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PHS Swimmer Rossi, PDS Hockey's Denise Get Nod as Town Topics' Top Winter Stars
By Bill Alden
Coming into this winter Princeton High sophomore swimming star Nina Rossi had set the bar pretty high for herself.
As a freshman, the talented Rossi suffered no growing pains as she made a stunning debut at the high school level. The bubbly wunderkind made it look easy as she won two events at the Mercer County Swimming Championships and was named the meet's outstanding female swimmer.
This winter, however, Rossi outdid herself. She repeated her performance at the county meet, once again winning two events and the outstanding female swimmer award.
More importantly, Rossi's brilliance sparked the Little Tigers collectively as the team turned into a force. After having been eliminated after the opening round of the state Public B tournament in 2003, PHS rode Rossi's excellence to the Central Jersey sectional title.
Rossi and the Little Tigers weren't done there as they advanced to the state championship meet against Montgomery. Although PHS lost the title by an eyelash, Rossi produced one of her best afternoons of the season as she won the 200-yard free- style, the 500 free, and anchored wins in the 200 free and 500 free relay events.
A week later, Rossi capped her stellar season by taking first in the 100-yard butterfly and second in the 200 individual medley at the NJSIAA individual swimming cham- pionships. Rossi's dominance earns her the nod as the Town Topics' top female performer of the winter high school season.
Top Male Performer
Even though the Princeton Day School boys' ice hockey team started the season having won six straight Prep B titles, PDS head coach Chris Barcless knew his team would struggle to produce goals.
In looking ahead to the season, Barcless asserted that junior forward Will Denise needed to raise his already stellar game a notch if the Panthers were going to have a chance to keep their state title streak alive.
Small in stature but large in skill and heart, Denise answered the challenge with aplomb. Acting as the quarterback on the team's top line, which included freshman Justin Mimmo and sophomore Keith Nelson, Denise was the catalyst for a squad that generated goals when it counted.
With Denise as the offensive sparkplug, the Panthers knocked off such formidable foes as Bergen Catholic, Port- ledge School, Seton Hall Prep, and St. Mary's.
The Panthers earned their seventh straight Prep B title, edging Mo-Beard 4-2. Days later they topped formidable Wyoming Seminary 2-1 in overtime to win the annual PDS Invitational and finish with a 17-4-1 record. Denise, for his part, ended up tied with Nelson as PDS' leading scorer, notching 37 points on 15 goals and 23 assists. For elevating his game and providing leadership that helped his team win yet another state title, Denise is the choice as the Town Topics' top male performer of the winter season.
Top Newcomers
Princeton High freshman forward J.R. Ryan wasted no time this winter showing that he was going to be a force in Mercer County ice hockey circles.
In the first week of his high school career, Ryan tallied three goals and two assists in two games. The prolific freshman's production never waned as he helped turn PHS into a dangerous opponent.
With Ryan's contribution up front, the Little Tigers made their first-ever appearance in the finals of the Titans Cup, finished second in the CVC's Valley Division, and earned a berth in the NJSIAA state tournament.
Ryan ended up as the top scorer in the area, piling up 51 points on 23 goals and 28 assists. Ryan's productive debut earns him the nod as the Town Topics' top male newcomer of the winter season.
The Hun School girls' basketball team had some big shoes to fill after losing four key seniors from a unit that made the 2003 Prep A semifinals
Hun head coach Bill Holup, though, was able to make up for much of that lost firepower with the addition of one player, junior transfer Shantee Darrian.
The multi-talented Darrian, who had previously played for Granville Academy, made a sudden impact for the Raiders with her ability to rebound, run the break, and hit the jumper. With Darrian averaging 15.1 points a night, the Raiders made it back to the Prep A semifinals and posted a 15-9 mark. For her productivity and versatility, Darrian is the choice as the Town Topics' top female newcomer of the winter season.
Top Coaches
Early this fall, former Princeton University star point guard Ahmed El-Nokali was content to satisfy his appetite for the game by playing in pick-up games at Jadwin Gym after work.
But after learning from Tiger head coach John Thompson III that the Princeton Day School had an opening to coach its boys' basketball team, El-Nokali put his hat in the coaching ring.
Although El-Nokali's coaching experience was limited to summer camps, he got the post. Bringing the intensity and focus that helped him become the co-captain of the Tigers' 2000-01 squad, El-Nokali proved to be a coaching natural.
Under his guidance, the Panthers got off to a 4-0 start and emerged as a force in the state Prep B tournament. Knocking off the tournament's second and third seeds on the road, the sixth-seeded Panthers advanced to the state title game.
Although PDS fell 55-49 to top-seeded Newark Academy in the title game, the Panthers' 16-9 campaign was a sweet ride for all concerned. El-Nokali's magical coaching debut earns him the nod as the top coach among high school male teams this winter.
Four seasons ago, the Princeton High girls' swimming team was mired in mediocrity as it again failed to qualify for the Public B state tournament.
Under the patient and insightful coaching of Greg Hand, the program started to turn things around. In the next two seasons, the program qualified for post-season competition and showed progress as it won an opening round meet last year.
Even the astute Hand, though, couldn't have foreseen what the Little Tigers accomplished this winter. After dropping some early season meets and coming in fourth at the county meet, Hand's charges caught fire.
The Little Tigers breezed to the Central Jersey sectional title and then topped Moorestown 90-80 to find themselves in the state final against powerful Montgomery.
While the Tigers fell short against the Cougars, they produced their best swimming of the season in a meet that wasn't decided until the final event. Hand's efforts in transforming his girls' team into a title contender make him the choice as the Town Topics' top coach among female teams this winter.
