Under-17 women's World Cup player helps talented Rutgers Prep win sectional title

FRANKLIN (Somerset) – Of course Melina Rebimbas wasn’t going to forget about her Rutgers Prep soccer teammates. So when the senior joined the national U-17 team to play in the Women's World Cup in October, she kept tabs from host India.

“It was an awesome experience out in India, but I couldn’t forget about these group of girls,” Rebimbas said. “While I was gone, all I could think about was, ‘How’d your game go? How was the game? Like tell me everything.’ I was keeping up with them. Making sure that they were still winning and doing their best. I was like, 'Don’t worry guys, I’ll be back. I’ll be back in time to win some state tournament games.'”

Rebimbas returned just in time for the start of the NJSIAA Non-Public B sectional tournament three weeks ago. While Rutgers Prep was already a contender with several exciting young players, her presence only made the Argonauts that much more of a powerhouse

Tuesday, she scored three goals and added two assists as top-seeded Rutgers Prep best Holy Cross Prep 5-1 to capture its third-straight South NP B championship (in 2020 there was no tournament in the COVID-shortened season).

Addison Halpern scored twice with two assists and now has 50 goals for the season.

For all the high-profile national team games Rebimbas plays in, it means something for her to put on the red Rutgers Prep jersey. She choked up after the game while reflecting on what her teammates and her time spent at the Somerset school means to her.

“I just want to remember this time as like truly just a big family,” Rebimbas said. “I came here my freshman year and I had an unbelievable freshman experience with coach Mento …. and we were able to turn the program around my freshman year and win states for the first time. We built a soccer program here. We built a soccer school. Historically we’ve known as a basketball school and I’ll like forever say this – ever since my freshman year we’ve become a soccer school and we had so many unbelievable girl soccer players come through this program.

“… Rutgers Prep will always be my home. This is really sad because it just hits me that this is my last game here, but this field is pretty unbelievable and I made some unbelievable memories and I’m just really glad I got this opportunity to play for them.”

What does it mean

Rutgers Prep (16-3) advances to the Non-Public B final at Kean University at 5:30 p.m. against North NPB winner DePaul in a rematch of last year’s final. DePaul took that game 4-2.

Second-seeded Holy Cross end its season at 17-3.

Key plays

Rutgers Prep put the pressure in the opening minutes with two near-misses. The Argonauts took the lead after Brielle Baker boomed a free kick from midfield that hit the top of the crossbar and Halpern kicked in the rebound for the 1-0 lead in the 9th minute.

Seven minutes later, Rebimbas scored with a bullet from 20 yards out that went in the upper left corner of the net. Holy Cross made it 2-1 when Rutgers-commit Ashley Baran scored on a penalty kick to the right corner with 18:24 left in the half.

That was the closest the Lancers would get. Rutgers Prep took a 3-1 lead when Halpern deftly moved the ball from her left to the right and fired a goal from about 15 yards out with 13:33 left in the first half. Rebimbas scored twice in the second half, including a penalty kick goal for the 5-1 win.

Game balls

While Rebimbas and Halpern get the headlines, it was a team effort. Syrai Parker recorded eight saves in the win and Alexa Lee had a dominant game in the midfield. Baker, Ava Mason, Arianna Peart and Olivia Robinson -- who defended Baran -- played good defensively for Rutgers Prep.

They said it

Rebimbas on the chemistry she has with Halpern, “Addy and I try and keep them guessing. We kind of try and interchange as much as possible and just switch with each other and make runs for each other – and find each other. It’s kind of simple when you break it down, but it’s like we just work off each other so well. She gets me and I get her, which is kind of awesome. We just reach each other’s minds.”

Rebimbas on playing in the U-17 World Cup, “The experience on the national team was honestly unbelievable. They’re such an awesome and talented group of girls from all over the country that have really just taught me so much about myself as a person and also as a player.”

Rutgers Prep coach Jim Buchanan on Rebimbas' presence, “It’s a huge lift. She’s a great leader on the team. We did well when she was away in India at the World Cup, but clearly having her on the team makes us better. It just picks everybody up around here. Just improves our cohesion and our ability as a team. Just brings everything together.”

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ High School soccer: Rutgers Prep girls repeat as sectional champs