By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – The Riverside Academy girls soccer team had a season unprecedented at the school in the 2011-12 campaign. But if the Lady Rebels wanted to prove their program had arrived, they needed a strong follow up campaign.

Mission accomplished. Riverside set a program record for wins in a season and rolled to a second straight District 9-III championship, finishing unbeaten in district play.

For that reason, the Lady Rebels are well-represented on the 2012-13 L’Observateur All-St. John Parish soccer team, with four players and their coach making this year’s roster.

Senior forward Mary Gurley leads the way as this year’s girls soccer MVP. Gurley scored 28 goals to tie for the top scoring mark in the parish among both males and females. Gurley handled added scoring burden in district play after teammate Jordan Duhon was sidelined and responded with a tremendous finish to the season. Gurley was voted District 9-III’s MVP.

Lady Rebels’ coach Brit-tany St. Pierre is this year’s St. John Coach of the Year after leading Riverside to its first ever undefeated district championship. St. Pierre’s Rebels finished with a final record of 15-9-3, the best mark in school history. RA hosted a postseason game for the second straight  season.

Fellow Rebels Megan Stein, Taylor Terrio, Caitlin Roussel and Jordan Duhon also earn spots on the team this season.

Stein provided the backbone to a tremendous Rebels defense. Terrio and Duhon each scored 15 goals and Roussel 11 as offensive catalysts for Riverside.

The St. Charles Catholic boys came within one win of earning the District 9-III championship.

Its defense kept the Comets afloat all season long against a difficult schedule of contenders. St. Charles senior defender Andrew Brady proved himself an anchor to that stout unit and is L’Observateur’s choice as boys soccer MVP this season, after the senior helped lead his team back into the postseason.

On the boys’ side, Brady is joined by SCC teammate Albert Hane, East St. John’s Tony Warren and Eric Joseph and Riverside’s Martin Avalos.

A senior, Hane scored seven goals and assisted on five others to lead the Comets offensively.

Warren and Joseph, both seniors, helped form an impressive defensive wall for the Wildcats.

Avalos was Riverside’s most experienced player and the junior midfielder helped guide RA through a rebuiilding season.

On the girls side, East St. John senior Nyanza Bell closed out a sensational career, closing with 28 goals scored this season to tie for the parish lead.

St. Charles’ Catholic’s Jalynn Johnson rounds out the roster after leading the Comets to a late playoff surge.

Johnson scored eight goals over her final two games to help SCC clinch a playoff berth.