BIG JAKE: Princeton High football defensive star Jake Angelucci on the move in a game earlier this season. Senior co-captain Angelucci has helped spearhead a rugged PHS defense that has posted four shutouts so far this season. Last Saturday, the Tigers ran into a buzz saw as they fell 34-14 to Cherry Hill East to move to 4-3. PHS will look to get back on the winning track when it hosts the West Windsor-Plainsboro Co-op (5-2) this Friday evening in its annual Homecoming game under the lights. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Employing tunnel vision on a weekly basis, the Princeton High football team produced an encouraging 4-2 start this fall.

“Our motto has really been be 1-0 against the week, it is something that we have been doing,” said PHS head coach Charlie Gallagher, whose team has posted shutouts in each of its wins this season as the Tigers have made marked progress after going 1-9 last year.

“We weren’t thinking about previous weeks, we were looking at that as more of a distraction than anything else. It is, ‘How do we prepare for the week and how do we find a way to be 1-0?’”

Last Saturday as it hosted Cherry Hill East, though, PHS couldn’t find a way to get it done, falling 34-14 as it moved to 4-3.

After not having given up a point the previous two games as it blanked Holy Cross Prep 29-0 on September 29 and Bishop Eustace 24-0 on September 22, PHS fell behind 22-0 in the first quarter.

“They had a good running back,” said Gallagher, referring to Denzel Lee, who rushed for 194 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries against PHS. “They bullied us a little bit in the first quarter and then we weren’t able to rebound.”

While PHS couldn’t overcome that early deficit, it did show some fight as it outscored the Cougars 14-12 over the final three quarters of the contest.

“They just played better than us, we tried to address it in the second half and the kids responded,” said Gallagher. “I think we made some progress later in the game but we got down so early. We scored seven in the second quarter and then we traded scores.”

The Tiger defense responded as it held the fort after the shaky start.

“The defense played well, Joe George did a great job, I think he had 10 tackles,” said Gallagher. “Anthony Famiglietti played some great defensive end for us, which was awesome. You have to be really disciplined in that position. He and Sean Wilton on the other side are just doing a great job. The interior guys have been playing great. Evan Pease got another pick. I think that might put us at 10 or 11 interceptions on the year which is phenomenal. Ellington has four with two touchdowns, Carmine [Carusone] has four with one touchdown.”

As for the PHS offense, the passing attack had its moments as quarterback Travis Petrone connected on 7 of 12 passes for 118 years and one touchdown. Wyatt Arshan made two catches for 55 yards while Ellington Hinds and two receptions for 38 yards with a 28-yard TD grab.

“Wyatt had a big catch down the sidelines for 55 yards, Ellington is doing what he does,” said Gallagher. “He does a great job. He caught a screen pass, that pass was six yards and he just ran right down the middle with the offense blocking out front. He just took it to the house, he outran the screen. We have to figure a way to get him the ball more.”

With PHS hosting the West Windsor-Plainsboro Co-op (5-2) this Friday evening in its annual Homecoming game under the lights, Gallagher is looking for his players to control their emotions.

“We just have to come out a little more like tempered, I think we get a little too jacked up,” said Gallagher.

“They get too excited and then I think the butterflies kick in. They look at the crowd. They need to go out there and just focus on what is between the lines and don’t get wrapped up in all of the hoopla.”

West Windsor is bringing a 5-2 record into the contest, boasting some key offensive weapons in quarterback Conor Sattiraju and running back Ryan Beske. Sattiraju has passed for 935 yards while Beske has rushed for 435 yards.

“It is going to be tough; they have a good quarterback and a good offensive line,” said Gallagher. “They have a good running back in Beske. He is a pesky running back, he is a problem. They also have a big tight end who had a good game against us last year. We have to be prepared.”

In order to solve those problems, PHS will need to be ready to go from the opening kickoff and play sharper throughout the game.

“We have to have a better first quarter; you are going to get scored on, we just can’t give up three touchdowns,” said Gallagher. “It was nice to get that little winning streak, it was two games. It was short-lived. West Windsor provides a multitude of challenges. We are excited, I hope we provide the same thing to them. Special teams-wise we do a good job and defensively we are doing a great job. Offensively, we have to fine-tune a few things.”