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Vol. LXII, No. 52
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Wednesday, December 24, 2008
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Vol. LXII, No. 52
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Wednesday, December 24, 2008
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(Photo courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)
INCREDIBLE JOURNEY: Princeton University men’s hockey sophomore Sam Sabky heads up the ice in a game earlier this season. Sabky has risen from a walk-on who saw no action last season to the team’s third-leading scorer this season with seven points on three goals and four assists. Sabky and the eighth-ranked Tigers, who brought a 10-2 record into the holiday break, will resume action when they host No. 17 Minnesota State on December 29. |
It was the opening goal of a routine mid-November regular season game at Union but it provoked one of the more heartfelt cheers seen in years from the members of the Princeton University men’s hockey team.
The goal by Sam Sabky represented a key milestone in an improbable journey which has seen the sophomore forward rise from an unwanted walk-on to a valued member of the Tigers.
For Sabky, the goal was a product of following the system he has worked so hard to learn.
When Chris Ayres took over the Princeton University wrestling program in 2006, he was giving up a plum position.
The former Lehigh University All-American at 157 pounds was a longtime assistant coach at his alma mater.
During his tenure with the Mountain Hawks, the program won five straight Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) team championships and produced 12 All-Americans, including two national champions.
While Ayres relished his role in helping Lehigh solidify its spot among the elite of college wrestling, he was ready for a change of scenery.
After enduring a 4-17 season last winter, the Princeton High boys’ hockey team was shooting to reach the .500 benchmark when it faced Hamilton last Thursday at Mercer County Park.
Riding a two-game winning streak that lifted its record to 2-3, PHS had every reason to come out firing against the less than imposing Hornets.
Molly Barber’s face was beet red and she was winded after playing every minute for the Princeton High girls’ basketball team in its season opener last Monday against visiting Hightstown.
But as Barber gulped down water after the game, her face was locked in a smile, basking in the glow of helping PHS to a 41-23 win over the Rams.
After being mired on the bench last season while playing for the Hun School girls’ hoops team, sophomore guard Barber transferred to PHS hoping for a moment like last Monday.
Coming into last week, Francois Bourbeau wasn’t exactly sure when the Hun School boys’ hockey team last posted a victory in its heated rivalry with Princeton Day School.
“Someone said we last beat them 12 years ago,” said Hun head coach Bourbeau, who is in his seventh season guiding the Raiders. “It was certainly before my time here; it was more than 10 years ago.”
When Hun hosted PDS last Wednesday at Ice Land Skating Center, Bourbeau was sure that his players were ready to get the PDS monkey off their backs.