THINKING IT OVER: Princeton High quarterback Vince Doran surveys the action during a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, junior quarterback Doran completed 19-of-32 passes for 174 yards and one touchdown but it wasn’t enough as PHS fell 16-7 to undefeated Lawrence High. The Little Tigers, now 1-3, play at Steinert (1-2) on October 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Vince Doran and his teammates on the Princeton High football team were pumped up for the chance to knock off undefeated Lawrence High as the foes met last Saturday.

“We were definitely excited; we knew that they were a good team,” said PHS junior quarterback Doran.

“We thought we had opportunities and that we could come out with a win today.”

Doran helped the host Little Tigers get off to an exciting start, hitting with junior star receiver Jakob Green with a 46-yard touchdown pass to put PHS up 7-0 in the first quarter.

“I just saw him, he ran a great route and I threw it in there,” said Doran, recalling the scoring strike to green. “It was all I could do.”

PHS took a 7-6 lead into the fourth quarter but saw the gritty Cards score 10 unanswered points to pull out a 16-7 win as they improved to 4-0 and dropped the Little Tigers to 1-3.

“I definitely like the way we were moving the ball,” said Doran, who battled through a nagging hip flexor injury to complete 19-of-32 passes for 174 yards and one touchdown on the day. “It was tough to not score again.”

Moving from playing defense in 2015 to the starting quarterback job this fall has kept Doran busy.

“I like it; filling the shoes of Dave Beamer is a tough thing to do,” said Doran.

“I played strong safety last year but originally played QB. I am learning the offense, the progressions, making the right read and the right throw, and decision-making.”

PHS head coach Charlie Gallagher liked the way Doran came through with the TD pass to Green, who ended up with seven catches for 109 yards on the day.

“We haven’t hit that all year,” said Gallagher. “We are looking at those seam passes, we have got guys running down the field and we got it.”

Gallagher was disappointed to see his team misfire several times after getting down the field.

“We had a great drive to open the second half and we fumble the ball away,” lamented Gallagher.

“We put seven plays together and we can’t do that. We have got to right the ship, we had too many turnovers. We need to limit those mistakes; this was a game that got away from us. Lawrence did what they needed to do to get their win.”

The PHS defense held the fort, keeping things together for three quarters before Lawrence broke through with 10 points in the fourth quarter.

“They ran the ball and controlled the offense a little bit but I think our defense played stellar football,” said Gallagher. “We only gave up 16 points.”

With the Little Tigers having lost two straight games, they will need to put together a stellar effort to come away with a win this Saturday when they play at Steinert (1-2).

“This is a team that battles; it is a good group of kids,” said Gallagher. “We just have to figure a way to put it all together and get ourselves a win; winning cures all.”

Doran, for his part, believes that PHS can come through if it just plays a little sharper.

“I feel like each game we are getting better,” said Doran. “The only thing that is hurting us is those turnovers and that is something we have to work on as a team.”