By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 8/19/10
Recent Abington graduate Jeff Tepel (midfielder) will play Division III lacrosse at Widener University.
Tepel was an Honorable Mention Suburban One National Conference pick for a Ghosts team that won its fourth straight league crown and advanced to the state tournament.
He will major in Government and Politics at Widener and join teammates Jess McGinley (goalie) and Paul Berger (defenseman) as freshman recruits.
“I choose Widener for a variety of different reasons,” Tepel said. “I first started looking at Widener because three of my former teammates (attackmen Johnny Casey and Nate Meyer and midfielder Mike Vandegrift) play there and then I heard that Paulie and Jesse were also considering.
“The next major factor was meeting coach (Jamie) Lockard. He is a cool young coach who knows his lax. He really swayed my decision after meeting him. I also really wanted to stay close to home because I saw how much of a struggle it was for my brother to get to school at Syracuse and back.
“The campus at Widener is nice, but I was most impressed with the athletic center. It gives you a sense that the athletics at Widener are a big deal. I think I’m most excited about being able to play with fie kids from my high school because of are success and chemistry together.”
Tepel said he was honored to be part of a program that went undefeated in the league all four years. But he had hoped Abington could challenge for a state title last year; it fell to eventual finalist La Salle, 11-10, in a heartbreaking loss in the first round of the state tourney.
“Going undefeated in the league for four years was a great accomplishment,” he said. “However, as a team and individual, I think our goals were set much higher than that.
“I am very satisfied with my lax career. I started playing in 8th grade and playing with the kind of talent I have had around me has boosted my game and made me a better player. I think my four years at Abington was a state title away from (being) perfect.”
