OPENING DRIVE: Princeton High boys’ basketball player -Michael Dowers drives to the hoop last Friday as PHS topped WW/P-S 57-41 in the season opener for both teams. Senior forward Dowers contributed seven points in the win. The Little Tigers play at Morristown on December 23 and at Montgomery on December 28. (Photo by John Dowers)

His nostrils were caked with blood and his upper lip was swollen but Michael Dowers was all smiles last Friday evening after he helped the Princeton High boys’ basketball team top WW/P-S in the season opener. more

PODCAST: Princeton High boys’ hockey player Nathan Podgalsky controls the puck in a game earlier this season. Freshman forward Podgalsky has caught fire for PHS in recent play, scoring two goals in a 5-0 win over Paul VI on Friday and then contributing two more in a 4-4 tie with with Cranford last Saturday evening at Baker Rink. The Little Tigers, now 4-2-2, are next in action when they play Woodbridge on December 28 in the Old Bridge Tournament. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Nathan Podgalsky was a defenseman by trade when he joined the Princeton High boys’ hockey team this winter for his freshman campaign. more

STANDING TALL: Princeton Day School boys’ hockey player -Connor Fletcher, center, leads the celebration after a goal in recent action.  While PDS fell 4-3 in overtime to visiting Shady Side Academy (Pa.) last Saturday in the championship game of the Harry Rulon-Miller ’51 Invitational, the Panthers have enjoyed a big turnaround this season ending December with a 6-2-1 record after winning three games all season in 2014-15. PDS returns to action when it plays at Malvern Prep (Pa.) on January 4 and at the Hill School (Pa.) on January 6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Keith Asplundh has displayed a knack for being in the right place at the right time this winter for the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey team. more

FRENCH LESSON: Princeton Day School girls’ hockey player Kiely French controls the puck in recent action. Last Saturday, junior star French scored a goal but it wasn’t enough as PDS fell 2-1 to Mater Dei Prep in the championship game of the Harry Rulon-Miller ’51 Invitational. The Panthers, now 4-3-1, are next in action when they play Pingry on January 5 in the Bridgewater Sports Arena. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Hosting Mater Dei Prep in the championship game of its Harry Rulon-Miller ’51 Invitational last Saturday, the Princeton Day School girls’ hockey team controlled the puck in the first two periods but found itself trailing 1-0. more

COIT TOWER: Princeton Day School boys’ basketball player David Coit dribbles around a foe in a game earlier this season. Freshman guard Coit has given PDS a burst of energy and some good playmaking as it has gotten off to a 3-3 start. The Panthers are next in action when they play at Princeton High on January 4. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

With Princeton Day School boys’ basketball team trailing the George School (Pa.) by 10 points with just four minutes remaining last Wednesday, David Coit was not about to give up. more

ON TRACK: Princeton High girls’ basketball player Zoe Tesone heads to the basket in a game last winter. PHS is depending on star forward Tesone to provide toughness and production in the paint this winter. The Little Tigers tip off their 2015-16 campaign on December 18 when they play at WW/P-S. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Dan Van Hise helped the Princeton High girls’ basketball team achieve a higher standard of competitiveness last winter in his second season at the helm of the program. more

HART AND SOUL: Princeton High boys’ basketball player Matt Hart puts up a shot in a game last season. Senior forward Hart, an All-CVC selection last winter,  will be a go-to player for PHS again this season. The Little Tigers get their 2015-16 campaign underway by hosting WW/P-S on December 18. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Coming into the winter, the Princeton High boys’ basketball team is poised to deliver a one-two punch to its foes. more

JUSTIN TIME: Princeton High boys’ ice hockey player -Justin Joyce heads up the ice in recent action. Last week, sophomore forward Joyce chipped in a goal and an assist as PHS topped WW/P-S 5-1. The Little Tigers, who moved to 3-1-1 with a 5-1 loss to Pennington last Monday, face Hopewell Valley on December 16 at Mercer County Park, play at Paul VI on December 18, and then host Cranford on December 19 at Baker Rink. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Coming into this season, Justin Joyce was primed to play a bigger role for the Princeton High boys’ hockey team as a sophomore. more

BEY WATCH: Stuart Country Day School basketball player Bey-Shana Clark, left, looks to put up a shot last Monday against Princeton Day School. Freshman Clark scored a game-high 18 points to help the Tartans edge PDS 40-39 and improve to 5-0. In upcoming action, Stuart plays at Kings Christian School on December 16 before hosting its Stuart Invitational from December 18-21. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Bey-Shana Clark may be just a freshman on the Stuart Country Day basketball team but she wasn’t fazed by the intensity of her first clash with rival Princeton Day School. more

FAST START: Princeton High girls’ swimmer Abbey Berloco displays her freestyle form in a race last year. Sophomore sprint star Berloco helped PHS defeat WW/P-S 121-49 last Thursday, winning the  50 and 100 freestyle races and helping PHS take first in both the 200 medley and 400 free relays. The Little Tigers, who improved to 2-0 with the win, have meets at WW/P-N on December 10 and at Steinert on December 15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Abbey Berloco enjoyed a sensational freshman campaign last winter for the Princeton High girls’ swimming team.

The sprinting star earned the girls’ Most Valuable Swimmer award at the Mercer County Championships, winning both the 50 and 100 freestyle races as PHS won its third straight county crown and then helped the Little Tigers win the Public B Central Jersey sectional title and advance to the B state final, where they fell 100-70 to Scotch Plains-Fanwood. more

TAKING THE FLOOR: Princeton Day School boys’ basketball player Chase Lewis handles the ball in action last winter. PDS will be looking for junior guard Lewis to trigger its offense as it looks to get off to a good start under new head coach Tim Williams. The Panthers were slated to tip off the 2015-16 season by playing at Solebury School (Pa.) on December 8 and at the Pennington School on December 10. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Tim Williams plans to speed things up this winter in his first season as the head coach of the Princeton Day School boys’ basketball program. more

STEPPING UP: Princeton Day School girls’ basketball player Shayla Stevenson heads to the hoop in a game last season. PDS will be looking to junior guard Stevenson to be a key contributor again this winter. Tipping off the 2015-16 campaign by competing in the Hill School (Pa.) Invitational last weekend, PDS topped host Hill 32-15 in the first round on Friday before falling 62-38 to Springside Chestnut Hill (Pa.) in the championship game. In upcoming action, PDS hosts Pennington on December 9 before playing at Stuart Country Day on December 14. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Going with a youth movement by necessity last winter, the Princeton Day School girls’ basketball team got better and better as the season unfolded. more

AROUND THE BEND: Hun School boys’ hockey player Jon Bendorf fires the puck up the ice in recent action. Last Friday, junior forward Bendorf tallied a goal and an assist to help Hun defeat Calvert Hall (Md.) 4-1 for its first win of the season. Last Monday, Bendorf contributed a goal in a losing cause as Hun fell 3-2 to Princeton Day School. The Raiders, now 1-2-1, host LaSalle College High (Pa.) on December 9 before playing at Academy of New Church (Pa.) on December 11. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Jon Bendorf’s future in hockey over the next few years is set as he has committed to join the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men’s program and was selected in the seventh round of the USHL draft this spring
by the Madison Capitols. more

DRIVE-THROUGH: Hun School boys’ basketball player Niall Carpenter drives past foes from the Shipley School (Pa.) in action last Sunday. Senior guard Carpenter scored 14 points in the game to help Hun edge Shipley 58-56. The Raiders, now 1-2, play at St. Benedict’s on December 9 before taking part in the Peddie School Invitational Tournament from December 11-13. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

While the Hun School boys’ basketball team is welcoming a number of new faces this year, Jon Stone has shown a flair for getting the pieces to fit together over his 16 seasons at the helm of the program. more

GOAL-ORIENTED: Princeton Day School girls’ soccer player Hannah Bunce dribbles the ball in a game this fall. Junior star Bunce emerged as the go-to scorer for PDS as the Panthers won the state Prep B title and posted a 17-2-1 record. Bunce scored a team-high 17 goals for PDS and tallied the winning goal in overtime as PDS edged Montclair Kimberley 1-0 in the state Prep B final. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Last spring, Hannah Bunce emerged as a go-to scorer for the Princeton Day School girls lacrosse team, helping it roll to the state Prep B title.

Coming into the fall, PDS girls’ soccer head coach Pat Trombetta was hoping that junior Bunce could fill the same role for his squad.

 more

DIESEL POWER: Hun School boys’ hockey goalie Diesel Pelke makes a save in action last season. Hun will be relying on senior star Pelke to have a big year as it looks to maintain its place among New Jersey’s elite teams after going 22-3-3 last year in winning both the state Prep title and the Mercer County Tournament crown. The Raiders, who started their 2015-16 season by losing 5-2 to Holy Ghost (Pa.) on November 18, host Don Bosco Prep on December 2 and Calvert Hall (Md.) on December 5 at Ice Land Skating Center before playing at Princeton Day School on December 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Last winter, the Hun School boys’ hockey team went 6-0-1 in its first seven games on the way to producing one of the great seasons in the program’s history as it went 22-3-3, winning both the state Prep title and the Mercer County Tournament crown.

Hun started this season by losing to 5-2 to Holy Ghost (Pa.) on November 18, giving graphic evidence that it will have to modify its style to maintain its place among New Jersey’s elite teams. more

LEADING ROLE: Princeton Day School girls’ hockey player Ashley Cavuto races up the ice in a game last winter. PDS is looking to junior star Cavuto to provide leadership and production for a squad welcoming a number of new faces. The Panthers team was slated to open its 2015-16 season by playing at Wyoming Seminary (Pa. ) on December 1 before hosting Portledge School (N.Y. ) on December 3 and Summit High on December 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

As preseason practice began for the Princeton Day School girls’ ice hockey team last month, head coach Lorna Cook may have felt like she needed a program to identify her players.

There were only five returners among the 19 players who hit the ice for the Panthers with eight freshmen, four sophomore newcomers, and two new juniors. more

CLEAR-MINDED: Princeton High girls’ soccer player Zoe -Tesone clears the ball in action this fall. Junior defender Tesone shored up the PHS back line, helping the Little Tigers reach the Central Jersey Group 4 sectional semifinals. PHS ended the season with an 11-5-1 record. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Playing at fourth-seeded Monroe in the Central Jersey Group 4 sectional quarterfinals, the fifth-seeded Princeton High girls’ soccer team felt it had the blueprint for an upset. more

FINAL ROAR: Princeton High running back Rory Helstrom tries to break a tackle in a game this season. Senior star Helstrom scored the lone touchdown as PHS ended its season by falling 35-7 to visiting Millburn in a regional crossover game earlier this month. The Little Tigers finished the fall with a 4-6 record. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

As the Princeton High football team got ready to host Millburn in a season-ending regional crossover game earlier this month, Charlie Gallagher was expecting a tight contest.

“I thought we matched up well against them,” said PHS head coach Gallagher. more