TITLE RUN: Princeton High Boys’ soccer player Pasquale Carusone races past a defender in action this fall. Senior striker Carusone tallied a team-high 28 goals to help PHS win the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 4 state title and post a 22-2 record. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Pasquale Carusone made a decision that changed the course of history for the Princeton High boys’ soccer program.

After focusing on club soccer during his first three years at PHS, he opted to join the Tiger squad this fall.

“It is my senior year, I definitely have to play for my high school,” said Carusone, who played for the Players Development Academy (PDA) and has committed to play at the college level for the University of Rochester. “A lot of kids were giving me stuff for it and saying we could go super far with you this year.”

The PHS players welcomed Carusone with open arms. “They were happy to see me, they have been wanting me to come out for three years,” said Carusone. “I have known the Smith brothers (junior midfielder Archie and freshman midfielder Harvey) for a while — I have played club with them forever. We jelled quick, it wasn’t like it took a few games.”

Carusone got off to a quick start for the Tigers, tallying two goals in his second game as PHS topped Ewing 3-0 and then scoring both goals in 2-0 wins over Hopewell Valley and Lawrence as the Tigers moved to 6-0. The dynamic striker kept rolling, piling up 19 goals and three assists in regular season action.

PHS head coach Ryan Walsh saw Carusone as a difference-maker for the program.

“He came around this summer and the guys are really excited to have him,” said Walsh. “He has fit in right in the puzzle. Last year we had a quality team as well but we didn’t have a go-to scorer. We were young, but having a guy you can count on for a goal or two a game is huge.”

In postseason play, Carusone took things to a higher level, tallying nine goals and two assists. He helped PHS advance to the Mercer County Tournament final where it fell 2-1 to nationally-ranked Pennington. Rebounding from that setback, the Tigers went on a championship run through New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 4 play.

Carusone tallied two goals to help the Tigers defeat Howell 4-1 in the Central Jersey Group 4 sectional final. In the Group 4 state semis against Washington Township, Carusone produced another two-goal effort as the Tigers prevailed 4-0. Capping his senior season in style, Carusone tallied a goal and an assist as PHS rallied from a 2-1 halftime deficit to defeat Kearney 3-2 to win in its first state title since 2012 and fourth overall for the program.

In reflecting on his ride to the title, Carusone made it clear that his decision to join the program left him with memories of a lifetime.

“This is like living the perfect season,” said Carusone, who ended the fall with 28 goals and five assists. “I feel like I fit well in this role for the team, I fit as a goal scorer.”

For emerging as the go-to finisher as he helped PHS make history, Carusone is the choice as the top male performer of the fall season.

SHE’S THE ONE: Princeton High field hockey player Delaney Keegan (No. 13) celebrates after scoring a goal in the Mercer County Tournament. Senior standout Keegan led the Tigers in goals with 25 as PHS went 17-3 and advanced to the final of both the MCT and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey Group 4 sectional tourney. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Top Female Performer

Delaney Keegan was determined to do whatever she could this fall to help the Princeton High field hockey team have a big season in her final campaign with the program.

“Depending on the game, I will do whatever is needed,” said senior star and Cornell commit Keegan. “If I need to hang back more defensively, I have played some back this year. If I need to help the offensive play, I will play offensively. I have become a more offensive player this year. I have stepped up more from the back, playing defensive mid for two years in a row.”

Controlling things from the midfield, the skilled Keegan established herself as the catalyst for a powerhouse PHS squad. She led the Tigers in goals (25) and points (56) as the squad advanced to the Mercer County Tournament final and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey Group 4 final in going 17-3.

While Keegan took a leading role, she cited the squad’s selfless attitude as a key to her production.

“Our team is really good, it has done a really good job at connecting this season and really adjusting to each other’s play,” said Keegan. “We are all in it for each other, no one is in it for themselves. I think that is a really big thing to have on a team, a connection like that is really important. I am really happy playing with these girls. It is really nice.”

PHS head coach Heather Serverson credited Keegan helping to enhance that team chemistry with her selfless play.

“Delaney is a very skilled player but she is also a team player,” said Serverson. “She is not out here to pad her own stats.”

Keegan came up big as the Tigers made their deep tournament runs. She scored two goals to help PHS defeat Allentown 4-3 in overtime in the MCT semis and then contributed two goals in a losing cause as the Tigers fell to Hun in the county final in a penalty shootout after the teams tied at 3-3 through regulation and overtime.

In the state tourney, Keegan had two goals as PHS defeated Montgomery 6-0 in the first round of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) North Jersey Group 4 sectional. Tallying one of the biggest scores of her career, Keegan fired in the winning goal in overtime as the Tigers edged Phillipsburg 2-1 in the sectional semi. While PHS went on to fall 4-0 to Ridge in the sectional final, Keegan was thrilled to make it that far in her final campaign.

“We are a tight group, I have been playing with these girls for a really, really long time,” said Keegan. “I think since seventh grade I have known them. We have been playing in club when we got here. We have been playing our whole entire high school career together. It has been a completely different experience being able to be so close with my classmates. Every single chance we get to be out there, we leave it on the field.”

Serverson wasn’t surprised to see Keegan come through in the clutch down the stretch.

“That is what Delaney does, she gets the winning goal, she gets determined,” said Serverson. “If she has something on her mind, there is not much that can stop her.”

Keegan’s production and determination to do all she could for the Tigers in her senior campaign makes her the leading female performer this fall.

Top Newcomers

Harvey Smith joined the Princeton High boys’ soccer team this fall as a freshman, but he didn’t play like a rookie.

Cracking the starting lineup, midfielder Smith emerged as a key performer with his ball skills and scrappy play.

In making the transition to high school soccer, Smith benefited from having his older brother, junior midfielder Archie, on the PHS squad.

“It is easier for me because I have a brother; he has been friends with the other players,” said Smith. “Me and him are tight, so it is a lot easier to make friends.”

The brothers carried that tight connection into the field. “I feel a very good chemistry with him,” said Smith. “We are always giving each other one-two passes.”

PHS head coach Ryan Walsh credited the younger Smith with giving the Tigers some heady play in his debut campaign.

“Harvey has become a great set piece taker here,” said Walsh. “He is only a freshman, but in his mind he is senior. He is a mature kid. He is really connected with our whole team because of his brother. He has been around the guys for a while. On the field, him and his brother always know where each other is without even looking. It is a great feel and that is why they are so good in the middle for us.”

Smith displayed his maturity, coming up with some clutch plays to help the Tigers as they went on a historic run, winning the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 4 sectional title and then going on to earn the Group 4 state title. The talented freshman scored the winning goal in a 2-1 win over Monroe in the sectional semis, blasting a free kick off the crossbar and into the net. In the sectional final, he chipped in an assist as PHS defeated Howell 5-1.

In the state final against Kearny, Smith scored a goal 14 seconds into the game and then assisted on the game-tying goal by Pasquale Carusone as PHS rallied for a 3-2 triumph, winning the program’s first state title since 2012 and fourth overall.

Smith, for his part, prided himself on showing grace under pressure.

“I bring a composure,” said Smith, who ended up with eight goals and 11 assists this fall. “I feel when I am on the ball, it just calms people down because I find the pass instead of just kicking it all of the time.”

For making such an impact in his debut season with his skill and composure, Smith gets the nod as the top boy newcomer.

Piper Morey brought some special athletic bloodlines as she joined the Hun School field hockey team this fall.

Her father, Sean, was a record-breaking receiver for the Brown football team who played nine seasons in the NFL while her mother, Cara, was a field hockey and ice hockey star at Brown and is now the head coach of the Princeton University women’s ice hockey program.

While her parents could certainly give her on-field pointers, they have focused on other areas.

“They don’t really talk to me about my skill or anything, that will come,” said Morey. “They really talk to me about my work ethic and how the best thing to be as an athlete is to work hard. I always try to have a strong work ethic through all of the game because coaches will always see how hard you work and how good of a teammate you are.”

Displaying plenty of skill to go along with her work ethic, Morey emerged as Hun’s top offensive threat, scoring a team-high 13 goals. Her production helped Hun win its first outright Mercer County Tournament title as it topped Princeton High in a penalty shootout in the final on the way to a brilliant 15-5 campaign.

Hun head coach Tracey Arndt was thrilled to have Morey join her squad this fall.

“I am pretty lucky that I have gotten to see Piper since she was in sixth grade,” said Arndt. “What I know of her is that she is just a super personable kid. I have always been really excited to get to work with her because every time I have seen her, she gives everything she has. She is a gamer.”

Although Morey starred from the beginning, success didn’t come easy for her.

“Being one of the youngest on the team is the biggest challenge,” said Morey. “I haven’t played with this level of skill before, going from middle school field hockey to high school is a big challenge.”

Displaying skill and a strong work ethic to spark the Hun attack, Morey is the choice as the top girl newcomer.

MAKING HER POINT: Princeton High girls’ volleyball head coach Patty Manhart instructs her players during the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 3 sectional tournament. Manhart guided PHS to the Group 3 state title and a 30-1 record. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Top Coaches

Ryan Walsh stepped into some big shoes this fall when he took the helm of the Princeton High boys’ soccer program.

Walsh was succeeding Wayne Sutcliffe who stepped down from the program last spring ending a 26-year tenure that featured two state titles.

“There is definitely a little pressure, me and Wayne always wanted to win,” said Walsh, a former Rider University men’s soccer standout who served eight seasons as an assistant coach at PHS under Sutcliffe. “I am super competitive. So no matter where I got my first coaching job, I was going to feel some pressure because I want to win so bad. I am always going to feel that way.”

While Walsh was looking to put his stamp on the program, he wasn’t about to reinvent the wheel in the wake of Sutcliffe’s winning approach.

“He had so much success,” said Walsh of Sutcliffe. “I try to take a lot of what he did. He is always even-keeled. I want to keep that same cool head that he has. It is a similar training style, not a whole lot is going to change hopefully.”

Working under Sutcliffe helped Walsh learn the ins and outs of coaching.

“I learned so much about coaching in those eight years, going from a player to a coach is such a huge leap,” said Walsh. “I didn’t realize how big of a leap it was. As a coach, there is a lot of managing players and players’ emotions. As a player, you don’t really see that side. Those were the biggest challenges, trying to deal with teenagers’ emotions. High school soccer is tough because the kids come from school all day and sometimes they are not able to leave that behind them when they get to practice.”

One of the key lessons Walsh took from Sutcliffe’s approach was the importance of developing bonds with players.

“Besides the soccer knowledge, he really taught me how to deal with people and kids,” said Walsh. “He was really good about connecting with players. He spent a lot of time before and after training getting to know guys on a more personal level.”

PHS senior star Pasquale Carusone credited Walsh with connecting well with the 2023 squad.

“He is great, I love coach Walsh,” said Carusone. “In school too, he has a lot of energy. He hypes our team up. He knows what he is talking about when it comes to soccer, he has a great background having played at Rider.”

As his debut season unfolded, Walsh’s energy helped him get the most out of his players. The Tigers rolled through the regular season, going 14-1.

Competing in the Mercer County Tournament, second-seeded PHS advanced to the final where it battled top-seeded, undefeated and nationally-ranked Pennington tooth and nail before falling 2-1 on a late goal.

Bouncing back in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 4 tournament, top-seeded PHS lived up to its ranking, routing second-seeded Howell 5-1 in the sectional crown.

“It is amazing, I am so proud of these guys,” said Walsh after that win. “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.”

In the Group 4 final four, PHS topped Washington Township 4-0 in the semis to earn a shot at fellow powerhouse Kearny in a rematch of 2017 state final which saw the Tigers fall 3-1.

Coming through in dramatic fashion, PHS rallied from a 2-1 halftime deficit to pull out a 3-2 victory to earn its first state title since 2012 and fourth overall.

In Walsh’s view, being on the same page from the start led to the historic finish.

“In the offseason we got together and these guys were not going to be stopped,” said Walsh, who guided the Tigers to a 22-2 record. “All they wanted to do was win, the entire team had this great desire to win. I think that is what made the team.”

For helping PHS maintain its winning tradition as he took the helm from the legendary Sutcliffe and guided the Tigers to a state title in the process, Walsh is the choice as the top coach of a boys’ team this season.

Over the course of the fall, Patty Manhart and Chris Pettit traveled different paths in guiding their programs but they ended up in the same place – earning a state title.

PHS girls’ volleyball head coach Manhart knew that her squad had the chance to be dominant, returning a trio of sophomore standouts in Naomi Lygas, Kaelin Bobetich, and Charlotte Woods along with junior stars Lois Matsukawa and Pearl Agel.

“I think they feel really good,” said Manhart. “They trust each other. They have played together before on the school team, but they have also been playing at the same club. They are familiar with different systems and communication. They are ready to go, everyone can see that their teammates get better every year. Knowing that they were solid last year, everyone feels really good.”

Having fallen in the sectional final in 2022, the Tigers set their sights on a state title.

“We see the banner in our gym every day; we have a couple of league titles on the banner but at the bottom of the banner for states, it is blank,” said Manhart. “They see it, they want it, at least a sectional title. We are setting that bar for a Group 3, that is always where we are looking. We are not going to lower our expectations.”

Meeting those expectations, PHS plowed through the competition in regulation season action, winning most matches in two sets and suffering a lone loss.

The Tigers won their second straight Burlington County Scholastic League (BCSL) in dominant fashion, topping Notre Dame (25-19, 25-15) in the final.

Moving on to state competition, PHS cruised through the bracket, winning each match by 2-0 scored on the way to its first-ever New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 3 sectional title and the Group 3 state final. In the championship match, PHS rolled to a 2-0 (25-21, 25-12) win over Millburn to earn the program’s first state title.

In assessing her squad’s championship run, Manhart credited her players with showing a year-round intensity.

“I think what makes us special and unique is the commitment year-round, these girls are never out of season,” said Manhart, whose team ended the fall with a 30-1 record. “It is just full steam ahead. They are relentless and just keep getting better and better. It is definitely a privilege as a coach to be able to have a group of girls that can make that commitment because it is not easy. It is something I don’t have control of. For that to be where everyone is, being dedicated 100 percent and able to play, it makes my life easy.”

Leading the Princeton Day School girls’ soccer team, things didn’t come easy this fall for Pettit.

PDS enjoyed a superb regular season, going 11-1-1 heading into the Mercer County Tournament, but hit some roadblocks when it headed into postseason play.

In the MCT quarterfinals, PDS fell 1-0 to Steinert on a goal in the second overtime. Competing in the Prep state tournament quarterfinals, the Panthers battled Blair Academy to a 2-2 tie through regulation and two overtimes but lost in a penalty kick shootout.

Heading into the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey Non-Public A tournament, the Panthers displayed a heightened sense of urgency.

“I don’t know what it was, we had a couple of tough losses and this has really sharpened our focus,” said Pettit. “I think coming into states, we were struggling even when we were winning. We were struggling to play for 80 minutes from start to finish. We would take our foot off the pedal for 20 minutes. We came into states and everything switched. It was win or go home and we are not done yet.”

After rolling to a 4-1 win over Donovan Catholic in the first round and a 6-0 rout of Mount St. Mary in the quarterfinals, the Panthers found themselves in a do-or-die situation against St. John Vianney in the semis. The foes battled to a scoreless draw though regulation and two overtimes and headed to penalty kicks. The time, PDS prevailed, making all five of its kicks while goalie Shelby Ruf turned away one of the St. John Vianney shots to help clinch the win. In the sectional final against Trinity Hall, guided by former Panther head coach Pat Trombetta, PHS pulled out a gritty 2-0 win to make the Non-Public A State final.

Facing a high-scoring Mount St. Dominic in the final, the PDS defense held the fort as the Panthers won 2-0 on second half goals by Mackenzie Brodel and Juliana Hartman.

Guiding the Panthers to their first-ever Non-Public state title was phenomenal experience for Pettit.

“It is huge; we have only been here three years and we are definitely ahead of schedule,” said Pettit, whose team finished the fall with a 17-2-3 record. “It was obviously a goal for us. When we came, we had 17 kids and only eight or nine of them played club. I think we had nine wins in the first year so to go from that to this in three years is definitely ahead of schedule. Now we are here and we have to keep it going and build from here. It is exciting.”

In Pettit’s view, building a strong team unity was a huge factor in the squad’s success this fall.

“We focused a lot on the chemistry and the culture and I give the seniors great credit,” said Pettit. “A lot of time for the high school seniors, it is ‘oh it is my senior year. It is my this, it is my that.’ This group of seniors hasn’t done that at all, they have actually stepped back and said it is about us, it is about we. As a result, all of the younger players have had the room to feel like this is theirs and they have really bloomed because of that.”

For leading their programs to their first-ever NJSIAA titles, Manhart and Pettit are the choice as the top coaches of a girls’ team this fall.