GETTING HIS KICKS: Princeton High boys’ soccer player Archie Smith boots the ball in recent action. Last Saturday, junior midfielder Smith had two assists to help top-seeded PHS defeat second-seeded Howell 5-1 in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 4 sectional final. The Tigers, now 20-2, host South Jersey champion Washington Township (18-1-2) on November 8 in the Group 4 state semis with victor advancing to the final on November 11. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton High boys’ soccer team locked in a scoreless draw with Howell in the first half of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 4 sectional final last Saturday, Archie Smith won the ball and sprinted down the sideline.

Racing past the Howell defense, junior midfielder Smith slotted a pass to Pasquale Carusone, who buried the feed into the back of the net to put the Tigers up 1-0 in the eighth minute of the contest.

“I just saw Connor [Hewitt] looking up and I said, ‘I will make this run he puts in behind for me,’” said Smith. “I just continue and of course, Pasquale is there to finish.”

The Rebels responded with a goal midway through the half, but PHS forged ahead 2-1 on a tally by freshman Troi Panniel.

“When they got their gala back, it was a bit shaky and just before the half  Troi managed to put one in,” said Smith.

Some 10 minutes into the second half, Smith picked up a second assist, sending the ball through to Azariah Breitman who banged it home as PHS increased its lead to 3-1.

“I saw Pasquale on a foul, the ref called it and I looked up and it was wide open in front,” said Smith. “Z makes the run and a great finish.”

PHS rolled from there, pulling away to a 5-1 win as it improved to 20-2 and will now host South Jersey champion Washington Township (18-1-2) on November 8 in the Group 4 state semis with victor advancing to the final on November 11.

“We have a big time history with that team, they are obviously a good team,” said Smith, noting that Howell knocked PHS out of the state tournament in 2021. “It just shows how strong we are. We haven’t made it far in the last couple years, so it is great to come out with a win here.”

In assessing the squad’s superb season, Smith credited strong bonds on the field with fueling the Tigers.

“I just think we all play really well with each other,” said Smith. “A lot of us play club together so we know each other very well.

Playing with his brother, PHS freshman midfielder Harvey, has helped Smith raise his game as a player and a leader.

“We have played our entire lives together,” said Smith. “I love playing next to him in the middle. It is great. I have been more of an impactful person towards the team and more of a leader. Our midfield is very strong. Matthew Kim is a phenomenal player; me and my brother work very well together.”

PHS first-year head coach Ryan Walsh knew that his team faced a strong challenge in the matchup with Howell.

“They were super athletic in the middle with the 8-shirt (Nicholas Turturro) going forward,” said Walsh. “They were a handful, especially that first half. They broke a lot of plays and didn’t allow us to play the kind of game that we like to play. That was the biggest challenge we had for sure.”

Jumping out to a lead helped the Tigers play their game. “It was huge for us to get that first goal, we have played with a lead for most of the year,” said Walsh. “We do our best work when we are defending and trying to kill off a game so scoring early was super important.”

In Walsh’s view, the goal by Panniel just before
halftime was critically important.

“They came back, they fought, they didn’t give up; they scored and tied it up,” said Walsh. “We really had to buckle down and play a match, they were never going to die there. Troi’s goal, that was huge, going into the half 2-1 versus 1-1, the momentum changed.”

Smith’s alert second half assist helped the Tigers keep going.

“That was a heads up play I was yelling no, no, yes because Harvey has scored so many goals from that spot,” said Walsh. “I wanted Harvey to hit it, but it was so heads up by those guys. Those guys are just soccer junkies, they love to keep playing and they are so smart. Archie played a heck of a game. On the first goal, he won a ball in the middle of the field and drove it. He is the one who started that goal.”

Senior Carusone, who tallied two goals in the victory, has driven the PHS attack as he joined the squad this fall after focusing on club soccer the last three years.

“He is a difference-maker every game, when he wants to play, he is the best player on the field for sure,” said Walsh of Carusone, who has a team-high 25 goals so far this season.

The stingy Tiger defense also made a difference against Howell.

“I thought that they were really athletic, but our back four especially is very mature and athletic as well,” said Walsh. “They have been able to handle anything that any team gave them this year.”

Seeing his squad raising its game to make the state semis was heartening for Walsh.

“We were so great in that second half, that was some of the best soccer we have played,” said Walsh. “It is amazing, I am so proud of these guys. We came into the year and we had a conversation on the first day about how we have the potential to be special. The fact that we are now where we are is really special.”

The Tigers will need to have another big day to overcome Washington in the state semis.

“It is a rematch of the 2017 semis down in Rowan, they have had a great year,” said Walsh. “Historically the last 15 years, they have been so good. We will enjoy this one for sure and we will start preparing for them on Monday. It is just continue to do what we do — defend with everybody in a good shape, making sure that we are sharp in the middle and not turning the ball over in bad spots.”

In Smith’s view, the Tigers need to stick to the basics to keep rolling. “We just have to go into it prepared and ready to win,” said Smith.