(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption: LONG-TERM GROWTH: Princeton High senior defenseman Pat Long prepares to chuck the ball up the field in action this spring. PHS took its lumps this season, going 4-10 as it worked a core of young players into its lineup. Little Tiger head coach Peter Stanton believes the lessons learned this spring should benefit the program down the road.

PHS Boys’ Lax Took Its Lumps but Sees Long-Term Dividends

Bill Alden

There is no question that the Princeton High boys’ lacrosse team took plenty of lumps this spring.

Forced to go with a youth movement in the absence of a core of seniors, PHS went 4-10 and missed out on its seemingly annual trip to the state tournament.

While longtime head coach Peter Stanton was not happy with his team’s final record, he believes his younger players learned some lessons that will benefit the program down the line.

“We played some really tough teams; we battled through things,” said Stanton.

“Many of the teams that beat us were state champs, teams like Hunterdon Central, Moorestown and Lawrenceville. We would have liked to be more competitive in those games but we know our young guys got great experience playing such high level teams.”

Those young guys did get the benefit of some leadership from gritty seniors Will Moseley and Dan Naaman.

“I’m really proud of kids like Will Moseley who came out his senior year after not having gotten much playing time and a guy like Dan Naaman, who started playing lacrosse his sophomore year,” asserted Stanton.

“I like the fact that the kids stayed on and stuck it out through thick and thin.”

PHS got leadership and scoring punch from its most experienced senior, Trinity-bound Brandon Polakoff.

“Polakoff getting his 100th goal was a highlight,” said Stanton of the four-year starter who scored 54 points this spring on 32 goals and 22 assists.

“He almost made Academic All-American; he had a 4.2 GPA or something like that. It’s great to have kids like that in a program.”

Stanton liked the way some of his younger kids progressed as the spring unfolded.

“Michael Irving was so steady, you could see him learning with every game,” said Stanton, referring to his freshman defenseman.

“Mike Olentine and the Bryants (Allan and Doug) did very well. Our attack played very well for us.”

Junior goalie Jeff Goeke played very well as he held the youthful PHS defense together.

“Jeff was 2d team All-Pitt Division and honorable mention All-State,” said Stanton. “I was happy to see that Goeke got such respect in a year where we gave up a lot of goals; it shows that people respected his efforts.”

The PHS players earned their coach’s respect with the way that they rebounded from some tough defeats.

“We had a few bounceback moments; I think the guys showed resilience,” recalled Stanton.

“We lost to Bridgewater on a Saturday and came back and beat Hopewell Valley that Monday. We had a disappointing loss to Hun and then came back and had a huge win over WW/P-S. The guys showed resilience and won the games that we could. In games where we were mismatched, the guys were still willing to compete and do the little things.”

In Stanton’s view, his returning players are ready to do the little things to help the program return to its winning ways.

“Our younger guys want to work hard,” said Stanton. “With the guys that got playing time this year, we are ahead of the game. We have had junior and senior teams in the past.”

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