GOOD DAY: Princeton High boys’ soccer star Zach Halliday kicks the ball in a preseason training session. Senior midfielder ­Halliday brings skill and experience to a PHS team that aspires to once again be a power as it comes off a 2011 campaign that saw it win the Mercer County Tournament and the Central Jersey Group III title. The Little Tigers kick off their 2012 season by playing at Hopewell Valley on September 6.
(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

After losing seven seniors to graduation from a squad that went 20-1-2 last fall on the way to winning the Mercer County Tournament and the Central Jersey Group III title, the Princeton High boys’ soccer team could see 2012 as a transition year.

But, as in past seasons, PHS head coach Wayne Sutcliffe expects his program to keep rolling.

“We have been very fortunate,” said longtime coach Sutcliffe, who has guided the Little Tigers to a record of 53-3-7 over the last three seasons, including an undefeated state championship campaign in 2009.

“We lost some very special players from last year’s team but we bring back 12 seniors.”

PHS boasts a special senior one-two punch in four-year varsity performers Zach Halliday and Aidan Passannante.

“Zach and Aidan have been playing together since grade school,” said Sutcliffe, whose team plays at Hopewell Valley on September 6 to open regular season play.

“They are combining really well; they could be up front or in the midfield. They have been around a lot of older guys. They have seen the hard times in training and they have been in big games. They get it; they understand what needs to be done. It is now their time to see if they can do something special.”

Sutcliffe sees some hard work paying off for senior striker Colin Lamb.

“Colin had a good summer; he did a lot of training and went to college camps,” said Sutcliffe.

“He had a big spring in the weight room. We couldn’t be happier with him. He has the knack of scoring big goals in big games. He scored an overtime goal in a win against Hightstown last year and scored the game winner in our two victories over Notre Dame.”

In addition to the trio of Halliday, Passannante, and Lamb, PHS features several other good attacking players in junior Kevin Halliday, senior Peter Schulman, junior John Blair, sophomore Chase Ealy, and senior Jeremy Goldsmith.

Sutcliffe acknowledges that the team’s attack is a work in progress. “What we need is six or eight guys on the same page around the ball,” said Sutcliffe.

“We are finding our way. It is a slow process. We are not where we are going to be or where we need to be.”

PHS is going to need seniors Scott Bechler and Pablo Arroyo to step up as they lead a defense that lost such stars as Ben Davis, Bruce Robertson, and Kellen Kenny to graduation.

“Scott and Pablo are in their third season as full-time players for us,” said Sutcliffe, whose defense will also include seniors Juan Polanco and Adam Klein.

“They have experience and that is important. They are filling some big gaps. They have a big challenge, probably bigger than the others. We have been built from the back over the years.”

Sutcliffe faces a big challenge at goalkeeper where the Little Tigers are looking at junior Robert Quinn and sophomore Laurenz Reimitz to follow in the footsteps of graduated star George Kusserow.

“Both are showing well; they are full-time soccer guys and it is showing,” said Sutcliffe.

“The other guys are rallying behind them; it is like when Stephen Hellstern [former PHS star goalie] was a sophomore. It is our job to get them to the match fit and confident. We hope to have one guy showing better and go with him.”

While the goal for PHS is postseason success on the county and state level, Sutcliffe focuses on keeping his players in the present.

“We never really talk about that; it is getting into training and working hard everyday,” said Sutcliffe.

“With the return of a lot of players and a large senior class, we are expecting a lot from them.”

And based on the program’s recent history of success, that group should give  PHS a lot.