cox that brought the Cyclones to the West Hempstead 25-yard line. Two plays later from the Rams 5, senior Peter Meehan reeled in a 5-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback James Howard. The extra point was blocked, but South Side cut the lead to 17-6 with just over nine minutes left in the third quarter.

West Hempstead responded quickly to South Side's score, as the Rams charged down the field capped by a 3-yard touchdown run by Michael Petrizzo to increase the Rams' advantage to 24-6.  The Cyclones picked up where they left off at the start of the fourth quarter, with the ball on the Rams' 12-yard line and facing a fourth-and-4. Howard fired a touchdown pass to junior Zach Scaduto, but the Cyclones missed the two-point conversion and cut the Rams' lead to 24-12.

The Rams scored two more times in the fourth quarter, on 43- and 35-yard touchdown runs to seal the game, 38-12.