The temperature had dropped to the mid-20s last Wednesday evening around 9:30 but the chill didn’t keep Princeton High boys’ soccer player Nick Kapp from stripping off his jersey and running toward the stands at Toms River North High.

Having scored the lone goal as PHS edged Ocean City 1-0 in the Group 3 state semifinals, the senior forward was fired up to celebrate with the hardy PHS fans on hand.

Kapp’s tally came with 12:32 remaining in regulation as he banged in the rebound on a cross by Jurriaan Dijkgraaf.

“Dijkgraaf got the ball on the side; he has got the speed to beat all of those guys on that side so I knew he was going to get in,” said Kapp, recalling the goal.

“All I was trying to do was to anticipate it and make sure I was in the right spot at the right time. It went to the goalie, he rebounded it out. I anticipated it and just tried to get my foot on it and get it in the back of the net.”

With PHS dominating play, building up an 11-1 edge in shots, Kapp and his teammates had the sense that a goal was coming.

“We possessed the ball very well, we found ways to break their defense down,” said Kapp.

“We just kept chipping away at them until eventually we got one. He was a good goalie, no doubt but I think after a while getting 11 shot to 1, I feel like a goalie is going to get tired out eventually. He made a great save of the cross before the goal but he didn’t have the energy to get back up quick enough to make the second save.”

As a substitute, Kapp has given the Little Tigers energy and production off the bench.

“One of my previous club coaches told me that hard work pays off so I just work as hard as I can whenever I am on the field,” said Kapp, who scored in PHS 4-1 win over Red Bank Regional in the sectional final and also scored a goal in a victory over Steinert in the semis of the Mercer County Tournament.

“Now it has been paying off with goals. I just keep trying to get my name on the scoresheet. It is a great time.”

PHS head coach Wayne Sutcliffe recognized the great contribution he has gotten from Kapp down the homestretch of the season.

“We are getting timely goals from Nick,” said Sutcliffe. “It is the third one in the late season to put us in a position to either draw level or win it. Credit to him for being in the right place and credit to Jurriaan for really hitting the final pass. It is a thing we work on in training.”

Although PHS went on to fall 4-3 to South Plainfield last Sunday in the Group 3 final, that loss can’t diminish the bond the team has formed in a fall that saw it win division, county, and sectional titles.

“Every day, every practice, we are working hard together,” said Kapp, who added another tally in the championship game. “We are a family. We are not just working for ourselves, we are working for each other.”