(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption: LEAP YEAR: Princeton High girls’ lacrosse junior star Mie Graham flies up the field in a game this season. Graham’s scoring prowess helped PHS put together a late surge that saw the Little Tigers go 5-2 in their last seven games. PHS won games in both the county and state tournaments on the way to an 8-7 season.

PHS Girls’ Lax Made Big Strides; Late-Season Surge Built Confidence

Bill Alden

It doesn’t happen often but every once in a while a team puts it all together for one game.

That was the feeling the Princeton High girls’ lacrosse team had after it dismantled Middle Township 18-3 last month in the opening round of the Group II South Jersey sectional tournament.

“We went out and played so well; it was one of those games that represents what you have been working toward all season,” said PHS head coach Joyce Jones, who got five goals and four assists from junior star Liz Price in the win with Mie Graham notching three goals and Kaitlin Henderson, Taylor Blair, and Carter Haughton adding two apiece.

“Everything was clicking — the stickwork, the teamwork, the double-teaming, and the communication.”

Days later, PHS got eliminated from the tournament by eventual sectional champion Hopewell Valley 17-9 but Jones took plenty of positives from that effort as well.

“We played another game you can point to; we played a heckuva first half with them,” said Jones, whose team finished with an 8-7 record.

“We went toe-to-toe with them, I think we were ahead 3-2 at one point. It was the culmination of what we worked on; we showed how much we had improved from the first time we played them.”

Jones was proud of what her team achieved as it rebounded from a shaky 3-5 start.

“We accomplished a lot,” asserted Jones. “We won games in the county and the state tournaments.”

The progress made by the team’s corps of freshmen helped spark the Little Tigers’ late surge.

“We had so many freshmen; I’m so proud of how they came together,” said Jones, whose group of freshmen included Jen Barone, MacKenzie Henderson, Virginia Rogers, Kate Bechler, and Blair.

“It’s a different level of everything from middle school — a different level of intensity, a different level of commitment. For them to make that transition without a year of JV was great. We’re looking to see that continue.”

Jones credited her senior captains Kaitlin Henderson, Mary McNutt, and Haughton with helping ease that transition for the freshmen.

“One of the challenges was to get so many people they hadn’t played with on the same page,” said Jones. “Our three captains each brought what was needed; they did a great job.”

PHS should do an even better job next year with the return of rising seniors Price (a team-high 68 points on 52 goals and 16 assists) and Graham together with the battle-hardened younger players.

“It was a season to remember in terms of improvement and how far we came,” maintained Jones. “We are ready to rock and roll next year.”

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