OPENING STATEMENT: Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse Landon Lewis handles the ball in a game last year. Junior attacker Lewis tallied three goals and one assist to help Hun edge Hightstown 12-11 last Thursday in its season opener and first game under new head coach Dave Donahue. PDS plays at WW/P-North on April 8 and then hosts Princeton High on April 11. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
By Bill Alden
As Dave Donahue has taken the helm of the Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse team this spring, he has adopted a hands-on approach.
“I love spending time with these guys,” said PDS head coach Donahue, who served an assistant coach for the program last year as it went 7-10 and is succeeding Sam Kosoff. “Sometimes I hop into the drills a little bit. I am 71 years old. They are so fun to be around. The enthusiasm is there, the energy is there.”
Donahue, a Princeton native, has been around the game for years, having played for the Lawrenceville School and Hamilton College and having coaching stints at the Lawrenceville School, the Pennington School, and Episcopal High (Va.).
“It is in my blood lines, my uncle was a Princeton grad,” said Donahue. “He was the head football coach and head baseball coach and chairman of the history department at Lawrenceville back in the ’50s and ’60s. He was a Marine officer in the Korean War. I wanted to follow in his footsteps.”
In addition to following his uncle into coaching, Donahue had a distinguished military career, serving in the Marine Corps for 20 years and retiring as a lieutenant colonel. He later joined the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and worked there for 14 years.
Donahue’s military background informs his coaching approach.
“I am convinced to be a good coach, you have to be organized,” said Donahue, whose team started its 2026 season by edging Hightstown 12-11 last Thursday. “I am constantly creating spread sheets. We also do a lot of conditioning. There is very little wasted time. We go from one drill to another; it is three or four minutes on this and five or six minutes on that.”
As PDS went through the preseason, drilling on the basics was a key point of emphasis.
“We are young,” said Donahue, noting that eight of his 24 players are freshmen. “Our enthusiasm and energy have been very good during our early season practices. We are focused on mastering the fundamentals of clearing, riding, and the transition game.”
A pair of juniors, Landon Lewis (26 goals and 10 assists in 2025) and Krystian Rzeczycki (4 goals, 6 assists), along with sophomore Connor Paulmenn, are showing some game at attack.
“Landon is the leading returning scorer,” said Donahue, who got three goals and one assist from Lewis in the win over Hightstown with Rzeczycki and Paulmenn each chipping in two goals and two assists. “Krystian is going to be a playmaker for us. I am looking at him as a dual threat, an assist guy and a goal scorer. Connor is a small guy, but he is a lefty. He is a nice guy to have on attack.”
At midfield, senior Nick Stivala, freshman Ryder Ewanchyna, and junior James Winkler will be leading the way.
“The guy who we are really going to rely on is Nick,” said Donahue, noting that the team will miss the play of senior midfielder Connor Lemole, who has been sidelined by a leg injury. “Nick was a starting defensive-middie last year and now he is on offense. He is steady, he is savvy, he is calm. He is going to be a huge part of our team. Ryder is just unflappable. No matter what you throw at him, no matter what you ask him to do, he can do it. James tore his ACL last year so he couldn’t play, we are going to count on him this year.”
Converted goalie, senior Chuck West, should anchor the PDS defensive unit.
“Chuck is so positive and is trying so hard,” said Donahue. “He was our third string goalie last year. At the team dinner last May, I told him I want you to pick up a defenseman’s stick and start catching and throwing with it and he said coach I will. He is starting for us, he has such a great attitude.”
Juniors Drew Picker and Tyler Nevrotski, who both starred for the PDS boys’ hockey team, have picked up lacrosse and will also be starting on defense.
“Drew and Tyler who are new to the game but excel in other sports will be the backbone of our defense,” said Donahue. “They are used to playing under pressure. They have great hand-eye coordination. They just get it.”
At goalie, freshman Ian Perez has made an early impact and recorded 15 saves in the opener. “Ian has looked really good, he shows up every day and works hard,” said Donahue, noting that junior Marshall Matyszczak should also see action between the pipes.
Looking ahead, Donahue believes his squad’s upbeat mentality will make a difference as the spring unfolds.
“Our defense should be strong and will keep us competitive,” said Donahue, whose team plays at WW/P-North in April 8 and then hosts Princeton High on April 11. “Our team spirit will be key to sustaining our effort. The boys are determined to be resilient and to improve their skills. We will get stronger as the season progresses. We want to win games, but my goal at the end of the season is that we still have a good vibe with each other.”