CLEAR LEADER: Princeton High field hockey star Sydney Watts sends the ball upfield in a recent practice. Providing superb skills and leadership, senior defender Watts will once again anchor the PHS backline. The Little Tigers start their 2012 campaign by hosting Hamilton on September 6.
(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Although the Princeton High field hockey team came a long way last fall as it posted a 10-6 record, Heather Serverson thought her squad should have gone even further.

“We were very disappointed in not getting past the first round of the states or going further in the Mercer County Tournament,” said PHS head coach Serverson.

Focusing on the last fall’s success, the PHS players are bringing an upbeat attitude into the 2012 season.

“I see a big change in the confidence level,” said Serverson. “We have 16 players who have two or three years experience. We also have some talented first-year and second-year players.”

Serverson has confidence that junior star Emilia Lopez-Ona can make a big impact at forward.

“I wanted to move Lopez-Ona up front last year but I needed her more in the midfield,” said Serverson, whose team starts the 2012 season by hosting Hamilton on September 6.

“I bumped her up this year and she is providing a spark. The others follow her lead. She is such an athlete.”

PHS boasts some other good offensive weapons in seniors Vivien Bazarko and Emma Crain together with sophomores Lucy Herring and Campbell McDonald.

“Vivien is on the right and we are rotating Lucy, Campbell, and Emma in the other spot,” said Serverson. “We have a lot of depth off the bench; I would say we easily have a talented sub for half the team.”

There is a talented crew in the midfield, featuring senior standout Jackie Chmiel along with junior Genevieve Quinn, senior Kelly Dredger, and freshman Trish Reilly.

“We have Jackie Chmiel back; she was out last year with a concussion,” said Serverson.

“We really needed her; she is a talented midfielder. Quinn stepped into Jackie’s spot last year and is playing well. Kelly is in the center. Trish Reilly will see a lot of time if she keeps playing like she has been in the preseason.”

The Little Tigers have put a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of senior leader Sydney Watts.

“Watts is the defensive anchor of the team; she reads plays so well,” said Serverson. “She communicates in a positive way and she can distribute well. She doesn’t act like she is better than everybody else, she sees the team as a unit. She really helped Julia [DiTosto] last year. They play so well together.”

Serverson is expecting sophomore DiTosto to emerge as a force on the defensive end.

“DiTosto was great last year but she has improved 10-fold,” asserted Serverson, whose defensive unit will also include seniors Rebecca Freda and Hannah Kostenbader.

“She worked with May-Ying Medalia [former PHS and Princeton University standout] all summer and she helped teach Julia new skills.”

The Little Tigers will have a new goalie in the wake of the graduation of Tobi Afran. Right now, Serverson is deciding between junior Breanna Hegarty and sophomore Caitlin Duncan.

“Right now both are playing well,” said Serverson. “I have been having them on an even rotation in scrimmages. We are looking for one of them to stand out. It has been really great in practice, they are pushing each other. They work really well together.”

The team’s chemistry should help push PHS to greater heights this fall. “I think with the combination of experience and the group dynamic, our ability to play well together and communicate, we should take it further in the county and state tournaments,” said Serverson.

In order to make a big postseason run, the Little Tigers have to take care of the basics.

“We need to perfect the fundamentals in practice so that they are second nature in games,” added Serverson. “I like to work on the small passing game, you have to possess the ball to score.”