ENJOYING THE MOMENT: Princeton High throwing star Paul Brennan grins during a meet this year. Sophomore Brennan culminated a big spring by taking seventh in the discus at the Meet of Champions last Saturday at Northern Burlington High. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Tim Brennan took up throwing events as a sixth grader at the Cranbury School and went on the enjoy a brilliant career for the Princeton High boys’ track team.

Brennan set a PHS record in the discus at 180’9 and competed at the next level, throwing for Dartmouth College over the last four years, recently getting named as a recipient of the program’s Herb Chase Track Award given to athletes who have made the greatest improvement in his or her event through hard work, self-discipline, and enthusiasm for the sport.

When his younger brother, Paul, joined the Cranbury School track team four years ago, he was advised to take up the throwing events.

“I decided to go out for the track team and my middle school coach said ‘Paul try throwing, your brother was good at it.’ that was how I got started,” recalled Brennan.

While the younger Brennan dabbled in other events at Cranbury, he realized he had a gift for throwing.

“I did everything in middle school, even up to eighth grade, I was still sprinting and jumping for the fun of it but the throws were the thing that clicked, even in the beginning,” said Brennan. “A lot of it was because of my brother, it was a family affair.”

Joining the PHS track team last year, Brennan has been upholding the family tradition in fine style.

As a freshman, he ended up qualifying for the Meet of Champions in the discus. This spring, Brennan took first in the discus at the Mercer County Championships with a heave of 172’1 and second in the shot put with a best of 49’5. He went on to take first in the discus (173’5) and fifth in the shot (50’5) at the Central Jersey Group 4 sectional meet. At the state Group 4 meet, he took third in the discus (165’1) to qualify for his second straight outdoor MOC.

Last Saturday, Brennan wrapped up his sophomore campaign by taking seventh in the MOC in the discus with a best mark of 160’1. Along with Brennan, PHS produced some other big performances at the MOC as sophomore Nils Wildberg placed sixth in the long jump in a school record leap of 22’9.5 and senior Alex Roth finished eighth in the 3,200 in 9:24.41.

In reflecting on his success this season, Brennan credits his older brother with getting him on the right track.

“Sometimes I would go to practice with him; he has been my most influential coach,” said Brennan. “Starting last year, he really started helping me with my technique and I credit him for having an effect on me.”

Coming into his PHS career in the fall of 2015, Brennan knew he had to work hard to make the transition to the higher level of competition and the heavier weight of the throwing implements.

“I lifted every day, I really stuck to getting stronger,” said Brennan. “Things felt lighter once I got to the spring season; I adjusted to the heavier weight better. I threw the heavier disc father than I did in middle school.”

For Brennan, a major highlight that spring came when he threw 163’3 to place fifth in the state Group 4 meet and qualify for the MOC.

“I only realized I could really do it during the last few weeks leading up to counties in my freshman year,” said Brennan.

“That is when I really started to throw far. I was thinking I could go out of section and go to groups and maybe even go out of groups. I didn’t expect anything that I did my freshman year, it was magical.”

That magical run gave Brennan a boost of confidence coming into his sophomore year.

“I definitely set higher goals coming into the next year,” said Brennan. “I just knew I could do it.”

“I was a little ambitious coming into the season, I had a really big goal which was breaking the school record in the discus.”

After being hampered by a lower body injury for a few weeks early this spring, Brennan found his form in the county meet.

“I really tapered towards counties and sectionals, once I hit the 169 throw in the first round and the 172 in the final, I was ecstatic,” said Brennan. “I didn’t think I would hit it that early in the championship, I was real happy.”

Brennan was happy to get through sectionals and the group meet to make a return trip to the MOC last Saturday at Northern Burlington High.

“It was a great atmosphere, there were a lot of people around,” said Brennan.

“I just wanted to make the finals and have the confidence to rank with all the best throwers in the state. I knew I was the youngest kid there, I was really the person chasing everyone. I wanted to set my presence in the state for throwing. By being all state and getting a medal, I definitely did that.”

Building on his success over the last few weeks, Brennan will be focusing on weight lifting and technique drills this summer with an eye to throwing at the next level.

“I am hoping to compete in college as long as I keep getting the marks that I want to achieve,” said Brennan, who is looking to add more titles to his resume.

“I will try to get as big, strong, and fast as possible in order to be the best athlete possible. I will also be working on the hammer throw, which my brother competed at. It is also an event in high school nationals and an event I can work on for college.”

With his older brother in his corner, Brennan has extra inspiration to keep getting better and better.

“Since it is his last year in college, he expressed how he wants to see me be successful,” said Brennan. “It is little less of a competition than before, he is definitely helping me.”