FREE AND CLEAR: Princeton High boys’ swimmer David Brophy competes in a freestyle race last winter. Senior star and Colgate University-bound Brophy has helped PHS get off to a 2-0 start this season. In upcoming action, the Tigers have meets at Hightstown on December 13 and at Robbinsville on December 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

In its first three seasons with the Princeton High boys’ swim team, the squad’s Class of 2025 has helped the program produce a dominant run.

The Tigers have gone 40-3 in dual meets over that span, winning three county titles, making one New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group B state final and two North 2 Group B sectional finals.

As that battle-tested, talented core of swimmers heads into their final campaign, they are looking to go out with a bang.

“It is always a goal, ‘How can we make it one step further than we did the previous year?’” said PHS head coach Carly Fackler, who guided PHS to a 13-1 record and the sectional final last winter.

“We graduated some pretty talented swimmers in Henry Xu and Zach Guan but the group of seniors that we have returning is probably one of the standout group of seniors that we have had in a while. They are hungry, they are excited.”

The senior class features a quartet of standouts in the Xu twins, David and Jaiden, along with David Brophy and Daniel Guo. As PHS defeated Lawrence High 113-57 last Thursday in its season opener, those stars were shining. Brophy placed first in the 200-yard freestyle and 100 butterfly while Guo won the 50 free and David Xu finished first in the 100 backstroke. Jaiden Xu placed second in both the 200 individual medley and 500 free.

The Xu twins have developed into a powerful one-two punch for the Tigers.

“They have been phenomenal in their past three years, they have only gotten stronger and stronger every season,” said Fackler, whose team defeated Steinert 98-44 last Monday to improve to 2-0.

“It is picking up different events. Jaiden picked up that 500 for us last year a little bit more and David did more in the butterfly and the IM. The two of them are so versatile. I feel in the beginning of their career, it was more David and how versatile he was but now they have both become such well-rounded athletes. They will and can do almost any event for us.”

Brophy, who has committed to attend Colgate University and compete for its men’s swimming program, has displayed an incredible versatility in freestyle events.

“It is crazy; right now his 50 free is faster than our record and two weekends ago, he went after our school record in the 500,” said Fackler. “He broke the 200 free record last year. He said, ‘I would love to take the 50, 200, and the 500.’ At club, his mile and 1000 are also very good. His fly has gotten better.”

Guo has continued to get better and better over his PHS career.

“Daniel is a great IMer, his 200 free is good, and he is good in the 100 free,” said Fackler. “We have to think how we fill in back of Henry Xu and think of the events pretty strategically and what makes sense. That will change every single meet, depending on who we are up against and where they are strong.”

The squad boasts some other strong seniors in Mark Lackner, Tyler Cenci, Matias Da Costa, and Jaden Jung.

“They had all been really solid,” said Fackler. “Someone who really stands out for me in that group is Tyler. He has never been club swimmer. He is such a well-rounded athlete, he is big into triathlons. He is always in shape. Because he is a high school only swimmer, being able to watch him drop as much time as he has over the last three years has been great. Mark has done freestyle, backstroke, and IM. He has definitely been someone who has been versatile for us as well. Matias is one of our top go-to breaststrokers.”

The Elwood brothers, junior Shawn and sophomore Darren, give the Tigers some solid depth.

“Shawn is another high school-only swimmer, he has been pretty good for us,” said Fackler. “His younger brother, Darren, is going to be a sophomore this year. The two of them are people who I could see contributing for us this year too.”

Fackler is expecting a nice contribution from freshman Gabriel Colon. “Gabriel swims at X-Cel,” said Fackler. “He is a good sprinter, he should be pretty good for us as well.”

In Fackler’s view, her senior stars are motivated to do some very big things in their final campaign for PHS.

“They have had the last four years to swim together where they are on different club teams and they see each other at club meets,” said Fackler, whose team has meets at Hightstown on December 13 and at Robbinsville on December 16. “This is the opportunity that they get to forget about club swimming. You put that sense of me away a little bit and you are representing your school so there is the sense of pride as far as that as concerned.”