DUAL THREAT: Aspen Swanson scoops up the ball in action last spring for the Hun School girls’ lacrosse team. This fall, junior Swanson has been stepping up for the Hun field hockey team. Last Wednesday, Swanson scored the lone goal for the Raiders as they fell 2-1 to Pennington in overtime. Hun, which lost 3-2 to Penn Charter (Pa.) last Friday to move to 2-3, plays at the Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) on September 28 before hosting Stuart County Day School on October 1. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Her left thigh was heavily taped, but Aspen Swanson kept racing up the field as the Hun School field hockey team battled Pennington last Wednesday.

With Hun trailing the Red Hawks 1-0 in the fourth quarter, Swanson was moved from her usual defender spot into the Raider attack and ended up scoring a goal with 1:42 left in regulation. more

HEADY PLAY: Princeton Day School boys’ soccer player Todd Devin heads the ball in a game earlier this season. Senior midfielder Devin scored the lone goal for PDS as it fell 5-1 to Lawrence High last Thursday. The Panthers, who lost 3-1 to Steinert last Saturday to move to 3-3, play at Hamilton West on September 26 before hosting Hopewell Valley on October 1. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton Day School boys’ soccer team bringing a 3-1 record into its game against Lawrence High last Thursday, Todd Devin and his Panther teammates were looking to build on the progress they have made since enduring a rough 3-16-1 season last fall.

“We have improved a lot from last year, we didn’t score a goal until well past halfway of the season,” said senior midfielder Devin. “Last year, we didn’t have an identity. This year we are creating our identity and we are learning. In the past two years, we didn’t have a lot of the ball so we know how to play without the ball. With coach [Gary] Roberts coming in, we are getting an identity with the ball. We are working on getting the ball off of our feet quicker with more patterns of play and ways to create chances on goal.” more

By Bill Alden

Having scaled down its match schedule this fall, the Princeton Day School girls’ tennis team is hoping that extra training time will lead to some high level play as the season unfolds.

“This is our second year in the conference (the Colonial Valley Conference), we have reduced the number of matches from what we played last year,” said PDS head coach Michael Augsberger. “That will give us a little more time to work on things we need to improve on in practice. I think that we are in a good position to compete for the sectional, just like in the last couple of years.”

The Panthers showed some improvement as they nearly toppled perennial CVC powerhouse WW/P-South on September 12, falling 3-2 to the Pirates. more

MAY DAY: Stuart Country Day School field hockey Maya Dev dribbles the ball in recent action. Senior co-captain Dev has helped lead the Stuart back line as the Tartans have gotten off to a promising 4-3 start. Stuart will be playing at the Hun School on October 1. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Maya Dev is paying forward some support she received as an underclassman in taking a leading role on the back line for the Stuart Country Day School field hockey team this fall in her senior campaign.

“The seniors that I had when I was a freshman and a sophomore were good at communicating,” said co-captain Dev. “That is something I want to be for the team. When I was a freshman, I was playing on defense and I wasn’t really sure where to go. Having someone there to help guide you is really important. It helps you behold your confidence because you know that there is someone there to help you.” more

SKILL SET: Princeton High girls’ volleyball player Lois Matsukawa sets up a hit in a 2023 game. Last Wednesday, senior star Matsukawa contributed 34 assists, 14 digs, and six service points as PHS defeated Southern 3-1 (25-18, 25-14, 26-28, 25-17) in a clash of defending state champions. The Tigers, who improved to 6-0 with a 2-0 (25-13, 25-17) win over Notre Dame last Monday, host WW/P-South on September 18, Westfield on September 20, and Hopewell Valley on September 23. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Lois Matsukawa and her teammates on the Princeton High girls’ volleyball team were primed for the challenge as they hosted Southern High last Thursday evening in a rare clash of defending state champions.

Coming off a New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 3 state title run in 2023 with a core of five stars returning, the Tigers have brought plenty of self-belief into this fall. more

GOAL-ORIENTED: Princeton High field hockey player Mia Ramirez dribbles the ball last Friday as PHS hosted Notre Dame in its season opener. Senior star Ramirez scored all three goals for PHS as it fell 5-3 to the Irish. The Tigers, who lost 8-1 to Agnes Irwin (Pa.) last Monday as Ramirez scored the lone goal for the Tigers, play at Princeton Day School on September 18, at Robbinsville on September 21, and at Hightstown on September 23. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Mia Ramirez started her senior season for the Princeton High field hockey team with a bang last Friday.

With PHS hosting Notre Dame in its season opener, star forward/midfielder and co-captain Ramirez blasted in a goal three minutes into the contest. more

IN HINDSIGHT: Princeton High football player Ellington Hinds surveys the scene in a game earlier this season. Last Friday, junior star Hinds made five catches for 112 yards and one TD and a 17-yard run on a sweep as PHS topped Ewing 20-13 to notch its first win of the season. The Tigers, now 1-2, play at Hamilton West on September 21. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton High football team having started 0-2, Charlie Gallagher decided that it was time for some trickery as the Tigers played at Ewing last Friday night in their West Jersey Football League (WJFL) Valley Division opener.

“We started with a little bit of dazzle dazzle, and it paid off,” said PHS head coach Gallagher.  more

MAC ATTACK: Princeton Day School girls’ soccer player Mackenzie Brodel (No. 7) controls the ball last Thursday against Robbinsville. Junior forward Brodel scored a goal in the game but it was not enough as PDS fell 2-1 to the Ravens. The Panthers, who moved to 0-2-1 with the setback, play at Lawrence High on September 19 before hosting Steinert High on September 21 and Princeton High on September 24. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Things looked bleak for the Princeton Day School girls’ soccer team as it trailed Robbinsville 2-0 late in the second half last Thursday but Mackenzie Brodel was not throwing in the towel.

With just over five minutes left in regulation, PDS junior forward Brodel got free on a breakaway and slotted the ball into the back of the net. more

FLYING HIGH: Princeton High girls’ volleyball player Naomi Lygas leaps to blast the ball in action last fall. Junior star Lygas has has piled up 30 kills this year as PHS has gotten off to a 3-0 start in regular season play. In upcoming action, the Tigers, who won the Williamstown High in-season tournament last Saturday, host Southern on September 11, Princeton Day School on September 12, and Notre Dame on September 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Despite posting a 30-1 record last fall on the way to winning the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 3 state title and returning a core of five stars from that squad, the Princeton High girls’ volleyball team isn’t resting on its laurels.

“The girls are definitely going to feel good, they know what they have got and what they are returning,” said PHS head coach Patty Manhart. “The focus is just not being complacent. Just because things look good for us on paper doesn’t mean that we don’t have to keep working for our season and into the postseason. I feel like that is the mood.” more

QUARTERBACK SCRAMBLE: Princeton High quarterback Travis Petrone eludes a tackler in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, senior star Petrone had a 4-yard touchdown run and a 28-yard interception return for a TD in a losing cause as PHS fell 42-14 to Allentown High. The Tigers, now 0-2, play at Ewing on September 13. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Even though the Princeton High football team trailed Allentown 42-7 in the waning moments of the fourth quarter last Saturday afternoon, Travis Petrone wasn’t about to give up.

PHS senior quarterback Petrone took matters into his hands, sprinting into the end zone on a four-yard jaunt to cap a 77-yard drive. more

ON A ROLL: Princeton High boys’ soccer goalie Nicolas Holmelund gets ready to roll the ball up the field last Thursday against Hightstown. Senior star and co-captain Holmelund made two saves in the contest as PHS edged the Rams 1-0 to open the season. The Tigers, who tied Cherokee 0-0 last Monday as Holmelund made three saves, will play at Allentown on September 12 before hosting Trenton on September 17. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As the Princeton High field hockey team has gone through preseason, Heather Serverson has been doing a lot of mixing and matching.

“We have been trying to get used to all of the new faces and combining them with the older seasoned players,” said PHS head coach Serverson, who guided the Tigers to 17-3 record last year as they advanced to both the Mercer County Tournament and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey Group 4 sectional final. more

GETTING UP TO SPEED: Princeton Day School field hockey player Charlotte Mullen races upfield in action last fall. Senior midfielder Mullen figures to be a key performer for the Panthers this season. PDS, which lost 3-1 to Peddie in its season opener last Friday, plays at Hightstown on September 11 before hosting Lawrence High on September 13 and WW/P-South on September 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As Heather Farlow prepared her Princeton Day School field hockey team for the 2024 season, she looked to channel the coaching philosophy that helped the U.S. women’s soccer team earn a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

“I am stealing from Emma Hayes and what she did with the U.S. women’s soccer team, making sure that the players really have joy in what they do,” said PDS head coach Farlow, who guided PDS to a 15-4-1 record last fall. more

MULTI-TASKING: Princeton High running back Carmine Carusone turns the corner last Friday night against Lawrence High. Junior standout Carusone rushed for 44 yards and one touchdown, made three catches for 49 yards and a TD, kicked three extra points, and made a team-high 13 tackles but it wasn’t enough as PHS fell 29-21 to the Cardinals in the season opener for both teams. The Tigers host Allentown on September 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Carmine Carusone was not going to be denied.

With the Princeton High football team trailing Lawrence 9-0 in the second quarter last Friday night in the season opener for both teams, Tiger junior running back Carusone caught a pass near the Cardinal 20-yard line and raced down the sideline, breaking several tackles before he dove in for a touchdown.

“I caught the ball and I turned around, I saw a couple of blocks and then I saw a couple of red shirts and then I saw the end zone and I am like, ‘all right, I have got to get there,’” said Carusone. “I saw the finish line and I reached out. I hit one juke move and a couple of guys came on my legs and I just kept driving my legs and tried to get to the end zone.” more

IN CONTROL: Princeton High boys’ soccer player Archie Smith controls the ball in action last year. Senior midfielder and team co-captain Smith will be counted on for his production and leadership this fall. PHS, the defending New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 4 state champion, is kicking off its 2024 campaign by hosting Hightstown on September 5. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Coming off a historic 2023 campaign that saw it go 22-2 on the way to winning the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 4 state title, the Princeton High boys’ soccer team knows that it has a big target on its back this fall.

Despite losing nine seniors to graduation from last year’s squad and with two other stars not coming back this year to play academy instead, PHS head coach Ryan Walsh believes his players won’t be fazed by wearing that bull’s eye. more

FANCY FOOTWORK: Princeton High girls’ soccer player Marina Zaldarriaga, right, controls the ball in a game last year. Senior midfielder and co-captain Zaldarriaga is looking to come up big in her final season with PHS. The Tigers, who have a new head coach in Meghan Brennan, open their 2024 campaign by playing at Marlboro on September 9. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Meghan Brennan is coming full circle as she takes the helm of the Princeton High girls’ soccer team this fall.

Brennan, a 2013 PHS alumna, starred for the Tiger program during her high years before going on to play at Hamilton College. more

ON THE BALL: Princeton Day School boys’ soccer player Todd Devin, right, goes after the ball in a 2023 game. Senior midfielder Devin figures to play a key role for PDS this fall. The Panthers, who will be guided by a new head coach, Gary Roberts, were slated to get their 2024 season underway by hosting Hightstown on September 3 before playing at New Egypt on September 10. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Gary Roberts has built an extensive coaching resume in local soccer circles.

Roberts has helped run the Patriot FC club in Bucks County, Pa., for years, coaching more than 15 teams and 400 players and winning several Pennsylvania USYS State Cups along the way.

On the high school scene, Roberts served as an assistant coach for the Hun School girls’ soccer program, playing a key role tactically as the Raiders won the Prep A title in 2021. He went on to take the helm of the George School (Pa.) girls’ soccer team and helped the program go from a winless record to .500 campaigns. more

A-PLUS: Princeton Day School girls’ soccer player Ava Katz kicks the ball in action last season. Sophomore forward Katz, who tallied five goals and 17 assists last fall in her debut campaign for PDS, figures to be a key offensive weapon this fall for the Panthers. PDS gets its 2024 season going by playing at Peddie School on September 5 and then hosting the Hun School on September 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As the players on the Princeton Day School girls’ soccer team have gone through their preseason preparation, the squad’s veterans are looking to reproduce last year’s heroics.

With PDS having ended its 2023 campaign with a stirring run to the program’s first-ever New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public A title, the Panther returners got a boost of confidence from that achievement. more

KICKING OFF: Hun School boys’ soccer goalie Diego Pena clears the ball in a 2022 game. Senior Pena is primed to produce a big final campaign in his third season as starter for the Raiders. Hun kicks off its 2024 season by playing at Hopewell Valley on September 7 and hosting Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (Pa.) on September 10. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Pat Quirk likes the vibe he is seeing around his Hun School boys’ soccer team as it has gone through its preseason training.

“Guys are excited, it is a really great group of kids that are super connected,” said Hun head coach Quirk who guided the Raiders to a 9-9-1 record last fall on the way to the Prep A state semifinals. “They are very supportive of each other. It is a good returning group who because of injuries last year, most of them saw a significant amount of time.”

Hun boasts some exciting players at forward in senior Toba Olaleye (3 goals, 3 assists in 2023), senior Luke Donahue (5 goals), senior Luciano Verduci (3 goals, 2 assists), and senior Hayden Gronczewski. more

AIRING IT OUT: Princeton High football quarterback Travis Petrone fires a pass in a game last season. Senior star Petrone, who threw for 564 years and six touchdowns in 2023, is primed to trigger the Tiger offense this fall. PHS opens its 2024 campaign by playing at Lawrence High on August 30. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton High football team having gone 5-4 last year to post its first winning season since an 8-2 campaign in 2014, the bar has been set higher this year.

PHS will be facing much stiffer competition this fall as it will be resuming matchups against such local foes as Allentown, Trenton Central, Hamilton West, Ewing, Nottingham, and Robbinsville. more

GIFT OF GAB: Gabrielle Zammit makes a call from her coxswain spot as the Princeton National Rowing Association (PNRA)/Mercer Junior Rowing men’s varsity eight competed at the Royal Henley Regatta in England earlier this summer. Recent Princeton High grad Zammit helped the Mercer boat advance to the quarterfinals of the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Henley. Zammit will be continuing her crew career this fall as she joins the Stanford University men’s rowing program. (Photo provided by Gabrielle Zammit)

By Bill Alden

Heading into middle school, Gabrielle Zammit’s athletic focus centered on the ice rink.

“My whole family is like a huge ice hockey family,” said Zammit, whose older siblings Alexa and Victoria starred for the PHS girls’ hockey team while John was a mainstay for the Tiger boys’ program. “I started skating as soon around I could walk and then I played through middle school.” more

MORE TO COME: Nick Matese, left, marks a Notre Dame High player last fall in his senior season for the Princeton High boys’ soccer team. Star center back and co-captain Matese helped PHS go 22-2 last fall on the way to winning the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 4 state championship. Matese is currently in preseason training as he starts his college career with the Swarthmore College men’s soccer team. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Nick Matese started playing soccer when he was three years old and saw no reason to leave the game after wrapping up his Princeton High career last fall.

“Soccer has been a big part of my life,” said Matese, who starred at center back last fall as the PHS boys’ soccer team won the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 4 state championship. “There were some really good coaches that inspired me and helped me grow as a player as I was getting into high school. I didn’t really want to give it up just yet.” more

SOCKING IT TO THEM: Natan Wysocki competes in a meet earlier this summer for the Community Park Bluefish swim team. Wysocki helped the Bluefish place first in the team standings at the Princeton-Area Swimming and Diving Association (PASDA) championship meet last month. Wysocki finished first in the 50-yard freestyle and second in the 50 backstroke at the meet. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Kelsey Schwimmer saw a greater intensity around the Community Park Bluefish swim team this summer than in the past.

“One of the things that stood out to me was how much participation and involvement we had,” said Bluefish co-head coach Schwimmer. “It is always pretty high, but we were seeing huge turnouts at our morning practices. Usually that first hour is a little less well attended because it is earlier, but it was full every single day. I think that really just goes to show how hard our coaching staff was working and how much the kids were enjoying it and excited to come out and swim and be with their friends.” more