WINNING COMBINATION: Princeton High football quarterback/defensive back Travis Petrone, left, and junior running back/defensive back Carmine Carusone led the way as PHS defeated the West Windsor/Plainsboro football co-op 21-13 last Saturday. Petrone threw a pair of second quarter touchdown passes to Carusone, who also ran for a TD in the fourth quarter. The Tigers improved to 5-4 with the win and clinched their first trip to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) playoffs since 2014. PHS is seeded eighth in the NJSIAA South Jersey, Group 4 Tournament and will play at top-seeded Winslow (9-0) in a quarterfinal contest on November 2. (Photos by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

There was a lot on the line for the Princeton High football team as it hosted the West Windsor/Plainsboro football co-op last Saturday in its regular season finale.

As the Tigers celebrated Senior Day, they needed a win to go over .500 and put themselves in position to earn their first trip to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) playoffs since 2014.

Coming into the contest, PHS head coach Charles Gallagher sensed that his squad was primed for a big effort.

“It is a good group of seniors, I thought they were going to step up big,” said Gallagher. “The team has bonded, they have jelled and they were going to do it for the seniors too. The underclassmen were just as excited as the seniors were which was real nice.”

The Tigers ended up producing an exciting victory as they rallied from a 7-0 second quarter deficit to pull out a 21-13 win, highlighted by a dramatic goal line stand in the waning seconds of the game. PHS improved to 5-4 with the win, clinching a playoff spot in process where they are seeded eighth in the NJSIAA South Jersey, Group 4 Tournament and will play at top-seeded Winslow (9-0) in a quarterfinal contest on November 2.

“I am really happy for the guys, we got a share of the division (with Trenton) which was the first goal of the year,” said Gallagher, whose team went 4-1 in West Jersey Football League (WJFL) Valley Division play.

Gallagher was happy about the production of the passing combination of senior quarterback Travis Petrone and junior running back Carmine Carusone, who connected for a pair touchdown passes in the second quarter as PHS edged ahead 14-13 at halftime.

“They did a little improvising, which was fantastic,” said Gallagher of the pair, who hooked up for a 39-yard score as PHS knotted the game at 7-7 and then came through with a 30-yard TD later in the quarter.

“All of the plays were coordinated, but I think somewhere along the line Carmine saw an opening and he slid out. Travis had some great time in the pocket, which was awesome. The offensive line did a really great job for us this week. Out of the corner of Travis’ eye, he sees Carmine streaking down the field, which is awesome. He threw a couple of really beautiful passes.”

Carusone culminated the scoring with a 19-yard TD run midway through the fourth quarter.

“That last drive we had, we might have started around the 10-yard line,” said Gallagher. “The drive started in the third quarter and ended in the fourth. I think we had taken it to the six-minute mark. Then they got the ball and we never got the ball back.”

Things got dicey as WWP went on an 18-play march that brought them to the PHS six-yard line in the waning moments of the contest.

“There is eight seconds left on the clock and they had no timeouts,” said Gallagher, recalling the final sequence. “The ball is being spotted and they are snapping the ball with literally like one second left. The horn went off and our guys literally almost stopped. They give the ball to Matt Raeter and he runs the ball up the middle. We are yelling to tackle him. He got five yards, he had a big run up the middle. We stopped him at the one.”

The trio of defensive linemen Richard Jean-Pierre, Zyair Mackey-Wright, and Sean Wilton along with linebacker Julian Frevert combined on the stop, epitomizing the total team effort it took for PHS to pull out the win.

“We had a guy like Brady Collier step up — he did an amazing job, he played some linebacker,” said Gallagher, who got 102 yards receiving and 59 yards rushing from Carusone with Petrone hitting 10-of-17 passes for 173 yards and adding 40 yards rushing. “He really came through in this game. Langston Hinds had a big pick, he filled in for his brother (Ellington) at free safety. He did an amazing job. The defensive line of Sean, Zyair and Richard did a great job of putting pressure on. As for the linebackers, our two guys in the middle, Joe [George] and Elisio [Moncada] have done great job all year.”

Making it back to the state playoffs is a great opportunity for the Tigers.

“I emailed the kids on Sunday, I mentioned that those kids in 2014 really rose to the challenge,” said Gallagher, whose team fell 48-12 to Brick Township in that playoff appearance. “I really feel like this team will do the same thing. I also feel that each of those players and the coaches that were part of that game in 2014 were better because of that game when they left. I told the kids that looking forward to this week, you will feel the same way at the end of the week. I am excited for the opportunity. I know the players are. I know the coaches are. I know the community is.”

PHS does a face a huge challenge in the matchup with undefeated powerhouse Winslow (9-0).

“It is going to be a tall order, there is no doubt about that,” said Gallagher. “They run a lot of plays, they are the No. 1 public school team in the state. We will come together as a team. We will make sure that we are all rested up and as healthy as we can be for Saturday. We will be ready for it.”

No matter what happens on Saturday, Gallagher believes the Tiger program has come together in a special way.

“I just feel like the players are connected which has been really, really great,” said Gallagher. “You see former students back, even the former parents are coming back. I feel it is a real great family. I hope the seniors feel the same way, that they are always welcome back. I am glad they are leaving on a high note. They are going to have fond memories of their senior year. That is what we are hoping for all of our players.”