ON THE MOVE: Hun School boys’ lacrosse player Dillon Bucchere sprints upfield in a 2023 game. Senior midfielder and Michigan commit Bucchere figures to be a force this spring at both ends of the field for the Raiders. Hun, which is now being guided by Alex Lopes, moved to 1-2 with a 15-13 loss to the Westtown School (Pa.) last Saturday. In upcoming action, the Raiders play at the Blair Academy on April 13 before hosting Princeton High on April 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

While Alex Lopes has held a number of college men’s lacrosse coaching jobs over the years, he sensed that he would someday end up guiding a private school boys’ program.

“The reality of it is that I always had an independent school destination in the back of my mind, just waiting for the right opportunity,” said Lopes, a former Saint Joseph’s University standout who had coaching stops at Kean University, Fairfield University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Jacksonville University, and Caldwell University. more

LIVING IT UP: Hun School girls’ lacrosse star Olivia Kim heads to goal in a game last season. Senior attacker and Williams College commit Kim figures to be a go-to scorer for Hun. Last Saturday, Kim tallied three goals and an assist as Hun topped Stuart County Day 16-11 to improve to 2-0. In upcoming action, the Raiders, who are being guided by new head coach Geoffrey Chrisman, host Lawrenceville on April 10 and the Perkiomen School (Pa.) on April 13 before playing at Mount St. Mary on April 13 and then hosting Pennington on April 15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

When Geoffrey Chrisman came to the Hun School last fall to teach and coach, it was a bit of a homecoming.

Growing up in Princeton, Chrisman played football and lacrosse at Princeton High and went on to serve as an assistant coach for the Tiger football program for six years.

“Coming home is an awesome thing, my parents still live in Princeton, I have been there a lot,” said Chrisman, who previously had coaching gigs at WW/P-South and North Hunterdon. “Being connected to the community is always something that has been important to me. Even though I am on the other side of town that I technically grew up in, I run into people.” more

GOING ALL OUT: Stuart Country Day School lacrosse player Allison Lee races upfield in a 2022 game. Last Friday, junior star Lee scored four goals as Stuart opened its season by falling 19-4 to Princeton High in its first game under new head coach Paige Meszaros. The Tartans, who lost 16-11 to the Hun School last Saturday, play at Somerville High on April 13, host Nottingham on April 15, and then play at WW/P-North on April 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For Paige Meszaros, playing soccer, basketball, and lacrosse at Steinert High was a life-changing experience that made her want to help others enjoy a similar journey.

“Coaching was something that I had always wanted to do my entire life,” said Meszaros, a 2016 Steinert grad who went on to play for the McDaniel College women’s lax team. more

GETTING INTO THE SWING: Princeton University softball player Lauren Sablone taking a big swing in a 2023 game. Last weekend, junior outfielder Sablone starred as Princeton swept a three-game series with visiting Penn. Sablone went 5 for 10 with three runs, one RBI, two triples, and a double as the Tigers swept a twinbill from the Quakers on Saturday, winning 8-4 and 5-1, and then posted a 6-3 victory a day later. The Tigers, now 15-9 overall and 4-2 Ivy League, head to Harvard this weekend for a doubleheader on April 6 and a single game on April 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

After starting its Ivy League campaign with a tough weekend in New York City where it went 1-2 against Columbia, the Princeton University softball team was happy to return to the friendly confines of Strubing Field last week.

On Tuesday, Princeton swept a doubleheader from visiting Rider, prevailing 6-3 and 7-0. Returning to Ivy action for Easter weekend to host Penn, the Tigers went 3-0, sweeping a twinbill from the Quakers on Saturday, winning 8-4 and 5-1 and then posting a 6-3 victory a day later. more

KEN-DO: Princeton High boys’ lacrosse player Patrick Kenah eludes a defender in a game last season. Senior star attacker and Lafayette College commit Kenah, who tallied a team-high 111 points on 68 goals and 43 assists in 2023, will be counted on to spearhead the Tiger attack again this year. PHS was slated to start its season on April 2 by hosting WW/P-North and then play at Hopewell Valley on April 5 and at Manasquan on April 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For the Princeton High boys’ lacrosse team, the recent spring break turned into a training camp for the squad.

“We just finished two-a-days the last four days, we have been going back to basics, doing rides, clearing, and defense,” said PHS head coach Chip Casto, who is returning to the program after taking a sabbatical year in Spain. “Then we had a  couple of good nights out in the community having dinner. We got to go out, trying to do a little team building. We were with each other a lot.” more

OPENING STATEMENT: Princeton High girls’ lacrosse player Riley Devlin goes after the ball in a game last season. Last Monday, senior star Devlin got the 2024 season off to a big start, tallying six goals and three assists to help PHS rout WW/P-North 23-8 in the season opener for both teams. In upcoming action, the Tigers play at Hopewell Valley on April 3 and at Stuart County Day on April 5 before hosting Lawrenceville on April 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Taking its lumps last spring as it lost nine of its last 10 games, the Princeton High girls’ lacrosse team learned some valuable lessons.

“It was a hard year, it was a good growing year,” said PHS head coach Katie Federico, who guided the Tigers to a 7-12 record. “It helped the seniors become the leaders that they needed to be. They are doing a nice job, there is a great vibe within the team, a cohesiveness within the team. They are stepping up to go from a pretty good winning season, the year before to something like last year. It taught them to appreciate what we were capable of doing the year before and that drive. They really want it again this year.” more

ON THE STICK: Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse player Sebastian Rzeczycki, left, looks for an opening in a game last season. Senior star and Marist College commit Rzeczycki, who scored a team-high 108 points on 66 goals and 42 assists in 2023, figures to be the offensive catalyst again for the Panthers this spring. PDS, which is being guided by new head coach Nick Taylor, was slated to host Lawrence High on April 2 in its season opener and then play at WW/P-South on April 4 before hosting the Peddie School on April 5 and Lawrenceville on April 9. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As Nick Taylor has taken the helm of the Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse program, he has aimed to develop an upbeat atmosphere around the squad.

“Our focus was in the meeting with assistant coaches before the season was, all right, let’s keep it fresh, let’s keep it fun, let’s keep it simple,” said Taylor, who previously served as the head coach of the Haverford College men’s lax team and is succeeding Joe Moore. “Looking back at our first week, I am really happy with what we were able to accomplish because we hit those benchmarks.” more

BREAKING FREE: Princeton High girls’ swimmer Kyleigh Tangen churns to the finish in a 100 freestyle race this winter. Senior star Tangen’s sprinting prowess helped PHS go 14-1 as it won a third straight Mercer County title and advanced to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group B state final. Tangen won the 50 and 100 freestyle titles at the county meet and won those two races in the 89-81 loss to Chatham in the state final. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

By Bill Alden

Kyleigh Tangen was determined to be the best version of herself this winter in her final season with the Princeton High girls’ swimming team.

“I would like to end on a good note; something I struggle with every time I race is I think of things that could be better,” said senior standout Tangen. “I am worried that when I end the season the only thing on my mind will be how can I do this better next time but there won’t be a next time.”

In looking to fine-tune her sprinting, Tangen branched out in her events this winter, swimming in the 200 freestyle in addition to the 50 and 100 free. more

HAMMER TIME: Princeton High baseball player Chase Hamerschlag takes a big swing in a 2023 game. Sophomore Hamerschlag figures to be a key performer for the Tigers this spring. PHS plays at Ewing on April 1 to start its 2024 season. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

While the Princeton High baseball team may not boast strength in numbers this spring, Dom Capuano believes his squad possesses plenty of quality.

“We only have 13 varsity guys but I think we have a good nucleus,” said PHS head coach Capuano, who guided the Tigers to a 6-16 record last year. “The one positive of only having a small group is they can grow together and be closer. That definitely showed yesterday in the scrimmage (against Montgomery on March 21). I was happy about it, we just need to continue forward.” more

WILLPOWER: Hun School baseball player Will Kraemer makes contact in a game last spring. Junior infielder Kraemer, who hit .333 last year, will be looking to have another strong season for the Raiders this spring. Hun gets its 2024 campaign underway by playing at Lawrenceville on March 28. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As the Hun School baseball team opens its 2024 season this week, it is facing a string of early tests.

“This is probably the most challenging schedule we have had, especially in the beginning of the year, that first week is a gauntlet,” said Hun head coach Tom Monfiletto. “We start off at Lawrenceville (on March 28) and then we play St Peter’s (on April 1) and then we play Pennington (on April 3) and then we play the Hill School (Pa.) (on April 5). Those are going to be some really difficult opponents and then we go down to D.C. and play a doubleheader (on April 6) against two of the better teams in that area, Landon School (Md.) and Jackson-Reed High School (Washington, D.C.). Having success in that first week will be a huge jump off point and catalyst. Either way, we will learn a lot about ourselves as a team.” more

SAM’S CLUB: Hun School softball player Sam Jolly heads to first base in action last spring. Sophomore infielder Jolly, who batted .672 in 2023 in her debut season for the Raiders, figures to be an offensive catalyst again for Hun this spring. The Raiders host Lawrenceville on March 28 to start their 2024 campaign. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Hun School softball team coming off two superb seasons that have seen the program win consecutive Prep A and Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) titles, the Raiders realize that their foes are primed to knock them off their perch.

“They know that there is a big target on their backs and everybody is after us,” said Hun head coach Kathy Quirk, who guided the Raiders to a 15-2 record in 2023. “They have to be confident in themselves.” more

MAKING A STATEMENT: Stuart Country Day School basketball player Taylor States dribbles past a foe in a game this winter. Sophomore forward States averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds this season in helping Stuart go 6-7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

While the Stuart Country Day School basketball team got off to a shaky start this winter, the Tartans ended the season with a bang.

Stuart lost two of its first three games and had a 3-7 record in early February, but ended the campaign with three straight lopsided wins.

Tartan head coach Tony Bowman acknowledged that his squad was out of synch in the early going this winter. more

JORDAN RULES: Princeton Day School boys’ basketball player Jordan Owens heads to the rim in a game this winter. Sophomore guard Owens scored 212 points this season to help the Panthers go 7-16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

It turned out to be a season of growth for the Princeton Day School boys’ basketball team as its lineup featured young players in key roles.

In reflecting on the campaign which saw three freshmen, a sophomore, and two juniors see the bulk of playing time, PDS head coach Eugene Burroughs liked the way youth was served this winter.
“I think my kids did a great job of progressing throughout the year,” said Burroughs, whose team posted a 7-16 record and made the Prep B state semis. “When you look at our scores and watch how we played earlier in the year, it was more focused on playing hard and competing. Then we shifted into the next phase, defending and rebounding at a good level. We improved in that area and then we shifted to focusing on offense.  more

WILL TO WIN: Notre Dame High wrestler and Princeton resident Will Renda celebrates with coach EJ Nemeth at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Region 6 tourney after clinching a spot at 215 pounds in the Boys Wrestling State Championships in Atlantic City. Junior Renda went on to go 2-2 in his debut at states, falling in the third place consolations. (Photo provided by Will Renda)

By Bill Alden

Will Renda enjoyed competing for the Princeton Amateur Wrestling Society (PAWS) as a grade schooler, but he eventually got away from the mat.

The versatile Renda focused on football, lacrosse, and basketball in middle school before entering Notre Dame High in 2021.

But as he worked out after his freshman football season at Notre Dame, Princeton resident Renda started thinking about returning to the mat. more