Rigby, Lenape surge to sectional title

It wasn't the boldest statement Kevin Meder could have made - there are plenty others who share the sentiment.

But after watching Katie Rigby come up so big in such a big soccer game, there was a little more pride in the Lenape coach's voice, a little more conviction, when he said:

"Katie Rigby is the best player in South Jersey. I don't think there's any question."

Rigby, the star on a team with so many stars, netted two goals and an assist as Lenape beat Eastern, 3-1, at home Thursday in the South Jersey Group 4 championship game.

It was Lenape's fifth consecutive sectional title.

For Rigby, it was a career game not just for her outstanding play - there have been too many of those to count - but because of what the game represented for the senior.

A year ago, Rigby was on the sidelines watching this game, not completely sure if she'd ever again have a chance to play the hero on a high school soccer field.

"This is the last game I'm ever going to play on my home field," said Rigby, who tore her anterior cruciate ligament in March 2010, forcing her to miss her entire junior season. "So it's huge for me to be a part of this team and to look back on all these years and see how far we've come.

"And I feel great knowing that I've gone through that trial. I feel stronger for it. . . . So to win this game with all of the girls that you love makes it even better."

This was Lenape's third meeting with Eastern this season. The Vikings happen to be the only New Jersey team that Lenape (22-2-1) had played but not beaten. The teams tied, 2-2, on Sept. 26, and Eastern (16-6-2) beat Lenape, 1-0, on Oct. 19.

That loss served only as motivation for the Indians in Thursday's win.

"We were pumped, and we knew we had to come out strong," said junior midfielder Tori Prager, who had a goal and an assist in the second half. "We were just so motivated today."

Lenape came out fired up and took a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute when Rigby won a header at the top of the box and knocked the ball in the net.

"Getting that first goal was extremely important," Meder said. "And it was sheer effort by Katie. . . . She just does everything well, and she's a team leader, too. She leads by example."

Play was back and forth after that first goal. But Lenape controlled most of the second half, scoring in the 49th minute (Prager) and taking a 3-0 lead in the 67th minute when Rigby scored off a corner kick by Prager.

"I'm so happy for every player on this team," said Meder, whose Indians will play the Central champion Tuesday at Neptune in the state semifinals. "They really earned it."

Eastern played tough through most of the game but had to play extended minutes without two of its top players. Forward Madison Tiernan and back Nikki Genovese missed portions of the game because of injuries.

"We were fighting an uphill battle for most of the game," Eastern coach Jamie McGroarty said. "They were just deeper, stronger, and better than us today."

Eastern   0 1 – 1

Lenape   1 2 – 3

Goals: E-Tina Kushary; L-Katie Rigby 2, Tori Prager.

Saves: E-Imani Taylor 7. L-Allison Johnson 3.