Gavigan, a third baseman who has more than 100 career hits, runs, and RBIs and has committed to Mount St. Mary's on a softball scholarship, said the news was a "shock" to Sacred Heart's students.
"You always hear rumors, but I honestly never thought it would happen," Gavigan said. "There were a lot of tears, including mine."
Although Sacred Heart is one of South Jersey's smallest schools with an enrollment of 202 students, the Lions sports teams have been highly competitive in many sports.
The girls' basketball team is 12-0 and No. 7 in The Inquirer's South Jersey rankings. The team won Non-Public B state titles in 2003 and 2005.
"We've been a focal point of the school for a long time," Sacred Heart girls' basketball coach Steve DiPatri said. "We're going to try to keep the heartbeat of the school alive."
The baseball team won the prestigious Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic in 2008. The boys' soccer team won the Non-Public B state title in 2008. The softball team won sectional crowns in 1999 and 2004.
"We're Lions, and we play for our school," Gavigan said. "We always have good athletes and good coaching."
Sacred Heart boys' basketball coach Kevin Nash said his players responded well during a practice after hearing the news Friday.
"We're looking forward to playing Vineland [Saturday night]," Nash said. "The kids know they need to focus on the here and now and take it one game at a time."
Sacred Heart softball coach Les Olsen said the announcement had been feared by school officials for a few years.
"You're always shocked," Olsen said. "But with everything that has been going on in the Catholic education world [with other school closings and consolidations], it's always been in the back of your mind that something could happen."
Sacred Heart supporters plan to try to raise funds and develop a sustainability plan to persuade the diocese to keep the school open.
