IN FORM: Princeton High boys’ lacrosse player Gavin Pomraning heads to goal in recent action. Last Thursday, sophomore attacker Pomraning scored three goals in a losing cause as eighth-seeded PHS fell 13-4 to ninth-seeded Red Bank Regional in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey Group 3 tournament. The defeat left the Tigers with a final record of 10-9. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Gavin Pomraning was primed to step up when the Princeton High boys’ lacrosse team opened play in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey Group 3 tournament last Thursday.

With PHS senior star Brendan Beatty sidelined by injury as the eighth-seeded Tigers faced ninth-seeded Red Bank Regional, sophomore attacker Pomraning was looking to help fill that void.

“The offense definitely changes without Brendan, that is like 70 points gone right there,” said Pomraning. “Me and Michael [Frenia] and Braden [Barlag] tried to make up for that.”

After the PHS fell behind 3-0 in the first quarter, Pomraning got the Tigers on the board with a goal early in the second quarter. Less than a minute later, junior midfielder Declan Hughes found the back of the net to narrow the gap to 3-2.”

“After Declan scored, I thought we were back in the game,” said Pomraning.

But the game got away from PHS as it was outscored 5-1 in the third quarter on the way to a 13-4 defeat.

“There just some sloppy turnovers that cost us,” said Pomraning reflecting on the loss that left the Tigers with a final record of 10-9. “I feel like we just hung our heads too much.”

Pomraning kept his head up, adding two more goals in the second half to end up with a hat trick in the game which was played at Princeton Day School with the PHS turf field being resurfaced.

“I feel like I had some shots that I wanted back but overall three goals is pretty solid,” said Pomraning. “I definitely cost my team some opportunities.”

After riding the bench as a freshman, Pomraning produced a solid sophomore campaign, tallying 21 goals and 18 assists this spring.

“Last year, I didn’t play much,” said Pomraning. “I was on the second line for the midfield so I got a big opportunity to play attack this year. I feel like it was amazing, I had a fun time.”

Pomraning made a lot of progress in his playmaking as he took advantage of his opportunity on attack.

“I grew a lot as a player, definitely with my assists and finding the open guy,” said Pomraning. “Coach [Chip] Casto was always pushing me, he definitely helps me in practice a lot and in games and just watching film. Being around Brendan and Braden definitely helped that.”

While the loss to Red Bank Regional stung, Pomraning saw a lot of positives coming out of the spring for the Tigers.

“I feel like it was a great season,” said Pomraning. “The Hun game (a 10-9 overtime win on May 6) was great, that showed what type of program that we have and the guys we have got. I feel like we had a great season with great senior leadership and amazing coaching.”

PHS head coach Casto felt like his squad primed for a big performance against Red Bank Regional.

“We had two good days of practice, we started to play our zone a little better,” said Casto. “Their 26 (Gabe Pape) was obviously a handful, it is hard to simulate that when we saw him live. We did a decent job on him but any open shot he got, he stuck.”

Casto believed the Tigers were in decent shape when they drew to within 3-2 early in the second quarter.

“I thought of we could get contributions from people who don’t have big games usually,” said Casto. “We were hoping that Declan would take advantage of the shortstick.”

PHS did get a big game from Pomraning. “He is holding the ball better, controlling it a little better and shooting a little better,” said Casto. “He is young; he, Michael [Frenia], Ben [Kahn] and Sam [Gibb] are a pretty good future – three sophomores and a freshman.”

Junior midfielder Carmine Carusone helped the Tigers get the ball with his work in the face-off X.

“Carmine finished the year in a big way,” said Casto. “He was really strong for us. Usually when he is winning at the X, we are winning games.”

PHS did face an uphill battle without Beatty, a University of Vermont commit who piled up 47 goals and 33 assists before he got hurt.

“As soon as that one domino falls, you have to switch positions and switch man-ups,” said Casto. “It is really hard to keep that level of play. Brendan is such a huge part of the team emotionally and he is smart.”

Reflecting on the season, Casto acknowledged that the Tigers had a hard time playing at a consistently high level.

“As roller-coaster as a high school season can go, it was up and down, up and down,” said Casto. “There were some great highs. At one point we were thinking about making a run and then injury hit us and a lull hit us.”

The team’s senior group, led by Beatty and Barlag, helped hold things together through the ups and downs.

“They were fantastic they have been around since Will Doran when he as a senior and they were freshman,” said Casto, whose corps of seniors also included Matt Thomson, Wyatt Arshan, Jack Crotty, Henry Crotty, Connor Hewitt, and Corbin Kasziba. “They were outstanding leaders. The locker room was great. It was the best weight room we had in the offseason. Practices went well under their command. It was a great senior class that hopefully these young guys have learned how to follow them and how to run a team.”

Looking ahead, Casto believes those young guys have a bright future.

“We have a great foundation talent-wise but they have to learn the culture a little better and keep themselves accountable a little bit better,” said Casto.

Pomraning vows that he and the team’s other returning players will be putting in the work over the offseason to get the most out of their talent.

“We will all be in the weight room and shooting all of the time,” said Pomraning, who plays for plays outside of school for N.J. Lacrosse Club and the Barnstormers. “We have 300 more days until the season starts. I have a packed summer and fall.”