WHITE KNIGHT: Princeton High boys’ lacrosse player Jake White races upfield in recent action. Last Wednesday, senior attackman White scored a fourth quarter goal to give sixth-seeded PHS a 5-4 lead at second-seeded Roxbury in the semifinals of the North Jersey Group 3 tournament. Roxbury, though, responded with two unanswered goals, the last coming with four seconds left in regulation, to pull out a 6-5 win. The defeat left the Little Tigers with a final record of 10-9. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

With Princeton High boys’ lacrosse team knotted in a 4-4 nail-biter at Roxbury High in the North Jersey Group 3 sectional semifinals last Wednesday, Jake White got the chance to be a hero.

Racing down the field on a break, PHS senior attacker White gathered in a pass from classmate Justin Marciano and ripped the ball home to put the Little Tigers up 5-4 with 10:18 left in regulation.

“Justin was running down the side, he is really fast and always has his head up so I knew if I cut through, he would find me,” said White, recalling his tally. “I was in the right position so I just let it fly.”

White was hoping the goal would extend his career but second-seeded Roxbury responded with two unanswered goals, the last coming with four seconds left in regulation, to pull out a 6-5 win over the sixth-seeded Little Tigers.

“I really believed we had it but they fought hard; they are a really good team,” said White.

“They had a really good possession there at the end and that was tough.”

As PHS players walked off the field in double file towards their bus, their toughness was recognized as supporters of both teams gave them a round of applause.

“It was an awesome year, we showed a lot of fight,” said White. “On and off the field, this is the closest team I have ever been on. We never give up.”

The Little Tigers saved their best for last this season, beating 11th-seeded Wayne Hills 14-7 in the first round of the sectional and then stunning third-seeded Northern Highlands 3-2 in the quarters.

“We just hit stride at the right time,” said White. “We moved the ball better, our offense was clicking. We started running a zone and our defense, which is aways our strong point, has been spectacular.”

White clicked in his final campaign with the Little Tigers, emerging as a key contributor on attack.

“I definitely had a lot bigger role this year than I have had in past years,” said White, who scored four goals in the win over Wayne Hills and ended with 15 goals on the season.

“I knew when Owen [Smith] went down, I had to step up. All my teammates have been complementing me great. I know that if I work off ball, Johnny [Lopez-Ona] and Justin and all of those guys will always find me.”

PHS head coach Chip Casto liked the way his guys battled against Roxbury.

“Once again we played real well six-on-six, they didn’t get much until the end and it was the unsettled stuff when we turned the ball over,” said Casto, who got two goals from senior Eamonn McDonald in the loss with Marciano chipping in a goal and two assists and senior Lopez-Ona contributing a goal and an assist.

“When any team turns the ball over in the middle of the field, you get transition.”

Casto was thrilled to see White cash in on the transition play in the fourth quarter.

“It was one of the best goals of the year; that kid is the epitome of what the whole program is about, getting better every day, every week, every month, and every year,” said Casto.

“He started as a little, skinny guy and he rips one in the semifinals of the sectional.”

As in past years, PHS got better and better as the season went on.

“We have talked about it all year and it has been the strength of our schedule,” said Casto.

“Playing really good teams prepared us for games like this. We are so proud of how they played at the end of the year. They started to believe, they love each other. We had a great season.”

The squad’s defensive unit played particularly well down the stretch.

“They are making the adjustments at the quarter and the timeouts, saying coach, ‘I think we should do this and the other,’” said Casto.

“So they are paying attention, they are well schooled. Both goalies [Leo Godefroy and Sawyer Peck] played great, it is good stuff.”

The Little Tigers got a lot of good stuff from its group of seniors over their careers.

“They were tremendous; we knew this would come four years ago and that they would do something special,” said Casto.

“We are one moment away. This is the fifth straight year losing at this level so we have got to keep working.”

White, for his part, enjoyed working with his classmates over the years.

“It was a really fun experience, I have a lot of great memories with all these guys,” said White, who is headed to Bucknell University where he may play club lacrosse.

“I have been playing with all of them since middle school and elementary school.”