AGE OF JACKSON: Princeton High boys’ lacrosse player Jackson Andres heads up the field in a game last spring. Senior standout and Drexel-bound Andres figures to be a catalyst again for PHS in 2015 with his blend of physicality and skill. The Little Tigers open regular season play this spring by hosting the Christian Brothers Academy on March 25. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

The seemingly interminable winter hitting the area has had a chilling effect on the Princeton High boys’ lacrosse team as it prepares for the upcoming season.

“It has been a challenge,” said PHS head coach Peter Stanton, noting that the team’s two scheduled preseason scrimmages were cancelled.

“There has been a lot of gym work. We have had the turf field a number of times but that has normally been with the girls’ team on one half and us on the other, with baseball on the side. We have been trying to make the most out of our time.”

But Stanton, recently inducted into the New Jersey Lacrosse Hall of Fame, believes his team will warm up as spring unfolds as has been its custom over the years.

“We want to be that team you don’t want to play in May,” said Stanton, whose team opens regular season play by hosting the Christian Brothers Academy on March 25. “We pride ourselves on being the team that improves the most during the season.”

Stanton is seeing improvement in sophomore Johnny Lopez-Ona and believes he will emerge as a go-to player.

“Johnny started last year as a freshman and he’s going to be a leader there for us this season,” said Stanton, who guided PHS to a 16-4 record last spring and the program’s second straight Mercer County Tournament title.

“He is a little quicker and better at stick protection and dodging. Last year,  Matt Corrado, Matt Purdy, and Kevin Halliday could create with dodging and Johnny was more of a backside player, being in position to finish or make assists. This year he will be creating more.”

PHS boasts some other players who should bolster the attack. “Chris Diver played in midfield last year and we moved him down to attack,” said Stanton of the senior stalwart.

“He played on our man-up unit last year. He is a very savvy player and has good field sense. Besides that we have a host of players in attack including sophomore Eamonn McDonald, sophomore Brendon McCormick, and senior Chris Munoz.”

In the midfield, junior Rory Helstrom, a star running back for the 8-2 PHS football team last fall, figures to carry a heavy load.

“It all starts with Rory, he is very explosive,” said Stanton. “If he can get by a player in football, he can certainly do it in lacrosse. He is a gifted athlete and he has worked hard in the weight room.”

A pair of talented junior athletes, Nick Halliday and Luis Lazo, will give Helstrom some support in the midfield.

“Nick Halliday and Luis Lazo got shifts last year on defense so they got a little bit of experience,” said Stanton of the pair who starred for the PHS boys’ soccer team this fall as it won the county crown and advanced to the Group 3 state title game. “More importantly, they were with the team and saw how the older kids did things.”

The PHS midfield also include a number of new faces. “We have a lot of new guys,” added Stanton. “Mark and Luke Duarte are sophomore twins. Oliver Hamit, a sophomore, is returning from shoulder surgery. Justin Marciano is another sophomore in the midfield along with Patrick Jacobs, a freshman.”

Three of the team’s best guys, senior Jackson Andres, senior Colin Buckley, and senior Joe Hawes, will spearhead the defensive unit.

“Jackson is phenomenal, he is so disruptive to other teams,” said Stanton, adding that sophomore Norman “Tooker” Callaway, senior Christian Sandford, and freshman Ian Jacobs should also see time on defense.

“He can take over the game and will score some goals for us. The same is true for Joe Hawes, we can put him against our opponent’s best attackman and he can neutralize that guy, giving Jackson and Colin more favorable matchups. Colin is physical, he has a lot of experience.”

Senior goalie Kenan Glasgold is better for the experience he got last spring in his first season as a starter.

“Kenan had a very good year last season,” said Stanton. “He is looking a lot better right now than he looked at this time last year.”

While it might take a few weeks for PHS to get in synch this spring, Stanton is confident it can have a very good season.

“We are combining inexperience with expectations of competing for a county title and being in the mix for a Group 3 title; we need to have patience and have a tolerance for mistakes that we are going to make as we grow,” said Stanton, noting that assistant coach Chip Casto is focusing on coming up with the offensive scheme that will get the most out of the team’s potential.

“We do have senior leadership with some outstanding players who really want to win. We need to focus on long term goals and how we are going to end up in May.”