MAN UP: Sam Smallzman looks for a hit last Wednesday in the Sunshine Football Classic. The recently graduated Princeton High star linebacker Smallzman helped the West squad to a 21-0 win in the all-star contest held at The College of New Jersey. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Sam Smallzman has been a spectator at The College of New Jersey stadium for two Sunshine Classic all-star games in recent years, cheering on teammates from the Princeton High football team.

“I watched my senior captains playing in my freshman year, Alex Mitko and Jeff Barsamian along with Eric Shorter,” said Smallzman. “Last year, it was Liam Helstrom in the game.”

Last Wednesday, star linebacker Smallzman added to that program tradition as he was on the field at TCNJ for the West squad in the 19th Sunshine Football Classic sponsored by Fisher Capital LLC along with PHS teammates Joe Hawes, Tad Moore, Tommy Moore, Omar Moustafa, Colin Buckley, and Brian Lemus-Camey.

“It was a great opportunity to play one more football game with my boys,” said Smallzman.

“I was just grateful to play. It was different than in the season. It was laid back, we had fun.”

The West had a lot of fun on Wednesday evening, rolling to a 21-0 win over the East. The game was scoreless after one quarter and the West seized momentum by outscoring the East 14-0 in the second. After neither team scored in the third quarter, the West added a touchdown with 4:57 left in regulation to seal the win.

With the West players huddled up and joyously chanting in unison in the wake of the game to celebrate their victory, it was clear that the squad had developed instant chemistry.

“We all knew each other for just a week,” said Smallzman. “Even though we played against some of these guys, we got really tight in the practices, having fun and joking around. It was everybody, coaches and players, there were a lot of great guys on this team.”

The West produced some great plays on defense, holding the East to 154 total yards, including just one pass completion for 33 yards.

“It was just ball out and have fun, that was it,” said Smallzman, reflecting on the defensive effort which was highlighted by a blocked field goal in the second quarter when the West was clinging to a 6-0 lead. “It was play your keys but don’t be afraid to make mistakes and just go after it. I think our defense had its own attitude.”

Heading to the University of Pennsylvania where he is playing for its sprint football program, Smallzman is bringing a positive attitude to the next stop in his gridiron career.

“I was looking at that school throughout high school,” said Smallzman, who currently weighs 185 pounds and will have to cut some weight to make the 172-pound threshold for sprint football. “I talked to the sprint coaches down there. I think I will like it.”

For Smallzman, the Sunshine Classic experience proved to be a fitting culmination to a special final campaign that saw PHS go 8-2 in 2014 after posting a 0-10 record the year before.

“I think this was a great moment,” said Smallzman. “It was for a great cause, helping kids with cancer. It was giving back for all the support we got. It was a good way to end that senior season.”