GOAL ACHIEVED: Princeton High boys’ soccer players Nick Petruso, left, and Atticus Lynch celebrate after a goal in a game earlier this fall. Last Monday, sophomore striker Petruso scored the lone goal as PHS defeated Nottingham 1-0 to improve to 7-4-2. The Little Tigers start play in the Mercer County Tournament this week when seventh-seeded PHS hosts 10th-seeded Hightstown on October 18 in an opening round contest. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Murphy’s Law has prevailed so far this fall for the Princeton High boys’ soccer team.

“It has been one of those seasons that we are not used to because we have had three major injuries to starters,” said PHS head coach Wayne Sutcliffe.

“We have had concussions, a broken nose, and another guy who has injured his hand in an accident. You throw in the other injuries that you typically have; it has been a challenge.”

Sutcliffe believes his team is up for the challenge of postseason play as it starts action in the Mercer County Tournament this week.

“I think our best soccer is ahead of us over the next several weeks coming up,” asserted Sutcliffe, whose team is seeded seventh in the MCT and hosts 10th-seeded Hightstown on October 18 in an opening round contest.

“We are still Princeton soccer so nobody wants to play us. That is the way we are thinking.”

The Little Tigers showed how well they can play in a 1-0 win over Hopewell Valley on October 6.

“That was a great game; it was probably our best game,” said Sutcliffe. “We played well at both ends and in the midfield. We were really sharp. We had an extra amount of energy, particularly in the second half. We missed a penalty with 15 minutes left and then went on to win it with four minutes left.”

In Sutcliffe’s view, his squad has made progress at both ends of the field.

“I would say between Nick [Petruso] and Sebastian [Ratzan] and the guys around the ball in the front third, it is a little sharper than it has been,” said Sutcliffe, whose team edged Nottingham 1-0 last Monday to improve to 7-4-2 with sophomore star Petruso scoring the lone goal of contest. “If you are going to try to win anything, you have to defend well and try to keep in the game that way.”

The MCT matchup against Hightstown will afford PHS the opportunity to avenge a 1-0 loss to the Rams on October 3.

“Fortunately we will be able to play at home, that is a big factor,” said Sutcliffe.

“We will have a different team than we did that night. The Hightstown field is narrow so we played a different tactical formation. Our field is 75 yards wide so we can open it up a little bit. It is an MCT game; you can talk about tactics all day long, but it is about being in the moment for a tournament game.”

Having experienced some big moments in the state tournament last fall gives the squad’s experienced players an edge coming into the postseason.

“The guys that have been around saw last year’s team go to the Group 4 state final, which is arguably the premier game in New Jersey soccer,” said Sutcliffe. “In terms of the games that led up to that, what it takes and the effort, people have a long memory as far as that. Our guys are confident.”

Sutcliffe, for his part, is confident that his team can do some good things come tournament time.

“We are in a good place in terms being at the point in the season where we are going to have the top 11 players on the field at the same time,” said Sutcliffe. “We have to just figure it out and find a way.”