South Side football's Jackson Sparer makes sealing interception in battle of unbeatens
Jackson Sparer of South Side makes a crucial late fourth-quarter interception in a Nassau Conference III football matchup against Bethpage on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026 in Bethpage. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
Jackson Sparer had not played a defensive snap all afternoon.
But with South Side protecting a seven-point lead against unbeaten Bethpage and 1:18 remaining, Sparer’s number was called.
On third-and-8 from the South Side 18-yard line, Sparer lined up as an edge rusher. He read the running back coming out of the backfield and dropped into coverage. His defensive stat line: One play, one interception.
After snatching the ball from the air, Sparer ran out of bounds and his teammates rushed toward him in celebration with 1:10 left.
“It was one of the craziest moments of my life,” Sparer said. “Having all your teammates run up to you after doing that? Beating Bethpage on their homecoming game?”
The interception sealed South Side’s 21-14 victory over host Bethpage in Nassau Conference III football Saturday. The Cyclones improved to 5-0.
“I was shocked,” Sparer said. “They put me at edge, and I’ve never played edge before. So I was like, just contain the ball, make sure nothing gets outside of it.”
South Side special teams coordinator and assistant to the defensive coordinator Connor Horl pushed for the junior after seeing his ability in practice. Sparer had only seen time on special teams this afternoon.
“Coach [Keith] Lessuk is the best defensive coordinator in Nassau County, in my opinion,” Horl said. “I said, ‘Listen, I like Sparer in this spot. Give him a shot.’ He believed in me, and I believe in Sparer based on what he does in practice.”
South Side’s defense and special teams made the difference in a physical battle.
D’Andre Mullings-Newberry blocked a punt, recovered it and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown to give the Cyclones a 7-0 lead with 3:10 left in the first quarter.
Known for its rushing attack, Bethpage showed its passing ability. Running back Louis Schneider took a toss and threw to Jake McCaffrey for a one-handed touchdown catch to tie the score at 7 with 11:52 left in the second quarter.
Michael Mastrangelo then found McCaffrey for a 36-yard touchdown to give Bethpage a 14-7 lead with 6:26 left in the half.
South Side quarterback Rob Cesario Jr. answered with two touchdown passes, a 17-yard score to Ryan Solomon and a 30-yard touchdown to AJ Magaraci, who bounced off a thunderous hit to reach the end zone with 7.9 seconds left in the half. South Side led 21-14.
Starting with 6:31 left in the third quarter, South Side put together a 20-play drive that lasted 8:56, but it ended with a Magaraci fumble inside the 5-yard line.
Magaraci said his coaches immediately approached him on the sideline, telling him they needed him to step up defensively. He responded with a tackle for loss on the ensuing possession, helping force a turnover on downs.
“I really thought I just threw away the game for us,” Magaraci said. “But coming in, stepping up on defense really helped my confidence.”
Bethpage’s defense later forced back-to-back incompletions for a turnover on downs with 3:44 remaining.
“It just shows the type of kids we have in the locker room,” Bethpage coach Thomas Galgano said. “It’s easy to roll over, and our guys keep fighting. They’re playing till the last whistle.”
A face mask penalty helped Bethpage reach the South Side 43-yard line before Mastrangelo found Schneider for a 25-yard gain with 1:24 left.
Three plays later, Sparer delivered the interception.
“He came up in a big spot,” South Side coach Phil Onesto said. “That’s what we’ve been preaching to guys. When it’s your turn, you have to make a play.”
