PUSHING BACK: Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse player Matt Whittaker, left, battles to get past a foe in a game earlier this season. Last Friday, senior attacker Whittaker tallied a goal and two assists as top-seeded PDS topped eighth-seeded Ewing 15-0 in the opening round of the Mercer County Invitational. PDS defeated fourth-seeded WW/P-South 11-3 in the MCI quarters as Whittaker tallied five goals and one assist. The Panthers, now 6-10, will host the winner of the semi between Lawrence-WW/P-North in the MCI final on May 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Matt Whittaker was part of the supporting cast last spring for the Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse team as it won the Prep B state title and advanced to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public B state final.

“Last year, I only had half the season, I was a transfer from Lawrence High,” said Whittaker, who tallied 12 goals and 11 assists in 2023. more

TOUGHING IT OUT: Princeton High girls’ lacrosse player Sarah Henderson, left, unloads the ball in a game last season. Last Thursday, Henderson, who has bounced back from serious injuries over the years, came up big on her Senior Day, tallying one goal and four assists to help PHS defeat Robbinsville 11-7. Last Monday, Henderson scored a goal as sixth-seeded PHS fell 13-8 to third-seeded Notre Dame in the quarterfinal round of the Mercer County Tournament. The Tigers, now 10-6, host Hun School on May 13. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For Sarah Henderson, making it to her Senior Day for the Princeton High girls’ lacrosse team last Thursday proved to be a bit of an ordeal.

During her high school career, Henderson has dealt with serious injuries, suffering a torn ACL and undergoing major foot surgery along the way.

“It is definitely a challenge, me and my teammate Sylvie [LeBouef] have gone through really similar things,” said star attacker Henderson. “We really help support each other. We both play low attack and we talk through it. Like when our knee is hurting or we are having the same struggles with our brace, having to tape it. We are able to talk to each other and that is a really great connection to have because we understand the struggle of it.”

Going through injury struggles has required Henderson to modify her game.

 more

RECORD PACE: Princeton Day School girls’ lacrosse player Tessa Caputo races upfield in game earlier this season. Last Wednesday, Caputo tallied five goals and four assists as PDS fell 16-15 to Notre Dame. On Monday, Caputo scored seven goals with two assists as fourth-seeded PDS fell 14-11 to fifth-seeded Hun in the quarterfinal round of the Mercer County Tournament. Fairfield University commit Caputo recently broke the program record of 232 career goals and now has 242. The Panthers, now 11-4, are next in action when they play in the Prep B state tournament where they are seeded second and are slated to host third-seeded Morristown-Beard in a semifinal contest on May 10. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Tessa Caputo has been piling up the milestones this spring in her final season for the Princeton Day School girls’ lacrosse team.

Star attacker and Fairfield University commit Caputo recently broke the program record of 232 goals and now has 242. She also holds the Panther mark in points with 386 as she closes in on joining the 400 club.

While Caputo is proud of those achievements, she is not dwelling on stats.

“It is definitely something fun to look at but at the end of the day, it is not something that I am focused on going into games,” said Caputo. “My mom is all over it, she loves it.”

 more

By Bill Alden

Charlie Batista tapped the left side of his chest as he was greeted by his Hun School baseball teammates by the dugout after striking out the side in the sixth inning to cap a stellar mound effort against the Hill School (Pa.) last Friday.

Showing heart, senior Batista dug deep in his final inning of work.

“I was thinking coming into that sixth inning, I was getting up there, the most I pitched before this game was like 78,” said Batista. “I got up to 91 pitches. I felt good all the way through. That was a nice way to end.”

Batista produced a nice effort overall, yielding just one hit with eight strikeouts and three walks as Hun prevailed 3-0.

 more

ON THE BALL: Stuart Country Day School lacrosse player Allison Lee, right, goes after the ball in recent action. Last Saturday, junior star Lee tallied seven goals and two assists as Stuart fell 14-12 to South Brunswick. The Tartans, who lost 14-5 Hopewell Valley in the Mercer County Invitational last Monday to move to 3-9, host Delaware Valley on May 9 and then play at Princeton Day School on May 13. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Even though time was running out on the Stuart Country Day School lacrosse team as it trailed South Brunswick by three goals in the waning moments last Saturday, Allison Lee wasn’t about to give up.

Stuart junior star Lee darted into the crease area and fired a shot into the back of the cage with 26.9 second left in the game to tally the final goal of the day as the Tartans fell 14-12.

While Lee was disappointed by the result on a day when Stuart jumped out to a 4-2 lead heading into the second quarter, she exemplified the way the Tartans battled to the final horn.

“We got into a really good rhythm at first, we were really focused and into it,” said Lee, who ended up with seven goals and two assists in the defeat.

 more

NO BACKING DOWN: Princeton High boys’ tennis player Melvin Huang hits a backhand last week at the Mercer County Tournament. Senior star Huang won the title at second singles as PHS finished second in the team standings at the event. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

True to form, Princeton High boys’ tennis player Melvin Huang did it the hard way as he took a grueling route to winning the second singles title at the Mercer County Tournament last Thursday.
In the morning, senior star and top-seeded Huang outlasted Shritan Gopu of WW/P-South in a semifinal contest decided by a 7-point match tiebreak as he won 5-7, 7-6, [7-3].

“I wasn’t focused on the final, I was just focusing on every point,” said Huang, known for his relentless work ethic and propensity for grinding out wins. “I tried flattening the ball out a little more, making him take lower. He starts cramping up so that also helped. As I started gathering momentum, I tried to focus on finishing the match. I was getting satisfied getting to 5-all and then getting to a tiebreak.” more

LIGHTING IT UP: Princeton High boys’ lacrosse player Patrick Kenah runs past a foe in recent action. Last Saturday night, senior star Kenah tallied five goals and six assists to help PHS defeat Notre Dame 21-11 under the lights at Mercer County Community College. The Tigers, who improved to 7-4 with the win, play at Summit on May 4 and at Hightstown on May 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With Saturday night lights shining as the Princeton High boys’ lacrosse team faced Notre Dame last weekend at Mercer County Community College, Patrick Kenah and his teammates wanted to put on a show.

“So many people put so much time and work into getting us this venue under the lights,” said PHS senior star attacker Kenah.  more

HITTING MILESTONES: Hun School softball player Lexi Kobryn smacks the ball in a game last season. Senior star and Villanova commit Kobryn recently hit the 500-strikeout and 100-hit marks in her career. She is the first player in program history to have both 500 strikeouts and 100 hits. She is the only Raider with 500 strikeouts and just the second to have 100 hits in addition to Lauren McQuade. Last Wednesday in a 15-0 win over the Hill School (Pa.), Kobryn added to her totals as she had seven strikeouts in a four-inning one-hitter and contributed two hits. Hun, which swept a doubleheader against Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) last Saturday, winning 8-0 and 16-0 to improve to 11-1, plays at Pingry on May 2 and at the Blair Academy on May 4. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

In the last couple of weeks, Lexi Kobryn has cemented her status as one of the greatest players in the proud history of the Hun School softball program.

On April 18 in a 5-0 win over Hightstown, senior righty fireballer Kobryn recorded her 500th career strikeout, the first Hun pitcher to reach that milestone. more

FINAL PUSH: Hun School girls’ lacrosse player Ava Olender heads to goal in recent action. Last Saturday, senior star and Tufts University commit Olender tallied four goals and an assist to help Hun defeat the Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) 18-9. The Raiders, who topped Hightstown 12-9 last Monday to improve to 7-4, play at Blair Academy in the Prep A state quarterfinals on May 1 and then host Hopewell Valley on May 4. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

By Bill Alden

Ava Olender is bringing a carefree approach this spring into her final campaign for the Hun School girls’ lacrosse team.

“I am just letting go this season, I know it is my last one so I am just here to have fun and have the best time,” said senior star Olender. “I want to lift all of my other teammates up and leave a positive impact on the program as a whole on my way out.” more

ATTACK MODE: Hun School boys’ lacrosse Brett Stelmach races past a Princeton Day School defender last Thursday. Junior attacker Stelmach tallied three goals and two assists to help Hun defeat PDS 16-3. The Raiders, who edged Gill St. Bernard’s 9-8 in overtime last Saturday to improve to 6-4, host Perkiomen School (Pa.) on May 4 and then play at Christian Brothers Academy on May 6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Starting last week with a lopsided 18-7 loss to powerhouse Lawrenceville, the Hun School boys’ lacrosse team could have been discouraged.

But Hun junior attacker Brett Stelmach believes that the April 23 setback could prove to be a blessing in disguise for the Raiders. more

ALEX THE GREAT: Princeton High baseball player Alex Winters takes a cut in recent action. Last Thursday, senior center fielder Winters went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs to help PHS defeat the Princeton Day School 10-0. The Tigers, who fell 15-9 to Allentown last Monday to move to 4-5, host Hopewell Valley on April 26, play at Colts Neck on April 27, hosts Franklin on April 29 and plays at Lawrence on April 30. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

By Bill Alden

Alex Winters lived up to his role as the catalyst for the Princeton High baseball team with aplomb as it hosted Princeton Day School last Thursday.

Senior center fielder and leadoff hitter Winters started the bottom of the first inning by stroking a single and stealing a base to ignite a two-run rally.

“That is always the goal, getting a good start especially with the top of our lineup,” said Winters. more

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