PERFECT DAY: Hun School softball player Lexi Kobryn, right, celebrates after scoring a run in a 2022 game. Last Wednesday against the Hill School (Pa.), junior star Kobryn produced a brilliant performance in a 12-0 victory, pitching a perfect game with 14 strikeouts in a contest that ended after five innings due to the 10-run rule. Kobryn, a Villanova commit, also hit a two-run homer in the win which improved Hun to 5-0. In upcoming action, the Raiders are slated to host Hamilton West on April 15 and the Pingry School on April 17. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

It was a cloudy, chilly afternoon last Wednesday with  temperatures hovering in the high 40s as the Hun School softball team hosted the Hill School (Pa.).

But Hun junior star pitcher Lexi Kobryn was undeterred by the nippy conditions.

“I was really feeling good, it was a little cold but I had my Under Armour on,” said Kobryn with a smile.

The talented right-hander proceeded to bring a lot of heat from the circle, striking out 14 of 15 batters she faced with nobody reaching first base, hurling a perfect game as Hun defeated Hill 12-0 in a game that ended after five innings due to the 10-run rule. more

FULL SPEED AHEAD: Stuart Country Day School lacrosse player Emily Ix (No. 14) races upfield in recant action. Last Monday, senior star Ix tallied six goals and three assists to help Stuart defeat Hamilton West 18-10. The Tartans, who improved to 2-2 with the win, host WW/P-North on April 17. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Even though the Stuart Country Day School lacrosse team fell 16-7 to Peddie School in its season opener, Missy Bruvik saw her players improve within the contest.

In the loss to the Falcons on March 30, Stuart trailed 11-1 at halftime but then outscored Peddie 6-5 in the second half.

“We saw a lot of resilience, we have a lot of kids who are first time players on the field for the very first time in a game situation,” said Tartan head coach Bruvik, who has served as assistant coach for the program and has switched roles with Mark Maser, the head coach since 2020. more

THE PRICE IS RIGHT: Princeton High pitcher Wes Price fires a pitch in a game last spring. PHS is depending on senior Price to emerge as a key starter this season. The Tigers, who fell 8-7 to Hightstown in their season opener last Monday, host Hamilton West on April 5,WW/P-North on April 6, and Robbinsville on April 11. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

In Dom Capuano’s view, the key to success for his Princeton High baseball team comes down to his players just being themselves.

“We need to make sure that we understand who we are,” said PHS head coach Capuano, who guided the Tigers to an 11-14 record last spring. “We have been preaching it. They have been doing a good job of it, making sure we are doing the little things right to maximize what we can do.”

As PHS has gone through the preseason, Capuano has seen that message getting through. more

GETTING TO GOAL: Princeton High boys’ lacrosse player Patrick Kenah goes to goal in a 2022 contest. Junior star Kenah figures to trigger the PHS attack this spring. The Tigers start their 2023 campaign by playing at WW/P-North on April 6 and then hosting Scotch Plains-Fanwood on April 8 and Notre Dame on April 11. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Peter Stanton enjoyed a legendary tenure as the head coach of the Princeton High boys’ lacrosse team from 1996 to 2015, getting inducted into the New Jersey Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2015.

Shifting roles within the program, Stanton has served as an assistant coach for PHS starting in 2016.

But with head coach Chip Casto on sabbatical for the 2022-23 school year, Stanton is back at the helm of the program this spring.

“It is pretty great but to be honest, I had some self-doubt just because stepping back there is lot more to being head coach,” said Stanton, who guided the program to more than 220 wins, two Mercer County Tournament crowns, and six Colonial Valley Conference titles during his tenure. “It is 24/7, it is always lacrosse season. I am very much an all-or-nothing person. I didn’t know if I could bring what I used to bring to it. It is not entirely like riding a bicycle, there are things that I forget.” more

OPENING SALVO: Princeton High girls’ lacrosse player Riley Devlin controls the ball in a game last spring. On Monday, junior midfielder Devlin tallied two goals and two assists to help PHS defeat Hightstown 16-7 in the season opener for both teams. The Tigers were slated to host WW/P-South on April 4 and are next in action when they play at Hillsborough on April 15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

On one hand, the Princeton High girls’ lacrosse team is dealing with a major void in the wake of the graduation of a senior class that drove the squad.

But as the Class of ’22 moves on, with four of the six playing at the college level, a corps of promising freshmen has arrived on the scene to fill that gap.

“The freshmen are really a special group, so I am excited to see what they do,” said PHS head coach Katie Federico, who led the Tigers to a 12-6 record last spring and a spot in the Mercer County Tournament semifinals. “They really look up to the upperclassmen and they are trying to learn through that. They stick together, they connect and they have been playing Ultimate club together. It reminds me of last year’s seniors, this crew is kind of the same.” more

TURNING THE PAIGE: Princeton Day School girls’ lacrosse player Paige Gardner races upfield in 2022 action. Senior star and Fairfield University commit Gardner figures to spark the PDS attack again after having scored 78 goals last season as the Panthers won both the Prep B state and New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public Group B titles. PDS, which will be led by new coach Tracy Young in the wake of the retirement of the legendary Jill Thomas, was slated to open its 2023 campaign by hosting the Blair Academy on April 4, Shore Regional on April 6, and Pennington School on April 11. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Succeeding a legendary coach is never easy, but Tracy Young appears to be up for the challenge in getting promoted to lead the Princeton Day School girls’ lacrosse program.

With Jill Thomas, a member of the New Jersey Lacrosse Hall of Fame, having retired last year and going out in a blaze of glory guiding PDS to both Prep B state and New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public Group B titles, longtime assistant Young is now in charge of the Panthers.

Having served seven years a coach with the program, it has been a smooth transition so far for Young and her players.

“I think they were relieved — they know me and they know my coaching style,” said Young, a third grade teacher in the PDS lower school. “I think there is a sense of relief because they weren’t going have to start anew. I know the program, I know the players, I know the parents. Some of these are kids I have taught in my classroom. I have a very strong connection with the players and a strong connection with a lot of the families.” more

GETTING IN THE SWING: Princeton Day School baseball player Ryan Vandal takes a swing in a game last spring. Senior Vandal figures to help PDS on the mound and with his bat in his final campaign. The Panthers, who fell 13-0 to Middlesex High last Monday in their season opener and first game under new head coach Eric Schnepf, play at Manville High on April 6, at New Hope Solebury High on April 10, and at Montclair Kimberley on April 11. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As Eric Schnepf takes the helm of the Princeton Day School baseball program, he is espousing a philosophy that goes well beyond the diamond.

“We put a huge emphasis on controlling what we can control,” said Schnepf, who starred at Bridgewater-Raritan and then went on to play at Tufts University and served as an assistant coach for the Somerville High baseball program last year in his first taste of high school coaching.

“In sports, baseball, and life, you need to focus on the things you can control and master. We place a huge emphasis on competitiveness and the ability to overcome adversity. That is built on a standard of attitude, energy, and effort.”

Schnepf has been seeing those qualities from his players as they have prepared for the season. more

POWER SOURCE: Hun School softball player Lexi Kobryn smacks the ball in a game last season. Junior Kobryn enjoyed a huge sophomore campaign last spring, hitting .500 with team highs in homers (7), RBIs (28), and runs (30) in addition to being the team’s pitching ace with six no-hitters and 190 strikeouts in 87 innings. Kobryn’s heroics helped Hun go 18-1 and win its first Prep A state title since 2017. Picking up where they left off, the Raiders started their 2023 campaign by sweeping a doubleheader from Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) last Sunday, winning 16-0 and 15-0. Hun will be playing at the Lawrenceville School on March 30, at Penn Charter (Pa.) on April 1, and at the Peddie School on April 4. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

There is a target on the back of the Hun School softball team as it comes into its 2023 campaign.

Having rolled to an 18-1 record last spring and winning its first Prep A state title since 2017, Kathy Quirk warned her players that they will be getting the best efforts of their foes this spring.

“As we told them, every team is going to be out to get you,” said head coach Quirk, who is entering her 48th season at the helm of the program.

In order to prepare for that challenge, the Raiders headed south to Vero Beach, Fla., for their annual preseason trip and some bonding.

“It was a great experience that way; the girls had a lot of time together, we went golfing one day,” said Quirk. “It is one of these places where you are stuck on a compound where we do everything together.” more

RISING STAR: Princeton High boys’ basketball player Jahan Owusu goes up for a shot in a game this winter. Junior star guard Owusu emerged as a go-to scorer for the Tigers, tallying a team-high 314 points as PHS went 10-13 and advanced to the Mercer County Invitational final. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

When the Princeton High boys’ basketball team started its 2022-23 campaign by losing five of its first six games, it looked like it could be a bleak winter for the squad.

Instead, PHS found a rhythm, advancing to the Mercer County Invitational final and nearly pulling off a big upset in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 4 sectional on the way to posting a 10-13 record.

“We got better each game, by the end of the year, we really got rolling,” said PHS head coach Pat Noone. “Throughout the season, that is what you want. You want them to get better each day and these guys definitely did that. It was a lot fun and it made an enjoyable end of the season run.” more

TAKING HIS SHOT: Princeton Day School boys’ basketball player Jaden Dublin puts up a shot in a game this winter. Senior guard Dublin proved to be a catalyst for PDS as it went 8-16 and advanced to the Prep B state semis. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

The mantra that Eugene Burroughs repeated throughout this winter to his Princeton Day School boys’ basketball team was “advance the program forward.”

Employing a gritty style and featuring a trio of superb senior guards in Jaden Dublin, Jaden Hall, and Mason McQueen, PDS did just that.

“We won three more games than last year which is a testament to this group and how they meshed together,” said Panther head coach Burroughs, whose team posted an 8-16 record. “We were probably one shot away from moving on in that state tournament and we played well enough to win.” more

PASSING LANE: Stuart County Day School basketball player Emily Ix passes the ball in a game this winter. Senior star Ix provided production and leadership as Stuart showed progress down the stretch in going 5-6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For the Stuart County Day School basketball team, ending the winter with a pair of wins exemplified the progress it made in a season of transition.

With Tony Bowman returning to take the helm of the program after guiding the Tartans from 2003-11 and the roster down to seven players, it took a while for Stuart to get in sync.

“It was challenging in the beginning and then it became fun and we started playing basketball,” said Bowman, whose team topped STEM Civics 57-16 and Hamilton West 40-31 in the last week of the season to end the winter with a record of 5-6. “It was definitely a process. The kids had to get used to me and I had to get used to them. You come into somebody else’s system and then it breaks down from 12 kids to seven. Those are some of the things that you don’t foresee.” more

MIGHTY MIKE: Hun School baseball player Mike Chiaravallo takes a swing in action last season. Senior outfielder Chiaravallo led the Raiders in homers with nine last spring as they won the program’s first-ever Mercer County Tournament crown and cruised to the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) title. Hun opens the 2023 season by hosting Lawrenceville on March 23. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Hun School baseball team coming off a banner campaign that saw it win the program’s first-ever Mercer County Tournament crown and cruise to the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) title, there is a positive vibe around the squad as it looks ahead to this spring.

“There is lot of confidence and a lot of excitement too, there are some guys who are going to get more opportunities to play than they have in the past that are ready for it,” said Hun head coach Tom Monfiletto who guided the Raiders to a 20-4 record in 2022. “There is also a lot of room to grow too, which is exciting for the coaching staff.” more