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 (Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption:
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PHS Football Bombs Allentown In 41-12 Season Opening Rout
By Bill Alden
For Princeton High quarterback Vinny Giacalone, playing against Allentown the last two years has produced some painful memories.
Two seasons ago, Giacalone came off the bench and promptly threw an interception on a screen pass, breaking his foot in the process.
In 2003, the 6'3 Giacalone helped PHS mount a courageous rally which saw the Little Tigers come back from an early deficit to tie the Redbirds at 23-23 only to lose on a 40-yard field goal at the final gun.
Last Saturday, the strong-armed senior made sure that his last appearance against Allentown would provide some unforgettable memories, hitting on 14-of-24 passes for 194 yards and four touchdowns to lead PHS to a sweet opening day 41-12 rout of the Redbirds.
"You tell me how good it feels to beat them," said a beaming Giacalone as he reflected on finally toppling Allentown.
Like the way he spread the ball around the field or the way Giacalone deflected praise and credited his line and receivers with making the difference for PHS.
"When you don't get hit a lot, it's a lot nicer to be back there," said Giacalone in praise of the protection he got in the pocket.
"I should have had a couple of interceptions but those guys just go and get the ball."
Indeed, the PHS corps of wide receivers put up some glittering numbers themselves as junior Ben Guervil had five receptions for 68 yards and two touchdowns while senior Vance Slocum chipped in two catches for 28 yards and a touchdown.
But while the PHS receivers were aggressive, it is the hard work that Giacalone has put into mastering his position that has made the Little Tigers so polished in the passing game.
The quarterback cited his play in the Rutgers 7-on-7 passing league last summer as a key step in his development.
"I worked a lot on my footwork," said Giacalone, reflecting on what he gained from the Rutgers league.
"I improved my footwork and the receivers caught the ball. That league teaches you how to put people away. You learn how to put the ball in the air and win."
PHS head coach Steve Everette will tell you that Giacalone's diligence on and off the field has made him into a standout passer.
"Vinny is smarter than I am," said Everette with a chuckle. "We've watched a lot of film and he knows where the receivers are supposed to be."
In addition to the work in the air, PHS got a major spark on the ground from sophomore running back Alexz Henriques, who exploded for 177 yards in 17 carries including a dazzling 53-yard touchdown gallop in the fourth quarter in which he snaked through virtually the whole Allentown defense.
"Alexz is a sophomore and you just hope that he can do some of the things he does in practice," said Everette of the elusive Henriques, who also caught two passes for 47 yards and a touchdown. "To come out here on a Saturday and do it is great."
PHS was great right from the start Saturday as it jumped out to a 28-6 lead on the strength of three scoring strikes and a quarterback plunge from Giacalone.
For the day, PHS outgained Allentown 418 yards to 162. The Little Tigers also showed a flair for opportunistic play as they picked off two Allentown passes and recovered three Redbird fumbles.
While Everette was pleased with the work he got from the players in the skill positions, he knows the foundation of the win came on the Little Tigers' work in the trenches.
"We've dealt with a lot of stuff this summer with the construction and all of that," said the third-year head coach whose club will next be in action when it plays at bitter rival WW/P-S on September 18.
"We scrimmaged against Hun and Morrisville, they were both real physical. We taught them to come out physical. We were able to execute and make some things happen."
In the process, PHS did something that hasn't happened in a while as the program produced its first 1-0 start this century.
"This is a new day and age," proclaimed Everette, who loudly refused a celebratory late-game Gatorade shower from his players on the grounds that they have a lot more to accomplish.
"We expect to win. We've worked hard and come a long way. We can't treat this win like it's a championship. We've got a long season to go. This is just a step for us."
Everette was ready to move on to his squad's next challenge. "Next week we head south and we know what that's going to be like," asserted Everette. "It's going to be hot, it's going to be physical. We need to prepare ourselves for that."
The confident Giacalone is confident that PHS can create a special buzz as the fall goes on. "The offense is running and passing the ball and our defense hasn't missed a beat," said Giacalone, whose personal highlight Saturday came when he hit his brother Frank in the third quarter with an 18-yard pass that set up Princeton's fifth touchdown. "The stands aren't full yet. We'll see at our next home game."
If Giacalone and PHS keep playing like they did last Saturday, the Little Tigers will drawing plenty of fans this fall.
