Town Topics — Princeton's Weekly Community Newspaper Since 1946.
Vol. LXI, No. 17
 
Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Sports


(Photo by Stephen Goldsmith)
HAPPY HOMECOMING: Sydney Johnson smiles as he answers a question last Monday at the press conference introducing him as the new head coach of the Princeton University men's basketball team. Johnson, a 1997 Princeton alum and one of the top players in the program's storied history, said he is excited by the challenge of getting the Tigers back on the winning track. Over the last three seasons, Johnson was an assistant coach at Georgetown under fellow Princeton alum John Thompson III. He culminated his tenure there by helping the Hoyas advance to the NCAA Final Four this past March. The Tigers, meanwhile, went 11-17 overall in 2006-07, plummeting to the program's first-ever last place finish in the Ivies with a 2-12 league mark.

Preaching Forward-Thinking and Hard Work, Johnson Takes Helm of Tiger Men's Hoops

Bill Alden

Wearing a sharp black suit with an orange tie, Sydney Johnson looked the part in being introduced as the new head coach of the Princeton University men's basketball team last Monday."

Johnson, a 1997 Princeton graduate, has orange and black running in his veins, having been a standout player for the Tigers, scoring 1,044 points in his career and setting a program record with 169 career steals. He is the only three-time team captain in program history and helped Princeton win two Ivy League titles during his career.

Paced By Welch's Clutch Hitting, PU Softball Stays Alive in Ivy Race

Bill Alden

The chances of any post-season play were on the verge of slipping away for the Princeton University softball team last Saturday as it hosted surging Penn for the first of two doubleheaders over the weekend between the rivals."

After getting bombed 11-1 by the Quakers in game one, Princeton found itself trailing 2-1 going into the bottom of the fourth inning of the nightcap."

The Tigers tied the game at 2-2 and then sophomore star shortstop Kathryn Welch stepped up to the plate with two runners on base. Showing why she has emerged as Princeton's top clutch hitter, Welch coolly stroked a single to put the Tigers in the lead 3-2."

With Schild Providing Vocal Leadership, PHS Girls' Lax Aims to be More Focused

Bill Alden

For about 10 minutes in its game against WW/P-N last week, the Princeton High School girls' lacrosse team gave a glimpse of how potent it can be."

PHS reeled off nine straight goals in the first half as it turned a 2-1 deficit into a 10-2 lead. But the Little Tigers let up a bit and WW/P-N closed the half with five unanswered goals."

Pitching Ace Russo Going the Distance as Hun Baseball Off to Sizzling Start

Bill Alden

Hun School pitcher Mike Russo likes to finish what he starts."

Last Wednesday against visiting Hill, the junior star showed why he is the ace of the pitching staff, going the distance as the Raiders eked out a 2-1 win."

Russo struck out nine and gave up just three hits as he improved to 3-0 on the season.

With Cawley Providing a Power Surge, Hun Softball Gets on Winning Track

Bill Alden

After losing 3-1 to Lawrenceville 10 days earlier in its season opener, the Hun School softball team was looking to be aggressive last Friday in the rematch of the rivals."

It took just one swing of Morgan Cawley's bat in the bottom of the first inning to show visiting Lawrenceville that things were going to be different the second time around."