MAD GOOD: Princeton High softball player Maddie Castillo takes a swing in a game earlier this season. Last Friday, senior Castillo went 3-for-4 with a run in a losing cause as PHS got edged 8-7 by Hopewell Valley. The Tigers, who lost 11-1 to Allentown last Monday to move to 2-5, play at Florence on April 25 before hosting Lawrence High on April 30. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Maddie Castillo may seem to be a little old to be playing with dolls but she was all smiles as she clutched a Barbie after the Princeton High softball team hosted Hopewell Valley last Friday.

PHS senior third baseman Castillo received the doll after going 3-for-4 with a run in a losing cause as PHS got edged 8-7 by HoVal in a back-and-forth contest.

“Teams give out a game ball for the MVP, this is like our game ball, it is Barbie,” said Castillo.

“Natalie [Hester] got it last game and now next game I will get to give it to the next person.” more

FAMILY BUSINESS: Princeton High track standouts Devin Levy, right, and his sister, Naomi, display their javelin form. Last weekend, the Levy siblings excelled as PHS competed in the Mercer County Relays. Devin, a junior, had the second-best throw of any competitor and combined with sophomore Simon Obregon to take second place in the boys division. Naomi, a sophomore, had the top throw in the girls division as she threw 82’10, a personal best for her.

By Justin Feil

Devin Levy and his sister Naomi Levy borrowed javelins last spring for the chance to continue to practice in the offseason.

The extra work and dedication is paying off for the Princeton High siblings this year.

Devin, a junior, had the second-best throw of any competitor and combined with sophomore Simon Obregon to take second place in the boys division at the Mercer County Relays last Saturday at Lawrenceville School.  more

RUF AND TUMBLE: Princeton Day School girls’ lacrosse player Shelby Ruf, middle, races between two foes in recent action. Last Wednesday, junior midfielder Ruf tallied three goals and three assists to help PDS defeat the Peddie School 21-11. On Monday, the Panthers topped Somerville 17-10 as Ruf contributed one goal and two assists. PDS, now 7-2, plays at WW/P-North on April 24, hosts Delaware Valley on April 26, and then plays at WW/P-South on April 29. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Last spring, Shelby Ruf helped shore up the defensive unit for the Princeton Day School girls’ lacrosse team with her height and athleticism.

Getting moved up to the midfield this season for PDS, junior star Ruf is utilizing those qualities and her defensive acumen to make an impact for the Panther offense.

“It was definitely a change, I know how the defense works,” said Ruf, who plays goalie for the school’s New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public A state champion girls’ soccer team in the fall and is a forward on the basketball squad in the winter. “Just taking that into the attack really helps. I love it, it is so much fun.” more

IRON MIKE: Hun School baseball player Mike Olender heads to first base in a 2023 game. Last Saturday, senior outfielder Olender scored a run and had one RBI to help Hun defeat the Blair Academy 12-0. The Raiders, now 8-2, play at the Hill School (Pa.) on April 24 before hosting the Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) for a doubleheader in April 27 and then hosting Poly Prep (N.Y.) on April 30. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

It was a smooth ride for the Hun School baseball team in the first two weeks of the season as it posted six straight wins to start its 2024 campaign.

But Hun hit some bumps last week as it fell 10-3 to Gloucester Catholic on April 14 and then lost 13-0 to Perkiomen School (Pa.) two days later.

In reflecting on the defeat to Perkiomen, Hun head coach Tom Monfiletto acknowledged that his squad needed to step up against high-level teams. more

COMING THROUGH: Princeton High boys’ lacrosse player Brendan Beatty heads upfield in a game last spring. Junior midfielder and Vermont commit Beatty scored two goals and added an assist as PHS stifled Allentown 6-4 last Thursday. The Tigers, who topped Lawrence High 16-5 on Saturday to improve to 4-1, play at WW/P-South in April 18, host Pennsbury High (Pa.) on April 20, and play at Cherokee on April 23. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As James Reynolds and the defensive unit for the Princeton High boys’ lacrosse team girded for their clash against Allentown last Thursday, they did their homework.

“It started two days before the game; the defensive players all gathered and we watched film,” said senior defender Reynolds. “We spent about two hours just going second by second on every one of their plays and players, running down their dominant hands. The preparation was the key to their entire game. It was all in the prep. It was all knowing who their guys were, calling out and knowing what to do.”

The Tigers had plenty of motivation as the Redbirds have been a thorn in their sides recently. more

FIRST TAKE: Princeton High boys’ tennis player Garrett Mathewson blasts a serve in a 2023 match. Sophomore Mathewson has moved up to first singles this spring and has helped PHS get off to a 4-0 start. In upcoming action, the Tigers are slated to host Allentown on April 18 before starting play in the Mercer County Tournament on April 22. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

The Princeton High boys’ tennis team didn’t waste any time this spring making a statement.

Opening its season with a clash against perennial powerhouse and nemesis WW/P-South on April 5, PHS posted a 5-0 victory, winning four of the five matches in straight sets.

“We had a really great start to the season, it is always difficult to open up with one of your toughest rivals,” said PHS head coach Sarah Hibbert, whose team ended its 2023 season by falling 3-2 to the Pirates in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 3 final to end the season with a 14-2 record. “We were supposed to see them on opening day on April 1 and then we got rained out so it was still our opening match, but it was Friday rather than Monday. There were some close ones. There were tiebreaks in a couple of them and both doubles matches were close.” more

By Bill Alden

With a drastically revamped lineup, it is going to be a season of opportunity for the Princeton Day School boys’ tennis team.

“We graduated four seniors from last year and Heyang [Li] has gone to focus on his training,” said PDS head coach Michael Augsberger, whose first singles star Li won his flight at the Mercer County Tournament last year as a sophomore. “He is training in Florida and he is training here. We miss him. It is a chance for the other guys to step up.”

At first singles, Jaylen Peng is stepping up, moving into that spot after playing doubles in 2023. more

SPECIAL DELIVERY: Hun School softball player Jamie Staub delivers a pitch in a 2023 game. Last week, senior Staub fired a no-hitter in a 15-0 win over Peddie in a game that ended after four innings due to the run rule. Hun, which topped Lawrence Hugh 4-0 last Saturday to improve to 5-0, hosts Hightstown on April 18, the Blair Academy on April 20, and Villa Joseph Marie (Pa.) on April 22. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Jamie Staub was pumped up to get her first pitching start this spring for the Hun School softball team as it hosted the Peddie School last week.

“It is really exciting, we have such a deep pitching staff,” said Staub. “It is so great having three solid pitchers on the team. Whenever I get my chance, I have lots of fun.”

It turned out to be a very fun day for Staub as she fired a no-hitter with five strikeouts and two walks in a 15-0 win over the Falcons in the April 9 game that ended after four innings due to the run rule. more

BORN TO RUN: Princeton High girls’ lacrosse player Leah Bornstein races upfield last Friday as PHS played at Stuart Country Day School. Sophomore midfielder Bernstein scored two goals to help the Tigers prevail 19-4 over the Tartans. PHS, which fell 17-5 to Lawrenceville last Monday to move to 2-1, plays at WW/P-South on April 10, hosts Princeton Day School on April 12, and plays at Montgomery on April 13. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Leah Bornstein may be one of the shortest players on the field, but she is making a big impact for the Princeton High girls’ lacrosse team this spring.

Emerging as a spark in the midfield, Bornstein tallied five goals as PHS opened the season by topping WW/P-North 23-8 on April 1 and then chipped in two goals as the Tigers defeated Stuart Country Day School 19-4 last Friday. more

By Bill Alden

Undergoing a youth movement last spring, the Princeton Day School baseball team took its lumps as it went 1-22.

While PDS head coach Eric Schnepf would have liked to see his squad get more wins, he is not about to scrap the foundation he put in place during his debut season at the helm of the program.

“We were starting five or six underclassmen,” said Schnepf. “So just watching them become a little more bigger, faster, stronger with a little more time around us and some of the strategies we are looking to implement, it is natural that you start to see an uptick in execution. A lot of it is just continuing to perfect the process. You look at last year, the kids had gone through a couple of coaches. Hopefully we are adding a little bit of stability. They know what to expect, they know what is going to be asked of them. We are not hammering the panic button and changing everything up.” more

FAST START: Princeton Day School girls’ lacrosse player Tessa Caputo cradles the ball in a game last season. Senior star and Fairfield University commit Caputo will be depended on to trigger the PDS offense this season. The Panthers, who have a new head coach in former Bucknell standout Lucia Marcozzi, edged Robbinsville 11-10 last Monday to improve to 3-0. In upcoming action, the Panthers play at Princeton High on April 12 and then host Hopewell Valley on April 15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As Lucia Marcozzi has taken the helm of the Princeton Day School girls’ lacrosse team this spring, she is urging her players to take matters into their hands.

Having starred for the Bucknell women’s lacrosse program where she was a two-time All-Patriot League defender and then going on to coach high-level girls’ club lacrosse, Marcozzi is well-versed in the recent evolution of the game. more

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