Margi Rivara (‘12)
Margi Rivara was an outstanding multi-sport athlete at Glen Rock High School, receiving All-County honors in both basketball and soccer; she led the basketball team to three consecutive seasons of 20-plus victories and graduated with the school’s career scoring record.
Margi Rivara was a four year starting guard-forward on Glen Rock’s girls basketball teams. During her four years, those teams had considerable success, including winning 20 plus games in each of her final three seasons.
In her freshman year, Margi was the team’s second highest scorer and helped lead the 2009 Team to a B-PSL King Championship with an 8-2 league record and an overall 17-10 record. The team also reached the second round of the Group 2, Sectional Tournament, defeating Pequannock 42-35 (behind Margi’s 14 points) before losing to Wallkill Valley 50-46.
In Margi’s sophomore year, she helped lead Glen Rock to the first of three historically successful seasons. Glen Rock repeated as B-PSL King champions and reached a Group Sectional Championship Game for the first time since the 1989 season. It defeated Indian Hills in the opening round (64-43), then defeated (defending State Champion) Pascack Hills 47-46 in the quarterfinals (on a last second basket by Jennifer Berland), and then defeated Ramsey 50-41 in the semifinals. Unfortunately, it then lost to River Dell in the Group 2, Sectional Final in a defensive struggle (34-25). The team’s final record was 25-4.
In her junior year, Margi led the 2011 Team to a second consecutive 20 plus wins season and a second place finish to Pascack Hills in the newly-constructed Colonial A League. In the County Tournament, the Panthers defeated Pascack Valley in the opening round but lost to Holy Angels in the quarterfinals. In the Group 2, Sectional Tournament, Glen Rock defeated New Milford 55-38 in the quarterfinals behind Margi’s 20 points but were defeated by Pascack Hills in the semifinals. Margi led the team in scoring (11.5 points per game) and in rebounds, and received Honorable Mention, All-County (by The Record). The team’s final record was 21-6 (with 3 of those losses to eventual North Jersey Champion Pascack Hills).
In her senior year, Co-Captain Margi and Glen Rock’s 2012 Girls Basketball Team had an outstanding season. In January, Margi scored 31 points in a victory over Manchester to set the school’s single game scoring record and then scored 25 points in her team’s 57-45 opening game victory over Paramus in the Bergen County Tournament. In early February, she broke her own single game scoring record when she scored 39 points in a 67-58 victory over Pompton Lakes. She followed that with 23 points in a 53-42 victory over Pascack Hills – and passed the 1,000 points career threshold. Unfortunately, in the next County Tournament game, Margi twisted her ankle in the second quarter – and Glen Rock lost to Teaneck (the eventual Group 3, North Jersey Champion).
After that game, Margi was forced to sit out several games in February. However, later that month, while still suffering from her injuries, she scored 20 points in a 62-33 victory over Rutherford to win the Colonial A Championship.
In the subsequent State Tournament, Margi was forced to miss most of the team’s opening round victory over Wallkill Valley. In the following quarterfinal game against North Warren, she came off the bench and hit two free throws to clinch a 43-41 victory.
Glen Rock then faced River Dell in the Group 2, Sectional Semifinals. Despite still suffering from her injury, Margi started the game. With the Panthers trailing by 9 with 3:12 remaining, Margi hit back-to-back 3 pointers to make the score 40-37 and get Glen Rock back into the game. After both teams traded several baskets, with only 2.6 seconds left in the game, junior Samantha Alba hit a 3 pointer to tie the game at 46-46 and send it into overtime. The overtime period was equally hard fought. Unfortunately, River Dell’s center scored in the closing seconds of the first overtime period and Glen Rock’s season was over. The team’s final record was 23-6.
With her 19 points in that game, Margi ended her career at Glen Rock with a school career scoring record of 1,165 points. She averaged nearly 20 points per game in her senior season and was the #3 scorer in Bergen County. She also averaged 8.5 rebounds per game. She was named to the First Team, All-County and to the First Team, All-North Jersey (by The Record). Junior Sophie Lederer, who averaged 13 points per game, was named to the Third Team, All-County.
Margi was also an outstanding goalie for Glen Rock’s girls soccer teams. In her sophomore year, she and senior Catherine Guariglia shared keeper duties and helped the 2009 Soccer Team win the B-PSL King Championship and reach the second round of the Bergen County Tournament, defeating the much larger Fair Lawn before losing to the even larger Ramapo. In the Group 2, State Tournament, the Panthers defeated Newton by a score of 2-0 and then defeated Westwood and Kinnelon in two scoreless games won in PK shootouts. Unfortunately, in the Sectional Championship game, Glen Rock lost to Mahwah (the ultimate North Jersey Champion) by a score of 1-0 in overtime. The team’s final record was 18-3, with its scoring led by freshmen Sophie Lederer and Hannah Petrone and with its defense only surrendering 5 goals all season.
In her junior year, with Margi as its starting goalkeeper, the 2010 Soccer Team won the Colonial A Championship. In the Bergen County Tournament, it defeated Dumont by a score of 6-0 and then Pascack Valley by a score of 2-0 to advance to the quarterfinals — but it was then once again defeated by the much larger Ramapo. In the Group 2, State Tournament, the Panthers defeated Hopatcong 6-0 and then again defeated Kinnelon on penalty kicks. After the two teams ended at 1-1 after the overtime period, Margi made two outstanding saves to help gain Glen Rock’s victory. Unfortunately, in the Sectional Semifinals, the team was once again defeated by Mahwah (this year, the ultimate State Champion). The team’s final record was 19-2-1, scoring 92 goals (led by sophomores Lederer and Petrone) and allowing only 10 goals (5 in that loss to Ramapo) with 16 shutout victories.
In Margi’s senior year, she was named Co-Captain and helped lead the 2011 Soccer Team to another outstanding season. It repeated as Colonial A League Champions, ending the league season undefeated and unscored upon. In the Bergen County Tournament, it defeated Park Ridge 4-0 then Bergen Tech 1-0 (in overtime). It then defeated Ramsey 1-0 (again in overtime) in the quarterfinals. Advancing to the County Semifinals for the first time since the 2002 Team, the 2011 team faced the much larger Northern Highlands. Glen Rock took an early 1-0 lead, but Northern Highlands responded with three goals to win the game (and go on to be County Champions and Group 3, State Champions).
In the State Tournament, the 2011 team defeated Wallkill Valley 5-0, then defeated River Dell 2-1 and then shutout Kinnelon 1-0 to reach the Group 2, Sectional Final, against Ramsey. Unfortunately, in this rematch, the Panthers were defeated by the ultimate State Champion Ramsey by a score of 3-2.
The 2011 Soccer Team ended its season with a 21-2 record, with Margi and her backup sophomore Sarah Gross having produced 20 shutouts and having allowed only 6 goals all season. Margi was named to the Third Team, All-County (by The Record). Hannah Petrone was named to the First Team, Sophie Lederer was named to the Second Team and defenders Sarah Fiorino and Kendall Daley and forward Grace Taylor were named to the Third Team, All-County.
After graduating from Glen Rock High School, Margi attended Penn State University and was captain of the school’s club basketball team.