NICK OF TIME: Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse player Nick Stivala, left, celebrates with Krystian Rzeczycki after a goal in a game this spring. Midfielder Stivala produced a superb senior season, tallying 19 goals and seven assists to help the Panthers post a final record of 8-6. (Photo by Frank Jacobs III)
By Bill Alden
Focusing on fundamentals helped the Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse team produce a late surge this spring.
“In the last five games of the season, we put in some basic plays and the kids really responded well to it,” said PDS head coach Dave Donahue, whose squad went 3-1 in its last four games to end the season with an 8-6 record. “It created a lot of close opportunities and short shots like from five yards in that required teamwork.”
Junior midfielder Landon Lewis cashed in many of those opportunities, totaling 14 goals and 16 assists in the last four games to end the season with 29 goals and 28 assists.
“We started using a 1-4-1 and it worked really well against a couple of zone defenses people threw at us,” said Donahue. “Landon did a great job. He led the team in scoring, he led the team in assists. We had him working from X.”
The Panthers kept putting in a great effort collectively as they went down the homestretch of the season.
“They just continued to work hard until the end of the season,” said Donahue. “We did a lot of stuff like conditioning right to the end but we did it with drills and relay races and things like that to make it fun.”
A pair of seniors, midfielder Nick Stivala and goalie-turned-defender Chuck West, gave the Panthers some good work this spring.
Stivala tallied 19 goals and seven assists while West scooped up 22 ground balls.
“Nick was a shortstick middie and then we made him into an offensive middie this year,” said Donahue, noting that Stivala received honorable mention All-Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) recognition and earned the program’s team award. “It was a pretty big achievement to get 19 goals and seven assists. His big contributions were intangibles. He was like having another coach on the field with how mature he was. Chuck started every game on defense and did a terrific job.”
Looking ahead, the Panthers are returning plenty of offensive firepower in rising senior Krystian Rzeczycki (34 goals, 13 assists in 2026), rising sophomore Ryder Ewanchyna (12 goals, 14 assists), rising junior Connor Paulmenn (12 goals, 12 assists), and rising senior James Winkler (14 goals, 12 assists) along with rising senior Lewis.
“The bottom line is we have five of our top six scorers coming back,” said Donahue. “Landon and Krystian both did very well, they had good seasons. Ryder was our rookie of the year. He is a stud and is a great kid.”
Rising senior goalie Marshall Matyszczak proved to be a stud this spring as he made 131 saves.
“Marshall is a terrific goalie, he is one of the best goalies in the CVC,” said Donahue, who also returns rising sophomore Ian Perez (61 saves) in goal. “He is tough. I said to his face repeatedly, I respect your courage. His body was covered with welts and bruises.”
As PDS looks to build on its big finish, Donahue believes the players need to keep working through the offseason.
“I spoke to the kids about getting in the weight room and working out all summer to get ready,” said Donahue, who also wants to see the program beef up its schedule with more high-powered foes. “I am going to email them about conditioning. I have a whole set of exercises for them.”