February 27, 2019

PHS’ Ayres Blazing Trail in Girls’ Wrestling While Bobchin Earns 2nd Boys’ Region Title

FIRST IN HER CLASS: Princeton High wrestler Chloe Ayres, top, takes control in a bout this January against Nottingham High’s Stalin Arpi, which she won by a pin. This week, sophomore Ayres will be competing in the first-ever NJSIAA girls’ state championships in Atlantic City after winning the 105-pound title at the South Jersey girls’ wrestling region tournament. Joining Ayres in Atlantic City will be senior Alec Bobchin, who won the boys’ Region 5 title and became the first PHS wrestler to win two region crowns. He will be looking to improve on his eighth-place finish in last year’s state championships. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Justin Feil

Chloe Ayres couldn’t hold it in after winning the 105-pound title at the South Jersey girls’ wrestling region tournament earlier this month.

“I started crying tears of joy,” said Princeton High sophomore Ayres. “I was trying to keep it together. I’m really excited to wrestle in Atlantic City.”

Ayres was blown away not just by the chance to wrestle in the girls’ state championships that begin this week in Atlantic City, but by the significance of even having a region meet. It wasn’t just that she won, or even that she was named Most Outstanding Wrestler (MOW) after winning twice by pin and shutting out Trenton’s Johnae Drumright, 9-0, in the final match. It was that it all came in the first-ever girls’ region tournament. more

Rebounding From Defeat in MCT Final, PHS Boys’ Hockey Makes Public B Quarters

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY: Princeton High boys’ hockey player Keith Goldberg, right, gathers in the puck in recent action. Last Thursday, senior forward and captain Goldberg chipped in a goal and an assist as sixth seeded PHS topped 11th-seeded Jackson Memorial 8-4 in the opening round of the state Public B tournament. Last Monday, the postseason run for Goldberg and the Tigers came to an end as they fell 6-3 at third-seeded Westfield in the quarterfinals. The Tigers finished the winter with a 14-10-3 record. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Keith Goldberg and his teammates on the Princeton High boys’ hockey team came out with fire in their eyes as they hosted Jackson Memorial last Thursday at ProSkate to start play in the state Public B tournament.

Having suffered a disappointing 9-4 loss to Hun on the Mercer County Tournament final six days earlier, PHS was determined to bounce back from that setback.

“We came out a little flat against Hun and we didn’t want to come out flat today,” said Tiger senior forward and captain Goldberg.

“Me being a senior, I didn’t want this to be my last high school game. For the other guys, I think that motivated us to work a little bit harder. Everything we did wrong in the Hun game we wanted to fix and make sure we didn’t do today.” more

Competing in Easterns, Meet of Champions, PHS Track Athletes Produce Historic Week

WILDLY SUCCESSFUL: Princeton High track senior star Nils Wildberg displays the medal he earned for winning the inaugural NJSIAA Indoor Meet of Champions Long Jump Showcase last week. Fighting through injury, the Dartmouth-bound Wildberg produced a best mark of 23’4 to win the competition.

By Bill Alden

Competing in two prestigious events last week, the Princeton High track program made history on both fronts.

Taking part in the Eastern State Championships on February 19 in New York City and the NJSIAA Indoor Meet of Champions (MOC) over the weekend at Toms River, PHS athletes recorded five personal bests, four school records, three MOC medals, and one individual state champion.

Senior Nils Wildberg, who has battled a knee injury and has been forced to sit out most of the winter season, returned triumphantly to win the inaugural MOC Long Jump Showcase, jumping 23’4. The Dartmouth-bound Wildberg’s victory marked just the seventh overall individual state title in PHS boys’ track history. Wildberg becomes the first PHS individual state champion in 36 years, joining Peter Sharpless (two titles – outdoor high jump 1980 and 1981) and Stephen Fletcher (Four titles – 55 hurdles indoors and 110 hurdles outdoors in both 1982 and 1983) as the only three boys athletes to ever achieve a state crown.  more

Senior Captain Rougas Goes Out Battling Hard As PHS Boys’ Hoops Falls to Freehold in States

PASSING IT ON: Princeton High boys’ basketball player Brendan Rougas, left, passes the ball in a game earlier this season. Last Monday, senior guard and team captain Rougas scored a game-high 15 points as 14th-seeded PHS fell 60-50 at third-seeded Freehold in the opening round of the Central Jersey Group 4 sectional. The loss left the Tigers with a final record of 12-14. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Brendan Rougas experienced mixed emotions, soaking in the scene as the Princeton High boys’ basketball team held its annual Senior Night ceremony last Thursday evening before hosting Morristown High.

“It was my final home game ever; it is very sad but also exciting, I am heading to a new chapter in my life,” said Rougas.

“I just want to thank our fans, from the time I was a freshman and then on JV and both years on varsity, we have had the best crowd in the CVC.” more

February 20, 2019

Hallett Helps Trigger Offense for PU Women’s Lax As it Tops Temple in Opener, Giving Sailer 400th Win

LETTING IT FLY: Princeton University women’s lacrosse player Kathryn Hallett heads upfield last Saturday as Princeton hosted Temple in its season opener. Senior midfielder Hallett tallied four goals to help the eighth-ranked Tigers prevail 16-7 and make history in the process as the victory marked the 400th career win for longtime Tiger head coach Chris Sailer. Princeton will look to keep rolling as it plays at 12th-ranked Virginia (2-0) on February 23. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Coming into the 2019 season, Kathryn Hallett knew that it was up to her to lead the midfield for the Princeton University women’s lacrosse team.

“There are definitely some big shoes to fill, we graduated two really good impact starting midfielders last year,” said senior Hallett, referring to Ellie McNulty and Camille Sullivan.

“We have a lot of freshmen in the lineup. In the past I have been more of a lead by example type of person. I have really been making an effort to be more vocal, giving them tips during practice.” more

Making a Stand with their Backs to the Wall, PU Men’s Hoops Edges Dartmouth to End Skid

MAKING A STAND: Princeton University men’s basketball player Myles Stephens puts on the defensive pressure in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday against visiting Dartmouth, senior star and co-captain Stephens contributed 17 points, eight rebounds, and a blocked shot to help the Tigers pull out a 69-68 win over the Big Green. Princeton, now 13-8 overall and 5-3 Ivy League, hosts Cornell on February 22 and Columbia on February 23. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

It may not have been a must-win game for the Princeton University men’s basketball team but it certainly felt like it.

Mired in a three-game losing streak in Ivy League play as it hosted Dartmouth last Saturday evening, Princeton was in danger of sliding out of the race for the top four in the league standings and spot in the Ivy postseason tournament.

“We had our backs up against the wall with a three-game skid,” said Princeton senior star and co-captain Myles Stephens. more

Lund Relishes PU Women’s Hockey Senior Weekend, Looking to End College Career with Playoff Success

SENIOR MOMENT: Princeton University women’s hockey player Karlie Lund controls the puck in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, senior forward and co-captain Lund chipped in an assist in a losing cause cause as Princeton fell 2-1 to visiting Rensselaer. The fifth-ranked Tigers, now 18-4-5 overall and 15-2-3 ECAC Hockey, will look to wrap up the league’s regular season title when they play at Clarkson on February 22 and at St. Lawrence on February 23. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Karlie Lund didn’t want to leave the ice at Hobey Baker Rink last Saturday evening after the Princeton University women’s hockey team hosted Rensselaer in its final regular season home game.

Senior forward and co-captain Lund and her classmates lingered on the rink after the program held its annual Senior Day ceremony, cavorting with each other and family members, skating back and forth and posing for a number of pictures.

Even though fifth-ranked Princeton had just lost 2-1 to Rensselaer, that didn’t put a damper on the festivities honoring the Class of 2019. more

Triggered by Nelson’s Offensive Production, Hun Boys’ Hockey Tops PHS, Wins 6th MCT

SIX SHOOTER: Hun School boys’ hockey player Brian Nelson fires the puck last Friday in the Mercer County Tournament title game. Senior forward and captain Nelson scored three goals to help top-seeded Hun defeat second-seeded Princeton High 9-4 and earn the program’s sixth straight county crown. Nelson was named the MVP of the tournament as the Raiders ended the winter with a 15-8-1 record. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Even before Brian Nelson joined the Hun School boys’ hockey program, he had visions of taking a leading role in a run to the Mercer County Tournament championship.

“I was in 7th grade and I went to the title game and I remember seeing that crowd,” recalled Nelson, who attended William Penn Middle School before coming to Hun in the fall of 2015. “I can’t wait to be that guy.” more

Stuart Basketball Producing Historic February, Winning 2nd Prep B Title, Making MCT Semis

BACK TO BACK: Members of the Stuart Country Day School basketball team show off the trophies they earned after defeating Morristown-Beard 71-63 in the state Prep B final last Wednesday. It marked the second straight Prep B title for Stuart. The Tartans, now 17-9, will be going after another championship this week as they have advanced to the final four of the Mercer County Tournament. Stuart, seeded third, was slated to face second-seeded Pennington in the MCT semis on February 19 with the victor advancing to the title game on February 21 at the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton.

By Bill Alden

After enduring some tough times in January, the Stuart Country Day School basketball team is enjoying a fantastic February.

“There were a lot of losses, our record was approaching .500,” said Stuart head coach Justin Leith, whose team went 4-5 in January as it faced a gauntlet of formidable foes. more

After Making 3rd Straight Trip to MCT Final, PHS Boys’ Hockey Aiming for a Big States Run

ROCK FIGHT: Princeton High boys’ hockey player Rocco Salvato handles the puck last Friday in the Mercer County Tournament championship game. Junior defenseman Salvato and the second-seeded Tigers fell 9-4 to top-seeded and six-time champion Hun. PHS, now 13-9-3, will start play in the Public B state tournament where it is seeded sixth and will host 11th-seeded Jackson Memorial in a first round contest on February 21 at ProSkate in Monmouth Junction. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Having split its two regular season meetings against Notre Dame, the Princeton High boys’ hockey team looked forward to getting a rubber match with the Irish in the Mercer County Tournament semifinals last Wednesday.

“We were excited to get another crack at them,” said PHS junior star defenseman Rocco Salvato. “We just wanted to get off to a hot start, that was key.” more

PHS Girls’ Hoops Reaches MCT Quarterfinals, Senior-Laden Squad Primed for State Tourney

FAST AND FURIOUS: Princeton High girls’ basketball player Anna Intartaglia races upcourt last Thursday as PHS hosted Allentown in the opening round of the Mercer County Tournament. Senior point guard Intartaglia contributed six points, four assists, and two steals as the seventh-seeded Tigers defeated the 10th-seeded Redbirds 37-30. Two days later, PHS fell 66-50 at second-seeded Pennington in the MCT quarterfinals. The Tigers, now 15-7, are next in action in the Central Jersey Group 4 sectional where they are seeded fourth and slated to host 13th-seeded Long Branch in a first round contest on February 25. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton High girls’ basketball team trailing Allentown 23-22 entering the fourth quarter of their Mercer County Tournament opener last Thursday, Anna Intartaglia took matters into her hands.

PHS senior guard Intartaglia drained a three-pointer from the corner in the first possession of the quarter to give the seventh-seeded Tigers a 25-23 lead over the 10th-seeded Redbirds.

“I feel like threes are always a huge momentum shift, especially when someone hits one at a time like that,” said Intartaglia. “It was really cool.” more

February 13, 2019

Boasting Explosive Attack, Battle-Tested Defense, No. 8 PU Women’s Lax Primed For Special Spring

BY GEORGE: Princeton University women’s lacrosse player Elizabeth George heads to goal in a 2018 game. Senior star attacker George, who tallied 43 goals last spring, will be a key performer for the Tigers this season. Princeton, ranked 8th in this week’s Inside Lacrosse national poll, gets its 2019 season underway by hosting Temple on February 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Having won the Ivy League title in each of their first three seasons and advancing to the NCAA quarterfinals along the way, the seniors on the Princeton University women’s lacrosse team are determined to go out with a bang this spring.

“The seniors have been a part of Ivy League championship teams their entire career so they don’t want that streak to end; they really want to get further,” said Princeton head coach Chris Sailer, whose team went 13-6 overall and 6-1 Ivy League last spring, winning the league’s postseason tournament and advancing to the second round of the NCAA tourney. more

Alarie Hits 1,000-Point Mark for PU Women’s Hoops, Utilizing Assertiveness to Help Tigers Post 1-1 Weekend

By Bill Alden

TOWERING PRESENCE: Princeton University women’s basketball player Bella Alarie puts up a shot in recent action. Last weekend, junior forward Alarie scored 38 points in 96-86 overtime loss to Yale on Friday, passing the 1,000-point mark in her career, and then chipped in 20 points and 16 rebounds as the Tigers topped Brown 93-74 on Saturday. Later, the 6’4 Alarie was named the Ivy League Player for the Week for the second straight week. The Tigers, now 11-9 overall and 3-2 Ivy, play at Harvard on February 15 and at Dartmouth on February 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Bella Alarie produced another milestone moment in her career for the Princeton University women’s basketball team last Friday evening as the Tigers hosted Yale in Jadwin Gym.

After setting an Ivy League single-game record by scoring 45 points in a win over Columbia on February 1, junior forward Alarie notched the 1,000th point of her college career late in the third quarter against the Bulldogs.

“I was really excited to get it on our home floor in front of my family members,” said the 6’4 Alarie, a native of Bethesda, Md.

“It is really cool. It means a lot as a player that my teammates trust me enough to shoot the ball. I have been getting better every year.”

It ended up not being one of the better nights for the Tigers as they trailed for most of the contest with Yale leading 42-39 at half and 62-57 entering the fourth quarter. With 3:44 remaining in regulation, the Tigers were down 72-65 but not out as they went on 14-7 run to force overtime. In the extra session, though,  Princeton faltered as the Bulldogs pulled away to a 96-86 win. more

Sparked By Shaw’s Play in Goal, Kuffner’s Scoring, PU Men’s Hockey Defeats Yale 4-1 to Break Skid

CREASE CONTROL: Princeton University men’s hockey goalie Austin Shaw thwarts a Yale player last Saturday. Making just his second career start, senior Shaw made 23 saves to help Princeton prevail 4-1. The Tigers, now 7-14-2 overall and 5-10-1 ECAC Hockey, play at Rensselaer on February 15 and at Union on February 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Having gone 1-6 in its first seven games of 2019, the Princeton University men’s hockey team turned to an unlikely hero and one of its stalwarts to break that skid when it hosted Yale last Saturday evening.

Senior goalie Austin Shaw, who started for the second time in his career and for the first time in an ECAC Hockey contest, stood tall with 23 saves against the Bulldogs.

On offense, the program’s all-time goal scorer Ryan Kuffner added two more tallies to his total to give him 70 in his career.

The excellence of Shaw and Kuffner at opposite ends of the ice translated into a 4-1 win over the Bulldogs before a standing room only crowd of 2,300 packing Hobey Baker Rink. more

Focusing on Tweaking Offensive, Defensive Systems, Princeton Men’s Lax Excited to Start 2019 Campaign

ON TARGET: Princeton University men’s lacrosse player Philip Robertson unloads the ball in a game last spring. Junior attackman Robertson, who scored 33 goals in 2018 and led Division I with .635 shooting percentage, figures to be a key offensive weapon for the Tigers this season. Princeton, ranked 17th by the Inside Lacrosse preseason poll, opens its 2019 season by playing at Monmouth on February 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

While the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team is bringing a nation’s best five-game winning streak into the 2019 season, Matt Madalon is putting that late season surge in the rear view mirror.

“It was nice to end the season like that, but win streaks are never really our goal,” said Princeton head coach Madalon, whose team went 8-5 overall and 3-3 Ivy League last spring but just missed qualifying for the Ivy postseason tourney.

“We are just trying to make sure our systems are buttoned up. It has been a quick preseason. We have some guys in different spots. We are tweaking our systems a little bit.” more

Fueled by Defeat in District Tourney Last Winter, PHS Wrestler Monahan Aiming for Run to State Finals

DAN THE MAN: Princeton High school wrestler Daniel Monahan, top, dominates a foe in bout earlier this season. Senior star Monahan, who wrestles at 126 pounds, will be competing at the District 17 tournament this weekend, looking to add another title after winning his weight class at the Mercer County Tournament in late January. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Justin Feil

Daniel Monahan has so many wins that he doesn’t know exactly how many there are now, but he remembers exactly his losses.

The Princeton High senior wrestler says he’s lost 15 matches in his career, a number dwarfed by his more than 110 wins.

“Losses come by virtue of making mistakes,” said Monahan. “It’s the way you look at the match. You can look at a match and let it defeat you, or look at the match and fix what cost you. The one thing that makes losses better than wins is that they give you a lot of incentive and help you improve.”

Monahan has been driven this season by the way that last year ended – a loss in the first round of the District 19 tournament a year after he’d placed third and advanced to the Region 5 tournament, one step short of the state finals in Atlantic City. It marred an otherwise an incredible junior season in which he went 30-2 and won his first Mercer County Tournament title at 126 pounds. more

Senior Star Corrodi Playing Hard to the End, Helping PHS Girls’ Hockey Make Progress

FINAL PUSH: Princeton High girls’ hockey player Olivia Corrodi controls the puck in a game earlier this season. Last week, senior defenseman and team captain Corrodi tallied a goal and an assist as PHS fell 6-4 to Randolph High at Hobey Baker Rink as the Tigers held their annual Senior Night ceremony. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Olivia Corrodi didn’t waste any time making an impact last week as she hit the ice for the Princeton High girls’ hockey team on her Senior Night at Hobey Baker Rink.

As PHS hosted Randolph in the February 5 contest, senior defenseman and team captain Corrodi took control of the puck and sent it up the ice to Victoria Zammit, who banged it home to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead just 2:34 into the contest.

“I saw Victoria cross up the middle so I just tried to get her the puck,” said Corrodi. “I knew she could finish it off.”

The Tigers outshot Randolph 16-8 on the first period but found themselves trailing 3-2 heading the second. PHS kept firing away over the rest of the evening, knotting the game at 3-3 in the second period before eventually falling 6-4. more

Flahive Relishes Senior Night Ceremony, Hopes to See PDS Boys’ Hockey End with Title

By Bill Alden

For Kevin Flahive, earning a spot on the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey squad took hard work and patience.

After paying his dues by competing for the JV team in his first two years at PDS, Flahive made the jump to varsity last winter as a junior.

“It was exciting. It is a totally different experience for me from any other sport I have ever played,” said Flahive. “PDS ice hockey is a big commitment. It is a lot of fun and it is a great time.”

Last Thursday as PDS hosted LaSalle College High (Pa.), Flahive’s commitment was recognized during the program’s annual Senior Night ceremony.

“It was a big game obviously,” said Flahive. “It is an honor to play for PDS and put on this jersey.”

It turned out to be a tough game for PDS as it fell 2-0. “We have been getting off to a slow start in a lot of the games this year,” said Flahive. “We were never really able to get it going today and get the puck in the net.”

With a year of varsity play under his belt, Flahive has put more pucks in the net this season. more

After Beating Pennington 3 Times This Season, PDS Boys’ Hoops Falls to Red Raiders in Prep Bs

HEART OF A CHAMPION: Princeton Day School boys’ basketball player Jaylin Champion flies to the hoop last Sunday against Pennington in the state Prep B semifinals. Junior forward Champion scored 15 points but it wasn’t enough as the top-seeded Panthers fell 66-63 to the fifth-seeded Red Raiders. PDS, now 12-11, will be wrapping up the season by competing in the Mercer County Tournament, where it is seeded 10th and slated to play at seventh-seeded WW/P-North on February 14 in an opening round contest. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

It was round four this winter as the Princeton Day School boys’ basketball team hosted archival Pennington in the state Prep B semifinals last Sunday.

Top-seeded PDS appeared to have the upper hand in the playoff meeting, having won all three previous contests this winter (65-59 on November 30, 61-50 on December 19, 67-60 on January 27) against the fifth-seeded Red Raiders.

But hungry to not suffer a fourth straight defeat to the Panthers, Pennington came out firing, jumping out to a 35-30 halftime lead.

PDS head coach Doug Davis sensed that Pennington brought extra motivation into the contest. more

February 6, 2019

With Freshman Connors Going on Scoring Binge, PU Women’s Hockey Stays Atop ECACH Standings

MAG FORCE: Princeton University women’s hockey player Maggie Connors controls the puck in recent action. Last Friday against St. Lawrence, freshman forward Connors scored the game winning goal with 3.2 second left in overtime as the Tigers prevailed 4-3 and extended their program-record unbeaten streak to 20. A day later, No. 4 Princeton lost 3-1 to No. 5 Clarkson to see the streak get snapped. The Tigers, now 15-3-5 overall and 12-1-3 ECAC Hockey, play at Brown on February 8 and at Yale on February 9. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)

By Bill Alden

Maggie Connors realized that the game was on her stick as the Princeton University women’s hockey team headed into the waning seconds of overtime against St. Lawrence last Friday night at Hobey Baker Rink.

With the foes knotted in a 3-3 deadlock, Princeton freshman forward Connors chased down the puck and raced up ice.

“When I saw Sarah [Fillier] chip it, I was thinking this was most likely going to be the last chance,” recalled Connors. more

PU Women’s Hoops Posts 2-0 Ivy Weekend As Senior Rush Motivated for Stretch Drive

BOUNCING BACK: Princeton University women’s basketball player Gabrielle Rush dribbles the ball in a game earlier this season. Last weekend, senior guard Rush helped Princeton go 2-0 in its first Ivy League weekend of the season as the Tigers topped Columbia 79-64 last Friday and then defeated Cornell 75-46 a day later, getting on the winning track after having fallen 66-60 to Penn its its league opener on January 5. The Tigers, now 10-8 overall and 2-1 Ivy, host Yale on February 8 and Brown in February 9. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Justin Feil

Gabrielle Rush is feeling a lot better this week.

It’s not just that the Princeton University senior guard’s fall exams are behind her, it’s that the Tigers women’s basketball team is back to winning.

“We’ve been super motivated and focused on ourselves to get where we need to be over the whole month of January,” said Rush.

“It was finally exciting to get to suit up against another team and show we have gotten better over this month and we’re coming for everyone else. That was exciting to have that show in this weekend and get those wins to move up a little in the rankings.” more

Emerging as Star for Penn State Men’s Hockey, Hun Alum Barratt Makes Impact on World Stage

LION-HEARTED: Evan Barratt heads up the ice in action this winter during his sophomore campaign for the Penn State men’s hockey team. The former Hun School standout is starring for the  Nittany Lions, tallying 32 points on 14 goals and 18 assists through his first 21 games to rank third in the nation in scoring. In addition, he recently helped the United States National Junior Team take silver the IIHF World Junior Championships in British Columbia. (Photo by Mark Selders – Penn State Athletics)

By Justin Feil

When Evan Barratt won a silver medal with the United States National Junior Team at the IIHF World Junior Championships on January 5 in British Columbia, it added another major achievement for the star ice hockey forward who isn’t even 20.

“It’s definitely a bigger stage this time,” said Barratt, who won gold with the U-18 team in 2017. “Being a year older helps a lot in this tournament. It’s hard to win. Being there with a bunch of guys that I used to play with was a lot of fun, and going as far as we did made it pretty special, but it didn’t finish the way we wanted it to. I thought it was a pretty good experience overall.”

Barratt’s list of accomplishments – individual and team – has mushroomed over the last five years since he was skating for The Hun School. He was on a Raiders ice hockey team that twice won the Mercer County Tournament and returned from injury to help them to their first Prep A state tournament title since 1996.  more

Competing Hard at Indoor Sectional Meet, PHS Track Shows Championship Quality

FAB FOUR: Members of the Princeton High girls’ track 4×400 relay, from left, freshman Kendall Williamson, junior Raina Williamson, sophomore Gabby Goddard, and junior Colleen Linko are all smiles after they placed first in the Central Jersey Group 4 Sectional meet last Saturday. The quartet clocked a winning time of 4:05.40 and their win helped PHS place seventh in the team standings at the event. The Tiger boys’ took sixth in the sectional, led by a victory in the shot put by senior star Paul Brennan.

By Bill Alden

A string of injuries to key performers robbed the Princeton High track teams of any realistic chance to challenge for team titles at the Central Jersey Group 4 Sectional indoor meet last Saturday.

But the PHS athletes who did compete at the Bennett Center at Toms River displayed a championship pedigree.

As for the boys, who placed sixth in the team standings in the meet won by South Brunswick, senior throwing star Paul Brennan added to his sterling resume as he placed first in the shot put with a heave of 56’1. more

Battling in Loss to Undefeated Manasquan, PHS Boys’ Hockey Steeled for Big MCT Run

CRASH COURSE: Princeton High boys’ hockey player Ben Drezner, second from left, crashes the net in a game earlier this winter. Last Thursday, senior forward Drezner scored the lone goal as PHS fell 3-1 to undefeated Manasquan (15-0). The Tigers, now 11-8-3, will start action in the Mercer County Tournament, where they are seeded second and are slated to play a quarterfinal contest on February 6 at the Mercer County Park rink, with the victor advancing to the semis on February 12. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For Ben Drezner and his teammates on the Princeton High boys’ hockey team, facing undefeated Manasquan High last Thursday night was a litmus test with the postseason on the horizon.

“Manasquan is one of the top teams around, they are coming off a good season and they play a lot of good shore teams,” said PHS senior forward Drezner.

“It was a really good matchup for us, especially going right into playoffs. It is good to see where we are at.”

PHS fell behind right off the bat, yielding a goal in the first two minutes of the contest played at Pro Skate but then held the fort the rest of the period as neither team scored. The Tigers fell behind 2-0 in the second period but then made a late run, drawing back-to-back penalties and generating chances early in the third. more

With James Emerging as a Standout, Stuart Hoops Rolls into Prep B Semis

A-GAME: Stuart Country Day School basketball player Aleah James dribbles the ball in a game last winter. Last Monday, sophomore guard James chipped in 11 points as second-seeded and defending champion Stuart defeated seventh-seeded Princeton Day School 83-31 in the state Prep B quarterfinals. The Tartans, now 13-9, are slated to host a Prep B semifinal contest on February 10 with the victor advancing to the title game on February 13. Stuart will also be starting play in the Mercer County Tournament. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Bill Alden

There was a lot of emotion in the gym as second-seeded and defending champion Stuart Country Day School hosted seventh-seeded Princeton Day School in the state Prep B quarterfinals last Monday.

“We are excited to get into our prep tournament,” said Stuart sophomore guard Aleah James. “We were also excited because it was Bey-Shana Clark’s senior game. We were hyped for that.”

That excitement translated into a blazing start for the Tartans as they jumped out to a 25-3 first quarter lead over PDS. more