ON THE RUN: Princeton High running back Javon Pannell looks for running room in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, senior Pannell rushed for 28 yards and made two receptions in a losing cause as PHS fell 33-0 to visiting WW/P-S. The Little Tigers, now 1-2, host Hamilton on September 29. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Joe Gargione went on the field twice during the third quarter last Saturday to read the riot act to his Princeton High football team as it hosted WW/P-S.

With the Little Tigers trailing the Pirates 14-0 early in the second half, head coach Gargione took advantage of a stoppage in play to go in the offensive huddle and tell his players in no uncertain terms to show more passion.

Later in the quarter, Gargione got in the faces of his players in a defensive huddle with the same message.

While the Little Tigers responded with some stretches of inspired play, they were ultimately worn down by WW/P-S in losing 33-0.

“I tried to lay into the kids to get something going,” said Gargione, reflecting on his third quarter pep talks in the defeat that dropped PHS to 1-2.

“Somebody has got to step up and show a little more fire. We made too many mistakes to overcome; they just outplayed us.”

With PHS having not scored offensively since the first half of the Hightstown game on September 14, Gargione is concerned about mistakes on that side of the ball.

“It is everything,” said Gargione, assessing the offensive drought after a day when his team was outgained 153 yards to 21 yards on the ground and 181-74 in the air.

“It is missed assignments, missed blocks and even minor things like coming out of the huddle in the wrong formation and having to switch back. That just can’t happen.”

While PHS made some good things happen defensively, it also struggled on that side of the ball.

“The defense started off well and then we had a hard time covering the simple flat,” said Gargione. “It wasn’t like he was lasering it in there.”

In Gargione’s view, his squad is at a crossroads having suffered two straight lopsided defeats in the wake of an inspiring 27-21 win over Northern Burlington on opening day.

“We have showed we can play; I just don’t want them to be content with that first win,” said Gargione, whose team hosts Hamilton on September 29.

“We have to turn it around now; this is a turning point for us. We have to turn the season around come Monday. We need to learn from our mistakes and go from there.”

If PHS is to turn things around, their veteran players will have to show the way. “We have to turn to our seniors. They have to be the ones to care,” asserted Gargione.

“If they send out the wrong message, the underclassmen don’t know any better.”