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Vol. LXIII, No. 27
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Wednesday, July 8, 2009
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Vol. LXIII, No. 27
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Wednesday, July 8, 2009
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(Photo provided courtesy of Princeton’s Office of Athletic Communications)
SERIOUS CHALLENGE: New Princeton University men’s lacrosse head coach Chris Bates poses at the Class of 1952 Stadium last week after taking the Tiger job. Bates, who posted a 70-71 record as the head coach at Drexel the last decade, faces a serious challenge as he takes over for Bill Tierney. Hall of Fame coach Tierney, who recently took over the University of Denver program, guided the Tigers to 18 NCAA tournament appearances and six national titles in 22 years. |
Phil Bengston, Gene Bartow, Bill Guthridge, and Ray Perkins are not exactly household names on the sporting landscape.
They are four coaches who had the unenviable task of succeeding legends and none of them lasted longer than four seasons in their bids to follow in the footsteps of giants.
Bengston followed Vince Lombardi on the Green Bay Packers, Bartow succeeded John Wooden with UCLA men’s basketball, Bill Guthridge replaced Dean Smith at North Carolina, and Ray Perkins took over Alabama football after Bear Bryant’s retirement.
Now Chris Bates is going to get a sense of the challenges that quartet faced as he takes the reins of the Princeton University men’ lacrosse program after the departure of Hall of Fame coach Bill Tierney to the University of Denver.
DeQuan Holman was a bit under the weather as he hit the field last Thursday evening for the West squad in the 13th annual Sunshine Classic all-star football game.
“I am a little sick so I had to get myself into the game a little more,” said Holman, a former Princeton High star receiver who was suffering from flu-like symptoms.
The West team looked ill collectively in the early going as the powerful East team rolled to a 13-0 lead eight minutes into the contest at Lions Stadium on the campus of The College of New Jersey.
Jessica Campisi felt some nerves as she toed the rubber for the Cranbury-Plainsboro/Princeton 12-year-old softball all stars last week in the District 12 tournament.
“It was hard at first,” said Campisi, a rising eighth grader at John Witherspoon Middle School. “It took my head out of the game.”
The right-handed pitcher regrouped and kept her head as C-P/Princeton faced Florence last week in its opening game of the District 12 competition.
Producing a superb effort, Campisi gave up just one run through the first four innings of the game.
Sean Clancy was never worried about the fight in his Princeton 12-year-old Little League all stars.
Despite dropping three consecutive contests in the District 12 Little League baseball tournament, Princeton manager Clancy remained upbeat about his team’s effort and performance.
“Baseball’s always a funny game sometimes you go out there and play a good, close game, and other times, the ball just doesn’t seem to bounce your way,” said Clancy, whose team played in Pool C of the competition.
It has been a roller-coaster ride for Wanny Carter this season in his role as the man in the middle for Team Turnpike of the Princeton Recreation Department Summer Men’s Basketball League.
Before the season even started, Carter suffered an injury to his right calf which continues to hamper him into July.
In addition, the team, which started the season named Amanda’s All-Stars, lost it original sponsor and was able to stay afloat with the intervention of Team Turnpike.