GRAND FINAL: Princeton High boys’ soccer player Felipe Matar Grandi, right, controls the ball in recent action. Last Saturday, senior midfielder/forward Matar Grandi scored a second half goal for second-seeded PHS as it fell 2-1 to top-seeded and undefeated Pennington in the Mercer County Tournament final last Saturday. PHS, now 16-2, will now be competing in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 4 sectional where it is seeded first and will host 16th-seeded Montgomery in a first round contest on October 25. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For the Princeton High boys’ soccer team, it was a test that it had been shooting for all fall.

Going 16-1 with 15 shutouts, PHS was on a collision course with undefeated and nationally-ranked Pennington and the powerhouses met in the Mercer County Tournament final last Saturday.

Heading into contest played at Hopewell Valley High, the second-seeded Tigers were undaunted by the prospect of taking on the top-seeded and high-powered Red Hawks, who came into the day at 12-0 with 72 goals for and just three against. more

BRIGHT STAR: Princeton High boys’ soccer player Azariah Breitman, left, gets ready to boot the ball against Steinert in the Mercer County Tournament semis last Wednesday. Junior Breitman scored the lone goal in the contest as PHS prevailed 1-0. The second-seeded Tigers went on lose 2-1 to undefeated and top-seeded Pennington in the final last Saturday as they moved to 16-2 in the season. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Azariah Breitman and the rest of the attack on the Princeton High boys’ soccer team struggled to find a rhythm in the early going against Steinert in Mercer County Tournament semis last Wednesday.

Second-seeded PHS found itself knotted in a scoreless stalemate with the third-seeded Spartans at halftime of the contest played at Hopewell Valley.

“The first half was really a struggle,” said junior midfielder/forward Breitman. “We had a few chances but we were just lacking all of the composure. Every time we got the ball we just booted it.” more

ALL IN: Hun School field hockey player Ali Ieva, right, dribbles the ball upfield last Monday in the Mercer County Tournament final as Leah Rose-Seiden of Princeton High defends her. Senior forward Ieva tallied a goal and an assist in the final as second-seeded Hun edged top-seeded Princeton High 2-1 in a penalty shootout after the foes tied 3-3 through regulation and 20 minutes of overtime. It marked the first outright county crown for the Raiders, who improved to 13-3 with the win. In upcoming action, Hun will be pursuing another championship as it competes in the Prep state tourney where it is seeded third and hosting sixth-seeded Blair Academy in a semifinal contest on October 25. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Ali Ieva wasn’t fazed when the Hun School field hockey team found itself trailing Princeton High 2-0 early in the Mercer County Tournament final last Monday evening.

“We have been in this situation before, we know how it goes,” said senior forward and co-captain Ieva. “We just come out with a lot of grit. We wanted it so bad. We haven’t been in here since 1994 and we wanted to make history.”

The second-seeded Raiders displayed grit, scoring three straight goals to forge ahead of top-seeded PHS heading into the fourth quarter.

Ieva tallied the go-ahead goal with 2:55 left in the third quarter. more

BROX TALE: Wilberforce School boys’ cross country star Caleb Brox heads to the finish line at the Mercer County Championships last Thursday at Thompson Park in Jamesburg. Senior Brox placed first individually in the boys’ meet, covering the 5,000-meter course in a time of 16:44.10. Brox became the first Wilberforce runner to win an individual title at the county meet and helped the Wolverine boys take sixth in the team standings. (Photo provided by Lois Szeliga)

By Bill Alden

Coming into this fall, Caleb Brox was fit and fast as he headed into his senior season for the Wilberforce School boys’ cross country team.

“I was probably running 45 miles a week most weeks, trying to get a tempo run in on Monday,” said Brox. “That was the staple. When preseason started, I was running faster time trials than I had the year before.”

But Brox hit a roadblock as he took ill early in the school year.

“I got sick starting in September and then into mid-October, I was still coughing,” said Brox. “I decided to not race at all and really try to recover. Last season I had also gotten sick early.” more

BE-LINE: Hun School field hockey player Phoebe Thielmann, right, goes after the ball in recent action. Last Thursday, junior star Thielmann scored a goal to help second-seeded Hun defeat sixth-seeded Lawrence High 2-0 in the Mercer County Tournament semis. On Monday, Thielmann tallied two goals as Hun edged top-seeded Princeton High in the MCT final in a penalty shootout after the foes tied 3-3 through regulation and 20 minutes of overtime. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Phoebe Thielmann sees herself as a catalyst for the Hun School field hockey team.

“I have been focusing more on distributing towards the outside, so once it comes to me, to get it right off,” said junior co-captain Thielmann. “I have been working on quick skill.”

As second-seeded Hun faced sixth-seeded Lawrence High in the Mercer County Tournament semis last Thursday, Thielmann got Hun off to a quick start, tallying a goal midway through the first quarter to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead.

“Lawrence was a great team, they were prepared,” said Thielmann. “Our mindset was to get a score in the first five minutes — we really just wanted to start off on a good foot. I just saw my shot, I saw the opening. I had to go for it.”

Thielmann’s tally set the tone as Hun posted a 2-0 win, earning its first trip to the MCT final since 1994. more

CRUNCH TIME: Princeton High boys’ soccer player Jamie Reynolds, right, thwarts a foe in recent action. Senior defender Reynolds has helped key a superb back line for PHS which has gone 15-1 with 14 shutouts. Last Monday, the second-seeded Tigers topped seventh-seeded Allentown 6-0 in the quarterfinal round of the Mercer County Tournament. PHS will face third-seeded Steinert in the MCT semis on October 18 at Hopewell Valley with the victor advancing to the final on October 21, also at HoVal. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Jamie Reynolds’ ultimate career goal is to jump out of airplanes for an elite military unit.

“The ROTC U.S. Army is my main focus, I am looking to go to the University of Richmond as an ROTC officer,” said Reynolds. “Going into the U.S. Army as a paratrooper for the 82nd Airborne, that is my dream unit.”

This fall, senior defender Reynolds has been focusing on helping the Princeton High boys’ soccer team fly high as it has enjoyed a dream season, getting off to a 15-1 start.

Last Thursday, Reynolds and the Tigers achieved the first of their goals for the season, clinching a Colonial Valley Conference title as they rolled to a 5-0 win over WW/P-North. more

GETTING HIS KICKS: Princeton High football player Carmine Carusone boots the ball in recent action. Last Friday night, sophomore defensive back/running back Carusone kicked a 27-yard field goal to give PHS its only points as it fell 7-3 to the West Windsor-Plainsboro United football co-op. The Tigers, now 4-4, play at Palmyra on October 21. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Evan Pease put in extra work over the summer to get ready for his senior season on the Princeton High football team.

Doing offseason training with teammate and fellow senior Tyler Goldberg, Pease gained strength and confidence.

“We were lifting every day at his house,” said running back/linebacker Pease.

“It was 5 a.m. lifts then straight into 7 a.m. practice. We came back as a new breed.” more

IN FORM: Princeton High girls’ tennis player Lada Labas works on her strokes before a match last year. Junior Labas has excelled at second singles this fall, helping second-seeded PHS enjoy another big run in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 3 sectional. The Tigers were slated to play at top-seeded WW/P-North in the sectional final on October 17 with the winner advancing to the Group 3 state semis on October 19 at the Mercer County Park tennis facility. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As the most battle-tested singles player for the Princeton High girls’ tennis team, Lada Labas has seen her game mature.

“I feel like my consistency has gotten a lot better along with  my placement of shots,” said junior Labas. “That is what I use to my advantage, I try to move the girl around.”

Last week as PHS started play in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 3 sectional, Labas displayed that consistency as she rolled to a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles as the second-seeded Tigers topped seventh-seeded Jackson Memorial 5-0 in a quarterfinal contest on October 9. more

MAKING STRIDES: Hun School field hockey player Ana Dios fires the ball upfield last week against Princeton Day School. Senior star Dios scored the lone goal in the October 10 contest as Hun prevailed 1-0. The Raiders, who moved to 8-3 with a 3-0 loss to the Hill School (Pa.) last Saturday, will be starting play in the Mercer County Tournament this week. Second-seeded Hun was slated to host seventh-seeded Notre Dame in a quarterfinal contest on October 17 with the victor advancing to the MCT semis on October 19 at Lawrence High. The Raiders are also competing in the Prep state tourney where they are seeded second and will host sixth-seeded Blair Academy in a semifinal contest on October 25. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Hun School field hockey team locked in a scoreless stalemate with local rival Princeton Day School late in the first half last week, Ana Dios took matters into her own hands.

Weaving through heavy traffic in the circle, Hun senior star Dios blasted a shot into the back of the cage with 5:38 left in the half to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead.

“It was a big hit, I am not going to lie,” said Dios with a smile. “In that goal I scored, it was just strength in my stick to make the ball go forward.”

The tally by Dios proved to be the only goal of the contest as Hun held off several charges by the Panthers to post a hard-earned 1-0 triumph. more

TITLE SHOT: Princeton Day School girls’ tennis player Kristina Wang hits a backhand in a match last year. Starring at second singles, senior Wang has helped PDS reach final of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public South sectional tournament. The ninth-seeded Panthers were slated to play at second-seeded Trinity Hall in sectional final on October 17 with the victor advancing the Non-Public state final on October 19 at the Mercer County Park tennis facility. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Getting seeded ninth in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public South sectional tournament, the Princeton Day School girls’ tennis team knew it had to hit the road to advance in the tourney.

But for the Panthers assuming the road warrior role was just fine with them.

“We felt pretty confident, we know how the seedings work,” said PDS head coach Michael Augsberger. “The girls aren’t scared by numbers. It takes a little bit of learning and experience to understand how the seeding is made.” more

DOMINANT DEFENDER: Princeton University women’s hockey defender Dominique Cormier handles the puck in game last winter. Senior defender Cormier should be a force on the blue line this winter for Princeton. The Tigers open their 2023-24 campaign by hosting Robert Morris for a two-game set on October 13 and 14. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Last winter, the Princeton University women’s hockey team saved its best for last, going 5-2 down the stretch of the regular season and then pushing No. 3 Colgate to a decisive third game before falling in the best-of-three ECAC Hockey quarterfinal series.

As Princeton starts its 2023-24 campaign by hosting Robert Morris for a two-game set on October 13 and 14, Tiger head coach Cara Morey is looking for her players to display that sense of urgency from the opening face-off.

“We saw what that team could do at playoffs last year when we played our game but we can’t wait until then,” said Morey, whose squad posted an overall record of 15-15-1. “Last season, I think we were just waiting, waiting, waiting and then we turned it on in playoffs. If we had done that earlier in the season, it would have been different story. We would have been in a different standing heading into playoffs. I think what we know this year is that we have got to take every game like it is a playoff game and have that mentality every single game of the season.” more

BIG JAKE: Princeton High football defensive star Jake Angelucci on the move in a game earlier this season. Senior co-captain Angelucci has helped spearhead a rugged PHS defense that has posted four shutouts so far this season. Last Saturday, the Tigers ran into a buzz saw as they fell 34-14 to Cherry Hill East to move to 4-3. PHS will look to get back on the winning track when it hosts the West Windsor-Plainsboro Co-op (5-2) this Friday evening in its annual Homecoming game under the lights. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Employing tunnel vision on a weekly basis, the Princeton High football team produced an encouraging 4-2 start this fall.

“Our motto has really been be 1-0 against the week, it is something that we have been doing,” said PHS head coach Charlie Gallagher, whose team has posted shutouts in each of its wins this season as the Tigers have made marked progress after going 1-9 last year.

“We weren’t thinking about previous weeks, we were looking at that as more of a distraction than anything else. It is, ‘How do we prepare for the week and how do we find a way to be 1-0?’” more

BRINGING HER A-GAME: Princeton High girls’ soccer player Alysse Kiesewetter dribbles the ball in game earlier this season. Last Thursday, senior defender/midfielder Kiesewetter tallied two goals to help PHS rally for a 3-1 win over Steinert. The Tigers, who topped WW/P-South 5-0 last Monday to improve to 7-6-1, host WW/P-North on October 12 before starting action in the Mercer County Tournament on October 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Over the last two years, Alysse Kiesewetter has established herself as a star on the back line for the Princeton High girls’ soccer team.

But after PHS star midfielder Casey Serxner got sidelined earlier this fall with a leg injury, Kiesewetter has seen her role change, becoming a more attacking player.

“I usually play left back, but we have been needing to get some more goals,” said Kiesewetter. “I like playing midfield too, I like going up.”

Displaying her versatility last Thursday, Kiesewetter scored two goals on penalty kicks as PHS rallied from a 1-0 halftime deficit against visiting Steinert to pull out a dramatic 3-1 victory. more

HEADS UP: Hun School boys’ soccer player Conor Frykholm goes up for a header in action last season. Senior star and Babson commit Frykholm has starred in the midfield for the Raiders this fall as they have started 4-5-1. In upcoming action, Hun will play at Peddie on October 11 in the opening round of the Prep A state tournament before playing at the Hill School (Pa.) on October 14 in a regular season contest. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For the Hun School boys’ soccer team, last week proved to be a microcosm of a season that has turned into bit of a bumpy ride.

Playing at Life Center Academy on October 3, Hun rolled to a 4-0 win as four different players scored goals.

“We were firing on all cylinders we came out really strong,” said Hun head coach Pat Quirk, who got goals from Conor Frykholm, Zachary Stark, Toba Olaleye, and Christian Wolfe in the win. “We had balanced scoring, we scored early and we scored often. It was nice.”

The defense also produced a nice effort against the Warriors, led by junior goalie Diego Pena who made six saves. more

STICKING WITH IT: Stuart County Day School field hockey player Nyla Flamer looks to send the ball upfield in recent action. Last Friday, junior star Flamer assisted on the lone goal as Stuart edged South Hunterdon 1-0 to improve to 5-3. In upcoming action, the fourth-seeded Tartans will host fifth-seeded Pennington on October 16 in the quarterfinal of the Prep A state tournament. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As a freshman in 2021, Nyla Flamer, then about 80 pounds soaking wet, showed flashes of brilliance for the Stuart County Day School field hockey team as she zipped around opponents.

Working on her game and adding some height and pounds over the last two years, Flamer has grown into a go-to star for Stuart.

Last Friday as the Tartans hosted South Hunterdon, Flamer displayed her development, snaking through the Eagle defense in the third quarter to set up a Gloria Wang goal as Stuart ended up prevailing 1-0.

In reflecting on the play, Flamer was looking to be aggressive in the circle. more