GOLDEN GOAL: Princeton Day School boys’ hockey player Chris Cecila controls the puck last Thursday evening as PDS faced Lawrenceville at Hobey Baker Rink. Senior defenseman Cecila scored the winning goal as the Panthers prevailed 3-2 in overtime against the Big Red. PDS, who defeated Malvern Prep (Pa.) 3-2 last Monday to improve to 6-8-1, play at Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) on January 29 and host Seton Hall Prep on January 31. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Chris Cecila hadn’t scored a goal all season as he hit the ice for the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey team last Thursday evening when it hosted Lawrenceville at Hobey Baker Rink.

By the end of the night, senior defenseman Cecila was gliding on the ice for a curtain call demanded by the throng of PDS students on hand after he broke through with his first goal to give the Panthers a riveting 3-2 win in overtime against the Panthers.

For Cecila, getting the winning tally in the heated rivalry was a dream come true. “I could not have dreamt what happened here,” said Cecila.

“It was our last opportunity. I just wanted us to get the win for the fans because they are incredible.”

It took an incredible effort for the Panthers to overcome the powerful Big Red as they battled back from deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 to ultimately force overtime in a frenzied atmosphere that saw the student sections from each school standing, cheering, and pounding on the glass throughout the contest. more

TAKING HOLD: Princeton High wrestler Chloe Ayres, top, controls a foe in a match last year. Junior Ayres, who placed first at 105 pounds last winter in the first-ever NJSIAA girls’ championships, has emerged as a leader on the mat for the Tigers under new head coach Jess Monzo. PHS, which started 1-8 in dual match competition, has meets at Nottingham on January 15 and at Ewing on January 17 before hosting a quad meet on January 18. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For Jess Monzo, coaching wrestling is a labor of love.

“There is always something that drives you and you want to give back and you want to do exactly what your coaches did for you,” said Monzo, who wrestled for Clifton High and Montclair State before getting into high school coaching with stints at Jefferson Township, David Brearley, Matawan, Freehold, and East Brunswick.

“You want to do that and more for the next crop of kids. Wrestling is in my blood, it is going to be in my blood until I can’t do it any more.”

This winter, Monzo, 39, has brought his passion for the sport to Princeton High where he has taken the helm of the wrestling program, succeeding longtime coach Rashone Johnson, now an assistant principal at the school. more

FINAL ACT: Princeton Day School girls’ hockey player Charlotte Haggerty, left, goes after the puck in a recent game. Senior Haggerty starred as PDS swept Holton Arms (Md.) last weekend, scoring a goal as the Panthers won 2-1 on Saturday and then adding a goal and an assist in a 5-1 victory on Sunday. PDS, now 6-3, hosts Morristown Beard on January 16, plays at Upland Country Day (Pa.) on January 17 and at Pingry on January 21. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Charlotte Haggerty has been giving new meaning this winter to the famous Shakespeare line from Hamlet, which proclaims “the play’s the thing.”

The Princeton Day School senior is excelling again on the stage in a school production and has made time to play for the Panther girls’ hockey team.

“I am in the musical so when I have rehearsals that always has to take priority over practice,” said Haggerty. “It is really tough balancing that. Yesterday I had rehearsal and then right after that I ran up to make hockey practice.”

In order to be sharp for the PDS hockey team, Haggerty doesn’t waste a moment on or off the ice.

“When I am here, I make the most of it,” said Haggerty. “I do a lot of off ice training, working on speed and stuff, just the details that nobody really sees.”

Last Saturday morning against visiting Holton Arms (Md.), Haggerty made the most of her time on the ice, tallying a goal as PDS pulled out a 2-1 win. more

STANDING TALL: Princeton Day School boys’ hockey goalie Tim Miller guards the crease in a game earlier this season. Last Thursday, sophomore goalie Miller made 24 saves to help PDS edge Delbarton 2-1. PDS, which fell 1-0 to the Portledge School (N.Y.) last Monday to move 4-7-1, hosts Don Bosco on January 15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Trailing powerful Delbarton 1-0 heading into the third period last Thursday, the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey team was due for some breaks to go its way.

“We needed to find a way to score and get a lucky bounce,” said PDS head coach Scott Bertoli, whose team had gone 0-5-1 in its last six games coming into Thursday with each of those games having been against boarding schools

“In seven straight games we have given up a goal on a shot where Timmy [Miller] is screened or it gets redirected. One of these days we have to score a goal like that for ourselves and put bodies in front of the net.”

After squandering a power play opportunity early in the third, PDS rebounded to get a goal from freshman Oliver Hall on an assist by sophomore Michael Sullo to tie the game at 1-1 with 3:17 left in regulation. more

IN CHARGE: Stuart Country Day School basketball player Catherine Martin dribbles the ball in recent action. Junior guard/forward Martin has emerged as a leader for the Tartans, getting named as a team captain earlier this season. Last week Martin tallied 16 points to help Stuart defeat Pennington 70-24. The Tartans, who topped Hopewell Valley 63-21 last Saturday to improve to 9-6, face Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.) on January 18 in the Elite Prep Nationals Yes to Success and then play at Princeton Day School on January 21. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Catherine Martin earned a battlefield promotion earlier this season for the Stuart Country Day School basketball team.

“My coaches named me captain, I love supporting my team,” said junior guard/forward Martin.

“This year, I am a leader on the team, I want to help out my teammates as much as I can. It is nice to have the chance to step up.”

Martin stepped up last week, scoring 16 points to help Stuart cruise to a 70-24 win over Pennington, snapping a losing streak in the rivalry. more

BIG MAN: Princeton Day School boys’ hockey player Birch Gorman brings the puck up the ice in a game last season. Last Sunday, junior defenseman Gorman scored a goal to help PDS skate to a 3-3 tie with the Hoosac School (N.Y.) in the consolation game of its Harry Rulon-Miller Invitational. The Panthers, now 3-5-1, play at the Hill School (Pa.) on January 8 before hosting Delbarton on January 9. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Having gone 0-3 at the Barber Tournament in New England to end December and then falling 8-0 to the Albany Academy (N.Y.) on Saturday to open its Harry Rulon-Miller Invitational, the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey team went back to basics as it faced the Hoosac School (N.Y.) in a consolation contest.

“Today we just focused on the simple things, just getting pucks deep and getting pucks on net,” said PDS junior defenseman Birch Gorman, reflecting on the Sunday matchup.

After Hoosac jumped out to a 1-0 lead with 6:15 left in the first period, PDS got a puck in the back of the net less than four minutes later as senior David Sherman converted a feed from sophomore Michael Sullo for a power play goal. more

By Bill Alden

Brynne Hennessy has leapt up the ranks for the Princeton High girls’ basketball program this winter.

After having played for the junior varsity squad last year as a sophomore, Hennessy was not only promoted to the varsity this season, she is serving as a tri-captain for the team.

“I love playing on varsity; everyday, I look forward to going to practice,” said Hennessy.

“I love all of the girls, it is so much fun being captain with Molly [Brown] and Ashley [Tumpowski]. We are really starting to get into the groove of working as a team; that is what we really need to do.”

Last Friday evening against visiting Ewing, PHS found its groove early, jumping out to a 7-0 lead.

“Coming back from two losses, we really wanted to win today,” said Hennessy. “Being up 7-0 was awesome.” more

ABBIE ROAD: Hun School girls’ swimmer Abbie Danko shows her form in a meet last year. Senior star Danko is leading the way for Hun as it looks to build on the success it experienced last winter when it won the program’s first-ever team title at the Mercer County Championships. Hun, which defeated the George School (Pa.) 89-78 on December 10 in its first meet of the season, returns to action on January 8 with a meet at the Blair Academy. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Flying under the radar, the Hun School girls’ swimming squad pulled off a major surprise last winter as it won the program’s first-ever team title at the Mercer County Championships.

Reflecting on the 2019-20 campaign, Hun head coach Joan Nuse realizes it will be tough to match that success.

“It was awesome last year; it is going to be a challenge to live up to that,” said Nuse, noting that a talented group of six swimmers scored all the points for Hun at the county meet. “We will do the best we can.”

Starting the season by defeating George School (Pa.) 89-78 on December 10, Hun showed that it can still be formidable.  more

By Bill Alden

Although the Hun School boys’ swimming team opened the season by losing 88-76 to the George School (Pa.) last month, the program is maintaining its upward trend.

“It was a pretty close meet, they are continuing to improve,” said Hun head coach Joan Nuse reflecting on the December 10 competition.

“We have kids in the first meet of the year who were swimming times that were better than their time in the previous year. We have some freshmen who came in and made an impact right off the bat. That is great and really sets things up for the season.”

Nuse is looking for a great season from senior standout Josh Nguyen. “Josh came in the first meet and goes out and won both the 50 and the 100 free,” said Nuse.

“He bettered his time from his best time ever right off the bat and he is not a club swimmer. That is just him putting in the effort in practice. He is one of our captains and he has been doing a great job of helping out everyone. He is definitely a sprinter but he can do backstroke.” more