FAST START: Princeton Day School boys’ hockey player Jake Harrison races up the ice in action last season. Junior forward Harrison scored a goal for PDS as it fell 7-2 to Don Bosco Prep last Wednesday. The Panthers, now 2-1-1, are on a holiday break and will return to action when they host La Salle College High (Pa.) on January 2. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey team trailing undefeated powerhouse Don Bosco Prep 2-0 in the second period last Wednesday, Jake Harrison seized opportunity.

“They were on the power play, we were short-handed and their defenseman got the puck flat-footed,” said PDS junior forward Harrison. “I jumped him and I got a breakaway. “ more

FINE AND DANDY: Sammy Dandy goes after the ball in action this fall for the Princeton Day School field hockey team. Sophomore Dandy, who led the Panthers in scoring in 2024 with five goals, has brought her finishing touch to the ice for the PDS girls’ hockey team. Dandy has piled up six goals to pace the Panthers as they have produced a 3-0-1 start. PDS, which defeated defending New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) state champion Pingry 7-3 last Thursday, hosts Immaculate Heart on January 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Sammy Dandy helped spark the offense this fall for the Princeton Day School field hockey team, emerging as the squad’s leading scorer with five goals.

This winter, sophomore star Dandy has brought her finishing touch to the ice for the PDS girls’ hockey team, piling up six goals to pace the Panthers as they have produced a 3-0-1 start. more

WINTER WONDER: Princeton High girls’ basketball player Anna Winters, right, drives to the basket in a game last season. Junior star and top returning scorer Winters figures to be a go-to player again for the Tigers with her inside-out game. PHS, which is being guided by new head coach Joe Smiegocki, will be tipping off its 2024-25 season this week by playing at Hightstown on December 17 before hosting WW/P-South on December 19. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For legendary UCLA men’s basketball coach John Wooden, a key tenet underlying the program’s success as he guided it to 10 NCAA titles in 12 years was the belief that failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

As Joe Smiegocki takes the helm of the Princeton High girls’ basketball team this winter, he is emphasizing that principle. more

BESS EFFORT: Princeton High boys’ basketball player Michael Bess Jr., left, heads to the hoop in action last season. Junior guard Bess figures to play a key role for the Tigers this winter. PHS was slated to get its 2024-25 campaign underway this week by hosting Hightstown on December 17 and then playing at WW/P-South on December 19. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton High boys’ basketball team featuring a drastically revamped roster this winter, Pat Noone’s focus is getting everyone on the same page.

“It is a totally new ball club, we only have three guys back who had significant minutes last season,” said PHS head coach Noone, who guided the Tigers to a 11-13 record last season. “Overall, it has been a lot of teaching, a lot of learning.” more

PASSING IT ON: Princeton Day School boys’ basketball player Adam Stewart fires a pass in action last season. Senior guard Stewart brings unselfish play and defensive intensity to the court for the Panthers. PDS is slated to tip off its 2024-25 campaign this week by hosting Allentown on December 17 and Nottingham on December 19 before playing at the Episcopal Academy (Pa.) on December 21. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Eugene Burroughs is hoping that the work his players on the Princeton Day School boys’ basketball team put in this offseason will yield dividends this winter.

“I am really impressed with the kids’ energy and effort; their improved skill over the summer has been great,” said PDS head coach Burroughs, who guided the Panthers to a 7-16 record last season. “When you look at our team as a whole, I think it comes down to how well we play together. It is, ‘Can we mesh the individual skill and development that players have accomplished individually and can we put that together as a team and function within a structure.’” more

RUF RIDER: Princeton Day School girls’ basketball player Shelby Ruf soars to the hoop in a game last season. Senior Ruf, who also stars in soccer and lacrosse at PDS, will bring athleticism and competitiveness to the Panthers this winter. PDS, is being guided by new head coach Patrick Reddington, will be starting its 2024-25 season this week by playing at Allentown on December 17 and at Nottingham on December 19 before hosting Florence on December 21. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For Patrick Reddington, serving as an assistant coach for a powerhouse Ewing High girls’ basketball team proved to be a transformative experience.

“It was amazing, it really was; I told the girls all of the time that I learned more from them than they learned from me,” said Reddington, who coached at Ewing for two seasons and helped the Blue Devils win the 2023 New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 3 state title. more

TAYLOR-MADE: Stuart Country Day School basketball player Taylor States dribbles past a foe in a game last season. Junior forward States, the team’s leading returning scorer, is primed for another big season. Stuart will be tipping off its 2024-25 season by playing at the Wilberforce School on December 18. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Tony Bowman sees strength in numbers with his Stuart Country Day School basketball team as it heads into this winter.

“I have 13 kids, I have never had that many since I have been here,” said Stuart head coach Bowman who guided the Tartans to a 6-6 record last season. “It is great for the team. I am hoping for a better quality of play this year because I have a different mix. They have shown to be resilient and they work hard.” more

SERVING UP A WINNER: Princeton High girls’ volleyball player Naomi Lygas blasts a serve in action this fall. Junior outside hitter Lygas starred as PHS went 28-1 and won its second straight New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 3 state title. Lygas tallied a team-high 318 kills, breaking the program record for career kills in the process. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Naomi Lygas realized that the Princeton High girls’ volleyball team wasn’t going to sneak up on anyone this fall after rolling to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 3 state title in 2023.

“Last year we were the underdogs, we were coming up putting Princeton on the map and this year we had a lot of pressure coming into it so that was a big thing,” said PHS junior outside hitter Lygas. “We were trying to prove ourselves. People have asked us if it is an option not to repeat and we said not really because of how hard we work.”

It didn’t take long for the Tigers to prove that they were going to be dominant once again as they brought a 19-1 record into the Burlington County Scholastic League (BCSL) tournament. PHS ended up rolling to its third BCSL title, defeating Princeton Day School 2-0 (25-6, 25-10) in the final.

In a win over fellow powerhouse Williamstown in mid-October, Lygas moved her career kills total to 736, breaking the previous program record of 724 set by Gillian Hauschild ’20. more

FREE AND CLEAR: Princeton High boys’ swimmer David Brophy competes in a freestyle race last winter. Senior star and Colgate University-bound Brophy has helped PHS get off to a 2-0 start this season. In upcoming action, the Tigers have meets at Hightstown on December 13 and at Robbinsville on December 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

In its first three seasons with the Princeton High boys’ swim team, the squad’s Class of 2025 has helped the program produce a dominant run.

The Tigers have gone 40-3 in dual meets over that span, winning three county titles, making one New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group B state final and two North 2 Group B sectional finals. more

IN THE FAST LANE: Princeton High girls’ swimmer Sabine Ristad displays her freestyle form in a race last season. Senior Ristad will be playing a key role for PHS this winter as she looks to produce another stellar campaign. The Tigers, who have a new head coach in Patrick Remboski, started the season by defeating Lawrence High 94-61 last Thursday. PHS, which improved to 2-0 with a 93-64 win over Steinert last Monday, has meets at Hightstown on December 13 and at Robbinsville on December 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Although Patrick Remboski has taken the helm of the Princeton High girls’ swim team, it should be business as usual for the squad.

Having served as an assistant coach for the PHS boys’ and girls’ programs for the last six seasons under head coach Carly Fackler, who is now just coaching the boys, Remboski has enjoyed a smooth transition in leading the squad. more

A-GAME: Hun School boys’ basketball player AJ Mickens dribbles past a foe in a game last winter. Last Thursday, senior guard Mickens scored 23 points but it wasn’t enough as Hun lost 70-61 to the Haverford School (Pa.). Hun, which fell 86-83 to Northfield Mount Herman (Mass.) last Sunday to move to 3-2, plays at the George School (Pa.) on December 11 and then competes in the 2024 Scholar Roundball Classic at the College of Holy Cross from December 14-15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

AJ Mickens went scoreless for the Hun School boys’ basketball team in the first half as it hosted Haverford School (Pa.) last Thursday evening.

With Hun down 35-22 at halftime, senior guard Mickens acknowledged that it was a tough 18 minutes for the Raiders collectively. more

DRIVE TIME: Hun School girls’ basketball player Gabby D’Agostino heads to the hoop in a game last winter. Last Wednesday, junior guard D’Agostino tallied 12 points to help Hun defeat the Academy of New Church (Pa.) 67-31. The Raiders, who defeated the Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) 75-58 last Sunday in the Hill School (Pa.) Girls’ Basketball Tournament to improve to 7-1, play at the Perkiomen School (Pa.) on December 11 before competing in the She Got Game Classic at The St. James in Springfield, Va., from December 13-15 and then hosting Tower Hill (Del.) on December 17. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Gabby D’Agostino carried the scoring load for the Hun School girls’ basketball team last winter as a sophomore.

The sharpshooting guard tallied 370 points in 15 games during her debut campaign with the program, more than the team’s next two top scorers combined. more

HEADS UP: Princeton High boys’ hockey player Anders Hedin heads up the ice in a game last winter. Junior forward Hedin figures to be a key performer for the Tigers this winter. PHS opens its 2024-25 campaign by facing Notre Dame on December 6 at the Mercer County Skating Center. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton High boys’ hockey team coming off a disappointing 5-13 campaign last winter, Rik Johnson is looking for his squad to display more intensity this season.

“It is still early going, we have had two on-ice practices and then one dry land on Tuesday,” said PHS head coach Johnson, whose team opens its 2024-25 campaign by facing Notre Dame on December 6 at the Mercer County Skating Center. “The vibes are positive, they are high. We definitely seem to be more focused going into the season. I am hoping to improve on last year.” more

GOING AT IT: Princeton Day School boys’ hockey player Wyatt Ewanchyna brings the puck up the ice in a game last season. Senior forward Ewanchyna, who led PDS in assists last year with 20, will be counted on to be an offensive catalyst for the team again this winter. The Panthers will be opening their 2024-25 season by playing Delbarton on December 12 at SportsCare Arena in Randolph. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

While the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey team has utilized a freewheeling, end-to-end style over the years, Scott Bertoli realizes that isn’t always the best fit for his squad.

As PDS head coach Bertoli looks ahead to the upcoming season, he will be instilling a more grind-it-out approach. more

STATE OF JOY: Members of the Stuart Country Day School volleyball team are all smiles as they pose for a photo this season. The Tartans made history this fall, going 11-8 on the way to making the semis of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey Non-Public B state sectional in their first appearance in the tourney. (Photo provided courtesy of Anna Kachmarski)

By Bill Alden

Having been the head coach of the Stuart Country Day School volleyball program since it started varsity play in 2017, Anna Kachmarski has guided the Tartans through some ups and downs.

“Having a smaller school can always be challenging going up against some competing public schools who have hundreds in their classes,” said Kachmarski, the STEM curriculum coordinator at the school, who played volleyball in high school and college. “We have been through a few rebuilding years starting the program and getting it off the ground because when we started the program we actually had a high number of students who were seniors and left after the first year.” more