South Side's AJ Magaraci runs for 180 yards and TD in victory over Wantagh
AJ Magaraci of South Side breaks through the Wantagh defense for a first down run during a Nassau Conference III football game on Saturday, October 11, 2025 in Wantagh. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Even when South Side breaks a big play, the Cyclones’ methodical offense still finds a way to eat up the clock.
After forcing a turnover on downs with 7:10 left in the fourth quarter, South Side took over with a 14-point lead on its own 11-yard line. On the third play of the Cyclones’ drive, AJ Magaraci shook off a tackler and broke a 64-yard run down to the Wantagh 18-yard line.
Reagan Petrone punched in a 2-yard touchdown five plays later to give South Side a 21-point lead with 1:52 remaining.
“Right when I broke out of there, I knew this game was over,” Magaraci said. “I had (Ethan Johnson) and Reagan both blocking for me. They both made amazing blocks and I just cut, had to break one tackle and I just had green grass ahead of me.”
Magaraci had 19 carries for 180 yards and a TD in visiting South Side’s 28-14 win over Wantagh in Nassau Conference III football Saturday afternoon.
When it wasn’t Magaraci doing the damage, sophomore Johnson kept the pressure on Wantagh’s defense. Johnson had 12 carries for 72 yards and gave South Side a 21-0 lead later in the third quarter with a 17-yard TD run.
“Every team we’ve played so far, if they start to stop one of us, the other just picks it right back up,” Magaraci said. “You just can’t stop both of us at the same time.”
Johnson burst through the heart of the line and put a nasty juke on a defender at the 5-yard line to get into the end zone.
“In practice, when I see one guy, I always try to practice my cuts,” Johnson said. “I just have to believe in my skills and believe in my O-line.”
The offensive line comprised of tackles Jayden Johnson and Jack Sciallis, guards Jalen Hurt and Ryan Healey and center Patrick Lamparello paved the way for Magaraci, Petrone and Ethan Johnson to run for 261 yards on 37 carries.
South Side (3-2) possessed the ball for 26:18 compared to Wantagh’s 21:42.
“Whenever we can bust a big play, it’s great, but we go in with the mentality of, ‘Let’s grind it out and make teams force us to punt,’” South Side coach Phil Onesto said. “The offensive line and the receivers did a great job blocking. . . . If we can get 5 yards a clip, we’re in pretty good shape.”
Ethan Johnson and Healey each had five tackles and Kieran Vetter recovered a fumble to lead the South Side defense.
Joe Nicholson had nine carries for 48 yards and caught five passes for 54 yards and a TD for Wantagh (3-2). Devin Paccione caught four passes for 68 yards and a score from Carter Loughman, who threw for 153 yards and two TDs.
Owen Marigliano caught a 12-yard TD pass from Rob Cesario Jr. on South Side’s opening drive and Brendan Vetter caught five passes for 64 yards.
After last week’s 8-2 loss to Bethpage (5-0), a win over reigning Long Island Class IV champion Wantagh is exactly what the doctor ordered for South Side.
“All week after that loss we were saying, ‘If we win this game, our season is right back on track,’” Magaraci said. “Beating a Long Island champion is exactly what we needed. Everyone’s got the confidence now.”
Matt Lindsay is a high school sports reporter who joined Newsday in 2022 after graduating from Stony Brook University.
