KEY MAN: Princeton High boys’ soccer player Josh Nieman, left, goes after the ball against Long Branch in the Central Jersey Group 4 quarterfinals last Friday. Junior midfielder Nieman scored a goal to help third-seeded PHS edge the 11th-seeded Green Wave 2-1. The Little Tigers, who improved to 14-5-1 with the win, were slated to play at second-seeded Monroe in the sectional semi on November 7 with the victor advancing to the title game on November 10. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Josh Nieman wasn’t sure how much he could contribute this fall for the Princeton High boys’ soccer team.

Recovering from a stress fracture in his pelvis, Nieman couldn’t play this past spring for his club team and didn’t see any game action for PHS until mid-October.

“I think there were some points where I thought it was going too be hard to come back,” said junior midfielder Nieman. “I have to thank my coaches, especially coach [Carlos] Salazar. I am still getting back into 100 percent shape but I am just super lucky to be on the field and playing soccer with my friends.”

PHS was lucky to have Nieman on the field last Friday against Long Brach in the Central Jersey Group 4 quarterfinals as he scored a first-half goal to give the third-seeded Little Tigers a lead they never relinquished in a 2-1 win over the 11th-seeded Green Wave.

For Nieman, his goal resulted from being in the right place at the right time.

“It was a scrappy kind of play, the ball was moving around a lot and luckily enough I made a good connection with it,” said Nieman, reflecting on the tally which helped PHS improve to 14-5-1 as the Little Tigers advanced to play at second-seeded Monroe in the sectional semi on November 7 with the victor advancing to the title game on November 10.

PHS kept making connections as freshman Nick Petruso gave the Little Tigers a 2-0 lead with 15:15 remaining in the first half.

“Dean [Patel] and Drew [Beamer] did a great job of checking in and that works early well,” said Nieman. “We have defenders playing long balls into the striker and holding it up.”

Things got a little dicey for PHS in the second half as Long Branch scored with 26:24 remaining in regulation to make it 2-1 and continued to put the pressure on PHS defense.

“We let up that goal but I think we have learned over the season in close games how to ride it out,” said Nieman.

“We have had a couple of overtime games and we have learned from our mistakes so I think we did well on the defensive side of the goal in the second half.”

After suffering a first round loss in the 2016 state tournament, the Little Tigers are determined to advance as far in possible this year.

“I think we can play pretty soccer but at the same time,  if we need to defend, we will defend well and play hard and gritty,” said Nieman.

“Especially after last year, we just want to win every title possible. Every day in practice we are striving to get better and move on to the next game. We want to win sectionals and states too.”

PHS head coach Wayne Sutcliffe liked his team’s survival mentality.

“That is kind of in the DNA around here, we just learn how to nick a goal, play well, win, and advance,” said Sutcliffe.

“That is something we have talked a lot about and have prepared for in training. We didn’t do it in the MCT semi (a 2-1 loss to Pennington on October 31) so we are trying to figure out a way to get a little bit better late in games.”

Getting off to the 2-0 lead against Long Branch helped put PHS in good position to advance.

“It was part of the objective in the team talk to get an early one, especially one with that kind of quality and then the second one as well,” said Sutcliffe.

“Nick did a great job, he beat three guys and slotted it home. That helped a lot. He has got an extra gear; he has got something special that a lot of other guys don’t have. He is an out and out striker and goal scorer despite his age.”

Seeing Nieman score was heartening for Sutcliffe. “Josh worked so hard for eight months and all season long to get his form back,” said Sutcliffe.

“He was two days on, one day off, three days on and one day off. It is great for him to score a nice goal tonight and figure out a way to help us. He was also chasing at the end; his industry was great, so credit to him.”

With 15 seniors on his roster, Sutcliffe is hoping for a great finish this fall.

“They had an undefeated season as freshmen and they are very close off the field,” said Sutcliffe.

“They are all great kids. They are all about the game and this is a challenge for them. It would be the first Group 4 title for any Princeton soccer team because we were never in Group 4. They want to leave that legacy.”

In Nieman’s view, PHS is up to that challenge. “We have to play good soccer and apply what we are doing at practice,” said Nieman.

“We have got to be that team that wants it more than anyone else. It is also being able to adapt because every team is different.”