BREAKING THROUGH: Princeton High football player Remmick Granozio fights for extra yardage in a game this fall. Senior tight end Granozio’s intensity helped the Tigers go 5-4 this year as the program produced its first winning campaign since 2014. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

In recent years, Charlie Gallagher needed to be creative to put a positive spin on things when he spoke at the year-end banquet for his Princeton High football team.

But this Thursday when the team gathers for the annual event, PHS head coach Gallagher will have plenty of positives to cover as he recaps a 2023 season that saw the Tigers go 5-4, producing their first winning campaign since 2014.

“At a banquet when you are not finishing very well, you are always trying to think of the silver linings,” said Gallagher, whose program had posted a 4-29 overall record in the previous four seasons. “I will tell you this, the silver linings are that we won this year.”

Gallagher wants his players to savor that success as they reflect on this fall.

“When I was in high school, I remembered the losses, the reason why I do that is because we didn’t lose many,” said Gallagher. “This year I would like our players to remember the wins because we have had enough losses so remember these wins. I would love to think that we got you in the right spot and coached you guys up but you guys were the players. You guys did all of the hard work.”

PHS put in some great work in its season finale as it defeated Palmyra 52-7 on October 21.

“It was a great game, it was a great team effort,” said Gallagher. “Our defense pitched another shutout. We had a fumble on a punt that led to a touchdown but the defense never got scored on. The defense did just a great job in our five wins. All season long, coach [Brandon] Williams, our defensive coordinator, did a great job. He had the kids believing and the kids love him.”

Senior Evan Pease produced a defensive highlight for the Tigers in the win with a 32-yard interception return.

“What an amazing play, it was on a bubble screen,” said Gallagher. “We had scouted that because they have a play where they spread everybody out and every time they put the guys out on the corner, they throw a bubble screen. Evan said he saw it and he just ran right in front of the ball and picked it off and ran 32 yards for a touchdown.”

Another senior, Tyler Goldberg, ran wild against Palmyra, rushing for 127 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries and also making a TD reception.

“Tyler had four touchdowns, he could have had more,” said Gallagher. “We tried to split the time with Evan. We even pulled Tyler out. I think Andrew Foreman got a touchdown, we wanted to see what the young guys can do. At the same time we were thinking maybe we will play another game and he was going to get another chance.”

Initially, PHS was slated to play one more game after Palmyra with a New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) cross-over game against Hightstown but that was later canceled.

While the Tigers were looking forward to that matchup and a chance to get another victory, the five-win campaign has interest in the program soaring.

“It was crazy because like in 2017, we got off to a nice win, we beat Hightstown 33-0 and then we lost nine straight,” said Gallagher. “It was nice to get that first one, it was back and forth after that. We won one, we lost one, we won one, we lost one. Then we won two and lost two before Palmyra. It is great for the future, it is great for these kids. We had almost 30 kids last year and we were 1-9. We had 67 come out this year and I think we finished with around 60. I may have to order 100 helmets next year after winning five games.”

Star running back and tri-captain Goldberg had a great final campaign for the Tigers, rushing for 667 yards and five touchdowns on 143 carries.

“Tyler was a two-year captain, we never had that before,” said Gallagher.

“He really lived up to all of the expectations that we had for him. I am real happy, it was great that he could finish off that way. He had some really solid games for us all year. You could call him the bell cow — when all else failed, we still run Tyler. When things are going well, you run Tyler.”

Along with Goldberg, the squad’s other seniors did a lot of good things for the program.

“We have some unheralded guys like Anthony Famiglietti who did just a really great job for us,” said Gallagher. “Ben Walden played three years for us at corner. He did just a great job and he stepped in at wide receiver this year. He was a great guy we can rely on. He was really a shutdown corner for us, he really turned into a great tackler over this past year. Then we had Jake Angelucci, one of our team captains along with Famiglietti and Goldberg. He is the last of the Angeluccis, he is the fourth one. I couldn’t be more proud of him. Remmick Granozio is a super kid. He is a gutsy kid, he was nicked up all year. He had a great head on his shoulders and was a really hard worker.”

Looking ahead, Gallagher believes that his group of returners will be ready to step up next fall.

“We have got both wide receivers coming back, we have got both quarterbacks,” said Gallagher, referring to receivers Ellington Hinds and Wyatt Arshan and QBs Travis Petrone and Brady Collier. “We have two sophomores, Andrew Foreman and Carmine Carusone, at running back. Outside of Evan Pease, we have our linebackers coming back in Elisio Moncada and Joe George. I am excited about that. We have Sean Wilton returning, he will be our left tackle for three years. What a great athlete, doing track, and throwing the shot. He is so strong. Travis Petrone did a great job for us all year — not only is he a multi-sport athlete, but he is a multi-position guy. He snaps on punts and holds on kicks. He does everything for us. He is a gamer. We will be in good hands with him next year.”

Fired up by the success this fall, Gallagher and his staff will be working hard to keep the program on the winning track.

“We spend a lot of time in the off-season, you can get a leg up on teams if you plan things out and do your homework in the offseason,” said Gallagher. “We already have our 7-on-7 lined up, we will probably have that in March.”