OPENING STATEMENT: Princeton High girls’ lacrosse player Leah Bornstein sprints upfield in a 2024 game. Last Wednesday, junior midfielder Bornstein tallied two goals and three assists to help PHS edge Hopewell Valley 11-9 in its season opener. The Tigers, who fell 12-9 at Montgomery last Saturday, host WW/P-South on April 9 before playing at Princeton Day School on April 11, at the Hun School on April 12, and at Shore on April 15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Leah Bornstein starred at guard this winter for the Princeton High girls’ basketball team, scoring 184 points with 110 rebounds, 73 assists, and 81 steals to help the Tigers go 19-10.

But while Bornstein was busy on the hardcourt, she made time to keep her lacrosse skills sharp. more

SWINGING AWAY: Princeton Day School baseball player Santino Cignarella follows through on a swing in a 2024 game. Senior infielder Cignarella went 1 for 3 with a walk last Thursday as PDS lost 3-1 to Princeton High. The Panthers, who moved to 0-5 with the defeat, host Hamilton West on April 10 before playing at Manville on April 12 and at Steinert on April 14. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Having lost its first four games this spring, it looked like the Princeton Day School baseball team was poised for a breakthrough as it hosted Princeton High last Thursday.

Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning with two players on base, PDS freshman third baseman Vince Filis ripped a line drive down the left field line that sent the runners racing home. more

BECK AND CALL: Hun School boys’ lacrosse player Jake Beck heads upfield in a game last season. Junior midfielder Beck figures to be an offensive catalyst for the Raiders this spring. Hun, which lost 16-6 to Chatham last Saturday to move to 0-4 under new head coach Joe Donnelly, hosts the Hill School (Pa.) on April 9, plays at Shawnee High on April 12, and then hosts the Westtown School (Pa.) on April 15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As the third head coach in the last three years for the Hun School boys’ lacrosse team, Joe Donnelly is determined to establish some stability for the program.

“For us, it is about building a culture that is going to last,” said Donnelly. “It has been a lot of initial buy-in for a lot of these kids early on. For us, it is making a point that my goal is to be here for a very, very long time and trying to build something that lasts. It is not necessarily about the wins and the losses, it is about how much we can improve as a team and as a unit and help these kids for after high school.” more

BORN READY: Princeton High girls’ lacrosse player Leah Bornstein looks to unload the ball in a game last year. Junior midfielder Bornstein, who tallied 56 goals and 22 assists last year, figures to be an offensive catalyst again for the Tigers this spring. PHS opens its 2025 season by hosting Hopewell Valley on April 2. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

After enduring a disappointing 7-12 campaign in 2023, the Princeton High girls’ lacrosse team produced a reversal of fortune last spring, going 12-9 and advancing to the quarterfinals of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey Group 3 sectional.

As PHS looks ahead to the upcoming season, Tiger head coach Katie Federico believes that run will serve as motivation for this year’s squad. more

BRING IT ON: Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse player Colton Simonds heads upfield in a game last spring. Senior Simonds brings grit and production to the midfield for the Panthers. PDS, which will be led by new head coach Sam Kosoff this spring, was slated to open its 2025 campaign by hosting the Blair Academy on April 1, Notre Dame on April 3, and Hopewell Valley on April 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Sam Kosoff fell in love with lacrosse as a youngster.

“I grew up in upstate New York outside of Syracuse and I started playing at a very young age before it was popular to start playing at a young age,” said Kosoff. “I used to go to Syracuse games as a little guy. I just grew up around the sport.” more

OPENING SALVO: Hun School baseball player Nico Amecangelo follows through on a swing in a game last year. Senior second baseman Amecangelo has gotten off to a hot start this spring, going 5 for 7 with five runs and two RBIs as Hun opened the 2025 season by topping Georgetown Prep (Md.) 8-4 last Thursday and then defeating Lawrenceville 11-4 on Saturday. The Raiders will look to keep on the winning track as they host Gloucester Catholic on April 3, play at Peddie on April 5 and then host the Hill School (Pa.) on April 8. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

By Bill Alden

Sparked by a group of blue chip seniors, the Hun School baseball team produced a historic campaign last spring, achieving a title triple of winning the Mercer County Tournament, the Prep A tourney, and the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) championship.

While losing such stars as Charlie Batista, Sam Wright, Michael Olender, Ryan Greenstein, and E.J. Balewitz to graduation could result in a rebuilding season, Hun head coach Tom Monfiletto believes that this year’s group has the chance to make some history of its own. more

IN THE SWING: Hun School softball player Emma Eisenberg takes a swing in 2023 action. Last Thursday, senior catcher Eisenberg went 1 for 64 and one run to help Hun edge Lawrenceville 7-6 in its season opener. The Raiders host the Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (Pa.) on April 3 and the Pingry School on April 4 before playing at South Hunterdon in April 5 and at Villa Joseph Marie High (Pa.) on April 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As the Hun School softball team headed into the spring, it was facing a major challenge as it looked to fill the void left by the graduation of stars and program stalwarts Lexi Kobryn and Jamie Staub.

Kobryn, who is now playing at Villanova, produced a record-breaking career for the Raiders as a pitcher and a hitter with 638 strikeouts and a 0.41 ERA and a batting average of .537 with 123 hits ands 119 RBIs while Staub, now competing for Brandeis, also starred in the circle and at the bat as she had 134 strikeouts and a 0.40 ERA and batted .427 with 88 hits and 61 RBIs. more

ALL IN: Stuart Country Day School lacrosse player Allison Lee heads to goal in a game last season. Senior midfielder Lee, who tallied 88 goals and 10 assists last spring, is poised for a big final campaign. Stuart opens its 2025 season by hosting WW/P-North on April 2. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As Paige Meszaros took the helm of the Stuart Country Day School lacrosse team last spring, she worked a number of freshmen into the rotation over the course of the season.

While Stuart took its lumps early on with many of the freshmen being new to the game, the Tartans showed growth, going 3-2 in their final five games. more

GIFT OF GAB: Hun School girls’ basketball player Gabby D’Agostino dribbles upcourt in action this winter. Junior guard D’Agostino averaged 21.9 points a game this season as Hun went 23-6 and advanced to the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) title game. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

By Bill Alden

Coming into the winter, junior point guard Gabby D’Agostino was looking to be more of playmaker for the Hun School girls’ basketball team.

“We have so many new people this year, we move the ball so well,” said D’Agostino. “When I am driving if they are double-teaming, I can kick it out and I have full trust that they are going to make the shot.”

Hun head coach Sean Costello credited D’Agostino with diversifying her game.

“Gabby is just very good,” said Costello. “What you are seeing this year is her ability to pass the ball. She can fill it up quickly but now when teams decide to try to take her away, she is finding her teammates and they are able to knock shots down.” more

HAMMERING IT OUT: Princeton High baseball player Chase Hamerschlag takes a big swing in a game last year. Junior star Hamerschlag should make an impact on the mind and with his bat this spring. PHS opens its 2025 season by playing at WW/P-North on March 26. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As the Princeton High baseball team started its preseason training for the upcoming season, it hit the ground running.

“I think our first week was probably one of the better ones that we have had in the last five years, especially from like a commitment, an efficiency, and an energy standpoint,” said PHS head coach Dom Capuano, whose team opens its 2025 season by playing at WW/P-North on March 26. “There wasn’t much redirection, everybody knew what was going on. The upperclassmen led by example and we really moved through those first six practices very well.” more

STICK FIGHT: Princeton High boys’ lacrosse player Brendan Beatty runs through a longstick in a game last season. Senior midfielder and University of Vermont commit Beatty is primed for a big final campaign. PHS opens its 2025 season by hosting Summit on March 29. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Before preseason practices even started this spring for the Princeton High boys’ lacrosse team, Chip Casto sensed that his players were all in.

“We always set a goal on January 1st that by the beginning of the season on March 10 we have get 500,000 wall ball touches,” said PHS head coach Casto, who guided the Tigers to a 11-8 record and a spot in the Mercer County Tournament final last spring. “It is all self-reported and we have never even gotten past half. This year we were a little over 400,000. It feels like in the offseason they have all put the time in.” more

RUF AND READY: Princeton Day School girls’ lacrosse player Shelby Ruf, center, races through two defenders in action last season. Senior midfielder and Merrimack College commit Ruf figures to be a go-to finisher for PDS this season. The Panthers start their 2025 campaign by hosting Hightstown on April 3. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

After saying goodbye to a stellar class of seniors from last year’s squad, the Princeton Day School girls’ lacrosse team is welcoming a group of precocious freshmen to help fill that void.

“Losing that senior class, it feels like a part of the leadership is gone,” said PDS head coach Lucia Marcozzi, who guided the Panthers to a 15-6 record last spring, sparked by senior stars Tessa Caputo, Kelly Christie, Jesse Hollander, and Katie Zarish-Yasunas. “We have a lot of freshmen who are super talented. It has been great to have them start seeing how we do it at the varsity level and getting them mixed in a little bit. I think it is just finding those missing pieces on offense with some of the new freshmen coming in and getting their confidence up.” more

FULL SPEED AHEAD: Princeton Day School baseball player Keegan Fullman makes contact in a game last spring. Sophomore outfielder/pitcher Fullman is looking to build on a solid debut campaign. PDS opens its 2025 season by playing at Trenton Central on March 26. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

After losing 16 of its first 18 games last spring, the Princeton Day School baseball team went 4-1 down the stretch, earning the program’s first-ever win in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public tournament in the process.

As PDS heads into the 2025 campaign, the squad is primed to build on the progress it made last spring. more

HARD KNOX: Princeton Day School girls’ hockey player Eibhleann Knox brings the puck up the ice in recent action. Last week, senior star forward Knox tallied two goals and three assists as top-seeded PDS defeated second-seeded Immaculate Heart Academy 7-0 in the final of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Girls’ Ice Hockey Tournament at the Prudential Center in Newark. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Eibhleann Knox’s senior season for the Princeton Day School girls’ hockey team got off to a rough start this winter when she was sidelined by a broken collarbone.

As star forward Knox watched PDS pile up wins in December and January, she was frustrated by her inability to contribute. more

ON THE RISE: Princeton Day School girls’ basketball player Shelby Ruf flies in for a layup in a game this winter. Senior forward and co-captain Ruf helped PDS enjoy a reversal of fortune this winter under first-year head coach Pat Reddington as it went 13-10 after going 3-16 in 2023-24. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Displaying the progress it made over the course of the winter, the Princeton Day School girls’ basketball team ended the regular season with a pair of impressive wins as it topped Stuart Country Day and Delran.

“Those were really good games because we had really, really strong fourth quarters in both of those games,” said PDS first year head coach Pat Reddington, whose team defeated Stuart 51-38 on February 18 and Delran 61-42 four days later. “We had two 26-point fourth quarters; we had games where we finished with 26 points. It was good, our press helped us. Our defense led to offense for us. It was very positive.” more

By Bill Alden

While the Hun School boys’ hockey team struggled to pile up wins this winter, Eric Szeker had no qualms with the effort he got from his players.

“It was a tough season record-wise — we were in a lot of games where it was competitive coming down to the end,” said Hun head coach Szeker, who team went 5-17-2 this winter. “A couple got away from us, just trying to get aggressive and trying to come back. No matter what our situation was, whether illness hit us or injuries, everybody that showed up competed every single day. We learned a lot for sure.”

Hun’s season-ending 4-1 loss to crosstown rival Princeton Day School on February 12 proved to be a microcosm of the winter. more

MAKING A SPLASH: Wilberforce School swimmer Vasily Yanovsky displays his breaststroke form in a meet this winter. Junior star Yanovsky qualified for the 100-yard breast in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Meet of Champions, becoming the first swimmer in program history to compete at the MOC. (Photo provided by the Wilberforce School)

By Bill Alden

Vasily Yanovsky was shooting for a specific target this winter as he came into his junior season for the Wilberforce School swimming team.

“For me, the main goal was trying to break a minute in the 100 breaststroke,” said Yanovsky, who swims for the Peddie Aquatic Association club program when he is not in season for Wilberforce.
“It is a goal that transcends club and high school swimming for me. It is just like a mental barrier mostly, that I have been trying to do.” more