GIFT OF GAB: Hun School girls’ basketball player Gabby D’Agostino dribbles upcourt in action this winter. Junior guard D’Agostino averaged 21.9 points a game this season as Hun went 23-6 and advanced to the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) title game. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

By Bill Alden

Coming into the winter, junior point guard Gabby D’Agostino was looking to be more of playmaker for the Hun School girls’ basketball team.

“We have so many new people this year, we move the ball so well,” said D’Agostino. “When I am driving if they are double-teaming, I can kick it out and I have full trust that they are going to make the shot.”

Hun head coach Sean Costello credited D’Agostino with diversifying her game.

“Gabby is just very good,” said Costello. “What you are seeing this year is her ability to pass the ball. She can fill it up quickly but now when teams decide to try to take her away, she is finding her teammates and they are able to knock shots down.”

But Costello didn’t necessarily want D’Agostino to be a pass-first point guard.

“As long as she doesn’t stop trying to score,” said Costello. “She is an unbelievable passer. It is something that she hasn’t really had the opportunity to do a lot. I think the challenge will be for her to find that balance this year, making sure that she is still being aggressive and that alpha scorer but then at the same time distributing and getting other people shots.”

Having been sidelined by appendicitis late in her sophomore campaign, D’Agostino worked hard over the offseason to hone her offensive skills.

“It was kind of hard to get the flow back, the competitive nature back,” said D’Agostino. “I worked on everything, threes, floaters, and lay-ups, just trying to get back in the swing. I was practicing a little longer and lifting a little harder just to catch up with everyone else.”

While D’Agostino’s playmaking helped keep the Raider offense flowing as Hun went 23-6 and advanced to the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) final, that extra training helped her maintain her role as the team’s alpha scorer.

D’Agostino ended up averaging 21.9 points a game, totaling 633 points to bring her career total to 1,448. Down the stretch of the season, D’Agostino had games where she scored 35 points, 31, 36, 37, and 33.

“I think it is just calming everything down, being unselfish,” said D’Agostino, reflecting on her approach. “We don’t care who plays well if we play well as a team.”

For playing extremely well as she excelled as a playmaker while still pouring in points, D’Agostino is the choice as the top girl performer of the high school winter season.

TITLE PUSH: Princeton High star wrestler Blasé Mele, top, pushes Pope John’s Donny Almeyda into the mat on the way to defeating him 7-1 in the 144-pound final earlier this month at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) State wrestling Championships in Atlantic City. Mele became the first boys’ state champion in PHS history, and only the fourth boy champion from Mercer County. (Photo provided by Jess Monzo)

Top Boy Performer

Princeton High star Blasé Mele placed sixth at 138 pounds as a junior at the 2024 New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Boys Wrestling State Championships in Atlantic City, but he wanted more coming into his senior campaign.

“It’s such a hard tournament,” said Mele after that performance. “I’ve been there twice. The environment is like no other. I have one more year and I’m shooting for gold. I’m trying to get Princeton its first state title.”

On a mission, Mele produced a stellar senior campaign this winter as he moved up to 144 pounds. He placed first at the Sam Cali Invitational and the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) championship meet. Heading into state competition, Mele placed second at NJSIAA District 18 and Region 5 tourneys to punch his return ticket to Atlantic City.

Seeded fourth in the state championship meet, Mele rolled to the semifinal, posting a pair of technical fall wins and a major decision on the way to a clash with defending state champion Sonny Amato of Rumson-Fair Haven. Having lost to Amato in both the District and Region finals, the third time was a charm for Mele as he edged his nemesis 3-2.

Coming into the state final against Pope John’s Donny Almeyda, Mele was feeling some butterflies.

“I was more nervous before the state championship than anything else,” said Mele. “I was so nervous. But I just fell back on my training. And I fell back on the words of my coaches and the words of my family and just had faith that it was going to be all right and that I was going to perform at my best. I kind of tried to put aside the desire to win and just focused on doing the next small thing that would get me my goal.”

Mele ended up performing very well, topping Almeyda 7-1 in the final to make history, becoming the first boys’ state champion in PHS history.

“It’s been pretty surreal,” said Mele, who finished the season with a 31-2 record. “A lot of emotions and I’m still kind of getting used to being a New Jersey state champion. But I’m getting there and I’m starting to feel what it means, which is pretty cool.”

PHS head coach Jess Monzo was thrilled to see Mele earn the title.

“Blasé was awesome,” said Monzo. “I don’t think there’s a better word to describe it. The only people that really thought he was going to win are the people from Princeton. There was a lot of people over the weekend that wanted us to win against certain kids, but the only people that believed that were the guys in blue, the guys in his corner – his friends, his teammates. They knew he would do it.”

In Monzo’s view, Mele’s loyalty to PHS made his achievement even more special.

“This couldn’t happen to a better kid,” said Monzo. “He’s a kid that that stayed home, that tried to prove to the world and to the state of New Jersey that you don’t need to go to that nationally ranked private or parochial school even if they’re knocking at your door and if they’re making calls and they’re looking and they’re reaching out. You know you can do it at home if you just believe in yourself and you believe in the coaches and what they’re going to give you.”

Mele, who will be staying home for his college career as he has committed to Princeton University, is proud to have blazed a trail for PHS.

“Nobody can ever take away the fact that I’m a New Jersey state champion,” said Mele. “And in some states, that’s not really a big deal. But in New Jersey it’s a big deal and there’s no running from that and in this area there’s only been four men to win. And in Princeton, I’m the first.”

For making history by achieving his state championship goal, Mele is the top boy performer this winter.

SUPER SAVER: Princeton Day School girls’ hockey goalie Kelly Stevens guards the crease in a game this winter. Junior transfer Stevens starred as PDS won its first-ever title in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) State Girls’ Ice Hockey Tournament. Stevens was second in the state with a .941 save percentage and first in shutouts with six. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Top Newcomers

Coming into the winter, Princeton Day School girls’ hockey co-head coach Jamie Davis sensed that he had something special in junior transfer netminder Kelly Stevens.

“Kelly is a really strong goalie,” said Davis.“ She hasn’t been totally tested yet, we have only had one scrimmage. In practice, she stands on her head. She is a competitor, which is nice. She is going to be one of our best players this year.”

Once the regular season started, Stevens emerged as one of the best players in New Jersey. She gave up only seven goals as PDS got off to a 5-0-1 start.

“Kelly has been great,” said Davis. “She is locked in. She likes to compete, she works hard. ”

Competing hard in the Librera Cup in February, Stevens posted two shutouts as PDS topped Morristown-Beard 3-0 in the semis and then routed Oak Knoll 7-0 in the final.

Raising her game down the stretch, Stevens starred as the top-seeded Panthers went on a run to its first-ever title in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) State Girls’ Ice Hockey Tournament. She made 38 saves as PDS topped eighth-seeded Summit 5-0 in the quarterfinal round and came up with 17 stops in a 4-3 overtime win against Mo-Beard in the semis.

In the final, Stevens recorded 20 saves as the Panthers blanked second-seeded Immaculate Heart Academy 7-0 at the Prudential Center in Newark.

“Kelly really pushed for that shutout and she made some big saves,” said Davis, reflecting on the title game. “There are some videos, she made this crazy stick save. She made some butt end saves and she made some high blocker saves.”

Stevens ended up second in the state with a .941 save percentage and first in shutouts with six.

Making a huge impact as she joined the PDS program and helped it win its first-ever Non-Public state title makes Stevens the choice as the top girl newcomer.

Blake Hargrove came up big in his debut for the Hun School boys’ basketball team as it faced Malvern Prep (Pa.) in the season opener.

Sophomore transfer guard Hargrove poured in 31 points to help Hun prevail 85-78

Hun head coach Jon Stone wasn’t surprised to see Hargrove make such an impact.

We have a new player, Blake, who is excellent,” said Stone before the season started. “He is a really strong two-way player. His defense is excellent, he is really quick and strong. He has the ability to get assists and score as well. He is going to be a really good addition for us.”

Hargrove ended up having a really good season, averaging 17.7 points a game along with 3.8 assists 5.1 rebounds, and 2.3 steals. He shot 40 percent from 3-point range and 87 percent from the free throw line and was named a first-team All-Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) performer.

“Blake’s statistics were really, really impressive, he led us in scoring, he led us in assists, he led us in field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage and steals,” said Stone. “He was our third best rebounder. He had a 15-rebound game and the guy isn’t even 6 feet. He has the ability to do so many things. Even on nights when his shot is not falling or he is not at his best, he does so many things defensively and in other parts of the game that make it hard for you to take him off the floor.”

Hargrove’s immediate import in his first season for Hun earns him the nod as the top boy newcomer.

Top Coaches

Dealing with injuries to some key players, the Princeton Day School girls’ hockey team faced adversity before the 2024-25 season even started.

Going into the campaign with just nine skaters plus goalie Kelly Stevens, PDS co-head Jamie Davis still believed the squad can grow into a force.

“Once we have our injured players back we have a really strong team,” said Davis, who was missing top forwards, senior Eibhleann Knox and junior Brynn Dandy, due to injury. “Until then, it is going to take a little work. We have got good players that don’t get the usual ice time and hopefully they get used to it. We will do some rebuilding and get a couple of key players back and hopefully it all comes together at the right time.”

But even missing those key players, Davis and co-head coach Jade Meier guided the Panthers to a sizzling start as they went 5-0-1 in their first six games. After losing two straight games in mid-January, PDS went undefeated the rest of the winter.

The Panthers rolled to Librera Cup title in February, topping Morristown-Beard 3-0 in the semis and then routing Oak Knoll 7-0 in the final.

Continuing its dominant play in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) State Girls’ Ice Hockey Tournament, top-seeded PDS topped eight-seeded Summit 5-0 in the quarterfinals and then edged MoBeard 4-3 in overtime in the semis.

Saving their best for last, the Panthers drubbed second-seeded Immaculate Heart Academy 7-0 in the final at the Prudential Center in Newark, winning the program’s first-ever Non-Public state title and culminating a magical 15-2-1 campaign.

In reflecting on the team’s success, co-head coach Meier pointed to its chemistry.

“They have good relationships with each other, they are all sisters,” said Meier. “It gets a little bit insane on the bench at times but I think it is all for the best. They all want to win.”

Davis, for his part, credited the PDS players for displaying a special work ethic this winter.

“They definitely persevered, they worked really hard and that is what I push for,” said Davis. “That is the main thing that differentiates teams – effort and working hard. We had a lot of skill. We probably had more skill than any of the teams but that doesn’t mean that is what wins it. You really have to work for it and I think we worked really hard all year. I know what it is to give 100 percent so I like to push them. They don’t like to hear it, you have got to work hard out there.”

That work resulted in a historic campaign. “For the boys and the girls, they haven’t had this title so it is really great,” said Davis. “We had seven players at one game, eight skaters at another so they battled all year. I am happy for them. I am happy for myself but they are the ones out there earning it. It was exciting for sure, it is a big deal for them. They got the full experience.”

For leading their shorthanded but skilled and determined squad to a first-ever NJSIAA state title, Davis and Meier are the top coaches of a girls’ team this winter.

Carly Fackler was expecting some big things from her stellar group of seniors as the Princeton High boys’ swimming team looked forward to the 2024-25 campaign.

“We graduated some pretty talented swimmers 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,” said PHS head coach Fackler. “They are hungry, they are excited.”

The team’s big four of senior stars David Brophy and Daniel Guo along with the Xu twins, David and Jaiden, ended up producing an exciting final campaign.

“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. “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 is concerned.”

Showing that pride, the Tigers rallied from an 82-74 deficit in a meet against WW/P-South in mid-December to pull out a dramatic 86-84 win that preserved a regular season winning streak which started with a win over Ewing on December 5, 2019.

“Heart, that is what it really comes down to,” said Fackler, reflecting on the comeback which saw the Xu twins move from the 400 free A relay to the B group to ensure a 1-2 finish needed for the win. “We didn’t win the medley relay, that was something we were hoping to get from the beginning. Starting out the first event being down 4-10 could potentially be a blow to the meet. They hung in there and they kept it close the entire time. They knew what they had to do from start to finish.”

PHS went on the post another undefeated regular season, going 8-0 to extend its regular season winning streak to 66 dual meets.

Heading into the postseason, PHS edged WW/P-South by six points to place first in the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) championship meet in late January. It marked the program’s fourth straight crown at the county competition, formerly known as the Mercer County Swimming Championships.

The seniors made their last home meet special as they topped North Hunterdon 101-68 in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North 2, Group B quarterfinals.

“As per usual, it is the same story all of the time with them, they stepped up,” said Fackler, whose team went on to lose to Summit in the sectional semis to end the winter with a 9-1 record. “They are just such all stars, they really will do any event. They made me take a picture of the four of them, saying this is our last home meet as seniors. When you hear things like that and that kind of stuff starts to sink in with all of the memories and you are thinking back to freshman year.”

For guiding her squad to yet another memorable championship campaign, Fackler is the choice as the top coach of a boys’ team.