KNOW HOW: Princeton High girls’ soccer player Holly Howes, left, kicks the ball in a game last year. Senior forward Howes figures to be a go-to finisher for PHS this season. The Tigers open their 2023 season by playing at Allentown on September 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With a number of freshmen and sophomores being pressed into service last fall, the Princeton High girls’ soccer team went through an up-and-down campaign.

PHS got off to an 8-2-2 start but faded down the stretch to end the season with an 8-8-2 record.

Looking ahead to the 2023 season, Tiger head coach Dave Kosa believes that taking those lumps will pay dividends this fall.

“The year of growth hopefully will help us because we had four or five freshmen that started last year for us,” said Kosa whose team kicks off the fall by playing at Allentown on September 7. “We are just hoping that experience will pay off for us this year. We have a lot of talent on the roster but we are still young. It is just a matter of everyone meshing together and understanding their roles.”

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RISING TO THE CHALLENGE: Princeton High boys’ soccer player Nick Matese leaps over a foe to get the ball in 2022 action. Sense defender Matese will be spearheading the PHS back line this fall. The Tigers, who will be guided by new head coach Ryan Walsh after Wayne Sutcliffe stepped down after a legendary 26-year tenure, start their 2023 season by hosting Allentown on September 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With Wayne Sutcliffe having stepped down from coaching Princeton High boys’ soccer team this spring to end a 26-year tenure that featured two state titles, it will be the start of a new era for the program this fall.

But as longtime assistant coach Ryan Walsh succeeds his boss, he vows that things will be pretty much the same around the team. more

HEADS UP: Princeton Day School boys’ soccer player Todd Devin heads the ball in a game last fall. Junior Devin’s skill set will be a big asset this fall for PDS. The Panthers open their 2023 season by playing at Lawrenceville School on September 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With 12 seniors having departed from last season’s squad due to graduation, the Princeton Day School boys’ soccer team will have a radically different look this fall.

While PDS head coach Brian Thomsen will miss the program’s Class of 2023, he is looking forward to seeing the new faces seize opportunity. more

OPENING STATEMENT: Princeton High quarterback Travis Petrone fires a pass last Friday night as PHS played at Lawrence High in the season opener for both teams. Junior Petrone connected on 4 of 8 passes for 59 yards and a touchdown in the contest to help the Tigers prevail 20-0. PHS will look to keep on the winning track when it hosts Riverside on September 2. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton High football team knotted in a scoreless tie at Lawrence High midway through the second quarter last Friday night in the season opener, PHS quarterback Travis Petrone lofted a pass that wobbled towards the end zone.

As the duck fluttered down, Tiger receiver Wyatt Arshan swooped in, snatched the ball out of the air and raced in for a 41-yard touchdown to give PHS a 6-0 lead. more

GOLD RUSH: Princeton High football star Tyler Goldberg looks to elude some tacklers in a game last fall. Senior running back and team captain Goldberg figures to be a key cog in the PHS offense this fall. The Tigers open their 2023 campaign by playing at Lawrence High on August 25. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Undergoing a youth movement by necessity last fall, the Princeton High football team took its lumps as it went 1-9.

Reaping the benefits of getting a slew of freshmen, sophomores, and juniors on the field, PHS enters the 2023 campaign as a battle-tested squad.

“I am seeing somewhat of an experienced team, I do see a big jump,” said Tiger head coach Charlie Gallagher, noting that 67 players showed up for preseason practice this summer, the largest turnout in his tenure guiding the program. “I feel like there are a lot of veterans out there. It is a good thing to have.” more

NICK OF TIME: Nick Taylor makes a point during his tenure as the head coach of the Haverford College men’s lacrosse team. Taylor left Haverford this spring to take the helm of the Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse program. (Photo by David Sinclair Photography)

By Bill Alden

Upon wrapping up a superb college lacrosse career at Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham in 2008, Nick Taylor was planning to leave the game.

“After FDU, I went to American University and earned a master’s degree there,” said Taylor. “I was really intent on taking a stab at the public relations side. I have a degree in public communications.”

But while studying for his master’s degree, Taylor was pulled back into lacrosse, doing some volunteer coaching for the Catholic University men’s program. Realizing that he could make a career out of the game he loves, Taylor ultimately became an assistant coach at Catholic from 2009-12. more

IN FORM: Stephen Baytin of the Nassau Swim Club Lemmings displays his freestyle form in a race this summer. In late July, Baytin came up big at the Princeton Area Swimming and Diving Association (PASDA) championship meet, taking first in the 12U boys’ 50-yard freestyle, first in 50 breaststroke, and first in 100 individual medley. Baytin’s heroics helped the Lemmings take seventh overall at the meet and second among Division 2 teams. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

While the Princeton Area Swimming and Diving Association (PASDA) has shrunk in recent years with such powerhouse teams as the Cranbury Catfish and West Windsor Whalers having folded, the plucky band of the Nassau Swim Club Lemmings has stayed afloat despite limited numbers.

With a squad of around 50 swimmers, the Lemmings went 4-2 in PASDA Division 2 dual meet action this summer and ended up taking seventh overall and second among Division 2 teams at the PASDA championship meet in late July. more

ALEXIS THE GREAT: Community Park Bluefish swim star Alexis Julian displays her breaststroke form in a race this summer. Julian helped the Bluefish place first in the Princeton Area Swimming and Diving Association (PASDA) championship meet in late July. Julian finished first in the girls’ 10U 25-yard freestyle and 100 individual medley and earned the Most Valuable Player award in the age group along with teammate Oceana Hsieh, the first place finisher in the 25 breaststroke and the 25 butterfly. CP rolled to its eighth straight title in the competition, piling up 3,588 points in taking first, more than doubling runner-up Country Pool Club Swim Team (1,485 points). (Photo provided by Mike Uchrin)

By Bill Alden

Things were a little choppy at the beginning of this summer for the Community Park Bluefish swim team.

“We had to overcome some adversity,” said CP Bluefish co-head coach Mike Uchrin. “It was cold at first, and then the sun came out and it was hazy. Then after that we had thunderstorms every day. We had a lot of challenging mental things to overcome at first.” more

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY: Referee Keith Glock giving instructions during the pregame lineup before the gold medal game at the World Lacrosse Men’s Championship on July 1 as the U.S. faced Canada. Glock, a resident of Lawrenceville and a guidance counselor at Montgomery High, served as the lead official in the contest that was won 10-7 by the U.S.  (Photo provided by Keith Glock)

By Bill Alden

On the afternoon of July 1, Keith Glock was standing on the field at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, Calif., but felt like he was on the top of the world.

That day, Glock was serving as the lead official of the gold medal game at the World Lacrosse Men’s Championship as the U.S. faced Canada. more

SUPPLY AND DEMAND: Troy Jones of Princeton Supply puts up a shot in recent action in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League. Last Wednesday, Jones tallied 20 points with six rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one blocked shot to help Princeton Supply edge LoyalTees 57-54 in game two of the league’s best-of-three championship series to sweep the finals and win the title. Jones, a former Notre Dame High and East Stroudsburg University standout, was named as the Foreal Wooten Playoff MVP. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Although Princeton Supply pulled away to a 66-54 win over a short-handed LoyalTees squad in the opener of the best-of-three championship series in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League, Troy Jones knew that earning a title was still going to be a struggle.

“We just knew that we had to play our game,” said Princeton Supply star guard Jones in assessing the team’s mindset as it came into Game 2 last Wednesday night at the Community Park courts. “We knew it was going to be a way different game than the last game. It was a much tougher game.” more

OUT OF AFRICA: Princeton High alum Paul Mbusa meets up with PHS classmate Emma Rosen in late June at the 2023 World Lacrosse Men’s Championship in San Diego, Calif. Mbusa, a member of the Tiger boys’ lax program for all four years of high school, went on to play club lacrosse at Vanderbilt University. He played for the Uganda squad in the world tournament, producing a career highlight when he scored a goal in a 13-5 loss to France in Pool B play.

By Bill Alden

After getting injured skateboarding as a middle schooler, Paul Mbusa decided it was time to direct his energy elsewhere.

“I said I don’t want to do this anymore,” said Mbusa. “I am going to pick up lacrosse. I picked it up in the eighth grade. I really enjoyed it and I stuck with it.”

Mbusa went on to play for the PHS boys’ lacrosse program from 2009-13 and then competed for the Vanderbilt University men’s club lax team. Taking a hiatus from the sport after college as he got into yoga in recovering from an injury, Mbusa picked up his stick again to play in a men’s league in New York City. more

RAISING KANE: Michael Kane of Princeton Supply looks to unload the ball in recent action in the Princeton Recreation Department Men’s Summer Basketball League. Last Monday night, Kane tallied 16 points to help third-seeded Princeton Supply defeat top-seeded LoyalTees 66-54 in game one of the league’s best-of-three championship series. Game two is slated for Wednesday at 8 p.m. at the Community Park courts with game three, if necessary, to be played Friday evening at CP. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Michael Kane had a bloody nose with gauze stuffed up his right nostril but was all smiles last Monday night after helping third-seeded Princeton Supply defeat top-seeded LoyalTees 66-54 in game one of the league’s best-of-three championship series at the Community Park courts.

With Princeton Supply coming off a 65-30 rout of second-seeded YSU (Young Sports Unlimited) in the league semis last Friday, Kane and his teammates were looking to build on that performance as they faced LoyalTees. more