Watch the Throne: Kanye Rigdill’s game-winning goal earns Riverside fourth-straight state title

Riverside celebrates winning their fourth consecutive boys soccer state championship.

Kanye Rigdill keeps it honest — he isn’t much of a goalscorer.

Coming into Saturday’s Class 4-A soccer state championship, Riverside’s senior center-back and captain had just two goals on the season. He’d last found the back of the net on March 15.

But sometimes, heroes emerge from the least likely of places.

With the game-winning goal off a free kick in the 83rd minute of the match, Rigdill clinched Riverside its fourth straight state championship.

“That’s definitely the most important goal I’ve ever scored in my life,” said Rigdill. “As a center back, I’m not used to scoring very much. This one’s got to be the most special.”

Despite several quality chances throughout the game for both sides, Riverside and James Island went into overtime scoreless. In the third minute of the first overtime period, the Warriors earned a free kick in the left corner of the field — just outside the penalty box.

Senior Andres “Pipe” Giraldo lofted a lovely inswinging ball toward the back post. Rigdill fought off a defender and connected the side of his body to the ball, beating the James Island keeper and breaking the deadlock.

“Me and Pipe, we’ve been working on that all year,” said Rigdill. “I always tell him to aim for the top right hand corner of the goal. He knows I run to the back post every time.”

As soon as the ball rippled the net, Rigdill pumped his fists and ran to the corner flag. His teammates followed. The Riverside bench cleared. The Warrior student section erupted.

Rigdill’s goal proved to be all Riverside needed.

He couldn’t have written the story better if he tried.

“Every soccer player ever works their entire lifetime for a moment like that,” said Rigdill. “Playing in front of all my friends and family here, getting the game winner, there’s nothing better.”

“Kanye gave everything he had all year long,” said Riverside head coach Scott Columbia. “This is his third ring with this program. I remember as a sophomore, I brought him up from JV to play the last 10 minutes of the state championship just to clear the ball out… He’s come such a long way.”

SAVING THE DAY

With just minutes left in overtime, Riverside goalkeeper Kody Bartel made one of the saves of the season to preserve the win.

A James Island striker launched a ball toward the net from about 25 yards out with pace. The shot was headed straight to the top left corner of the goal. Bartel shuffled his feet, took a massive leap, and tipped the ball away from danger at the last moment.

Bartel hit the ground with a thud.

His teammates embraced him for saving the game.

“As soon as I saw the shot heading towards me, I was just thinking ‘This is my time,’” said Bartel. “I wanted to win us the game and put it all on the line. This is everything we wanted this year.

“Everyone on this team always does their job to help us win. So I wanted to do mine.”

SHOULDERS OF THE SENIORS

Despite losing 14 seniors from last year’s squad, Riverside returned to the top of the mountain. For the fourth straight season, the Warriors are state champions.

A younger team this year, it was Riverside’s sophomores that carried the team into the championship. In the Warriors’ 5-1 romp over Wade Hampton in last week’s upper state final, all five goals came from sophomores.

Rigdill (No. 16) celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal in double overtime.

But in the biggest moment of the season, with all of the lights shining down, it was a pair of the team’s few seniors — Rigdill and Giraldo — who held the weight on their shoulders.

“The leadership of Kanye, Pipe and all of these seniors showed tonight,” said Columbia. “We had some adversity but they stepped up when we needed them, just like they’ve done all year.”

“To come through in a moment like that, it means everything to me,” said Rigdill. “Playing with alongside these boys is a gift. I love every single one of them.”

GAME RECAP
James Island 0 0 0 - 0
Riverside 0 0 1 - 1

SCORING SUMMARY
83’ | RIVERSIDE - Kanye Rigdill (assisted by Andres Giraldo)