Carli Lloyd's hometown celebrates World Cup win
DELRAN TWP., N.J. (WPVI) -- The people of Delran Township, New Jersey continued celebrating their hometown hero, Carli Lloyd, after her amazing performance during the World Cup final on Sunday.
Lloyd and Team USA beat Japan 5-2 to win the championship.
"Wow!" is what 11-year-old Violet Donahue had to say about the game. She is attending a soccer camp at Veterans Park in Hamilton Township. She said the big win is motivating her to work harder.
"It makes me want to play and get into the game," she said.
Fellow camper Emma Brodbeck agreed, saying "It makes me feel like more encouraged that she did that and I want to play better."
At Delran High School, where Carli once played, principal Daniel Finkle said "Soccer is very big here in Delran and I'm guessing Carli Lloyd and her success has a lot to do with that."
She wore number 10 in high school and wore number 10 during the World Cup victory.
Though Finkle wasn't yet principal when Lloyd was a student, he's met her when she's returned for events and knows what a positive influence she's been for students.
"She is a superstar here in Delran and has always been. She's now a superstar for the United States and I think now for the world," he said.
Lloyd was awarded the Golden Ball for being the best player in the tournament. She scored three goals in the first16 minutes. Her hat trick was the first ever in a women's World Cup final, wowing the world and fans who watched from her home state.
"I'm sitting there and my wife comes down and said 'what are you hollering at?' because she was watching something else. And I said 'This girl's from Delran!" said Bob Wilkie of Burlington.
"It was crazy. I was watching the first goal, I walked out of the room - next thing you know I hear my dad yelling'she scored again she scored again,'" said Missy Bohn.
Missy Bohn works at L&M bakery in Delran and was coached by Lloyd back in high school. They're fans of Lloyd here at the bakery and, it turns out, Lloyd is a fan of theirs, giving L&M's donuts a shout-out on Twitter this morning.
"Got a couple phone calls this morning about being mentioned on Twitter! That's great, it's an honor, quite honestly," said co-owner John Kahl.
As for Lloyd, even as she celebrates with Team USA, she's looking forward to getting back home.
"It will be wild going back to New Jersey. Think I'm going to stay inside a couple days, take it all in, and relax," she said.
Action News was with the family and friends of Lloyd's future husband, Brian Hollins, as they watched the game at Ott's Tavern on Sunday.
"I was just stunned. I knew it'd happen but I didn't know it'd happen so early on," said Lisa Gonteski, Lloyd's future sister-in-law.
"She's a hometown hero. She's a nationwide hero," said Sherri Howlett, a family friend.
Lloyd scored six goals in seven games during the tournament.
