caption: LEAVING THE BENCH: Princeton High boys' hockey head coach Paul Merrow surveys the action in a game last season. Merrow announced last week that he will be stepping down from his post after 12 years at the helm. During his tenure, Merrow had more than 100 wins, guiding PHS to the 2005 Mercer County Tournament (MCT) title and to several deep runs in the Public state tournament.

Merrow Ends Tenure With PHS Boys' Hockey; Transformed Program Into Consistent Winner

Bill Alden

When Paul Merrow took the reins of the Princeton High boys' hockey program 12 seasons ago, he was looking to instill some much-needed discipline into the program.

"There was a lot of talent and potential talent; it just needed direction," said Merrow. "We took steps in the first three years to make it respectable. We gave them a framework to play off of; we instilled systems; I don't think they had ever had that kind of thing."

Once the players mastered that system, PHS became a consistent force in the Colonial Valley Conference, making several deep runs in the Mercer County Tournament and the Public state tournament.

The PHS Class of 2007 produced one of the program's best stretches, advancing to two MCT championship games and winning the title in 2005. The Little Tigers also made it to the Round of 16 in the last two state tournaments.

That superb corps of seniors featured John Ryan, Peter Teifer, Shane Leuck, Peter Miller, Christian McCracken, Brian Fischer, Colin Sarafin, and Geordie Graham.

Last week, Merrow revealed that he will be leaving the program along with his stellar group of seniors as he stepped down from his post.

"It was something I have been thinking about for a while," said Merrow, referring to his decision to resign.

"I wanted to stay for the group of seniors; it was great bunch of kids; they really had fun playing the game. It was a joy to coach them."

For Merrow, the chief joy of coaching PHS has been the people he has gotten to know through his position. "I've enjoyed the different kids that have come through," said Merrow, who won more than 100 games in his PHS tenure and pointed to the overtime loss to Notre Dame in the 1999 MCT championship game and the win over the Fighting Irish in the 2005 MCT final as two of the most memorable games of his tenure. "It's been a great bunch of parents; they've been really supportive."

Merrow's successor will benefit from the efforts of those people over the last 12 years. "They are definitely rebuilding, they have two seniors (Kyle DeBlois and Jonathan Naylor) and two juniors Jeff Goeke and Billy Ward)," added Merrow, who guided PHS to a 14-9-3 record in his final campaign at the helm. "I think whoever becomes head coach will have something to work with."

Merrow, for his part, intends to remain working in the game of hockey "I might take a year off from coaching," said Merrow, who will continue to work for Princeton University in his job as an Athletics Facility Crewperson at Baker Rink. "If something comes up that's interesting, I might look into it. I'll never not be involved with the game."

And PHS was very lucky to have Merrow involved in guiding its boys' hockey team the last 12 years.

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