HEADS UP: Princeton High boys’ hockey player Anders Hedin heads up the ice in a game last winter. Junior forward Hedin figures to be a key performer for the Tigers this winter. PHS opens its 2024-25 campaign by facing Notre Dame on December 6 at the Mercer County Skating Center. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton High boys’ hockey team coming off a disappointing 5-13 campaign last winter, Rik Johnson is looking for his squad to display more intensity this season.

“It is still early going, we have had two on-ice practices and then one dry land on Tuesday,” said PHS head coach Johnson, whose team opens its 2024-25 campaign by facing Notre Dame on December 6 at the Mercer County Skating Center. “The vibes are positive, they are high. We definitely seem to be more focused going into the season. I am hoping to improve on last year.” more

GOING AT IT: Princeton Day School boys’ hockey player Wyatt Ewanchyna brings the puck up the ice in a game last season. Senior forward Ewanchyna, who led PDS in assists last year with 20, will be counted on to be an offensive catalyst for the team again this winter. The Panthers will be opening their 2024-25 season by playing Delbarton on December 12 at SportsCare Arena in Randolph. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

While the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey team has utilized a freewheeling, end-to-end style over the years, Scott Bertoli realizes that isn’t always the best fit for his squad.

As PDS head coach Bertoli looks ahead to the upcoming season, he will be instilling a more grind-it-out approach. more

STATE OF JOY: Members of the Stuart Country Day School volleyball team are all smiles as they pose for a photo this season. The Tartans made history this fall, going 11-8 on the way to making the semis of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey Non-Public B state sectional in their first appearance in the tourney. (Photo provided courtesy of Anna Kachmarski)

By Bill Alden

Having been the head coach of the Stuart Country Day School volleyball program since it started varsity play in 2017, Anna Kachmarski has guided the Tartans through some ups and downs.

“Having a smaller school can always be challenging going up against some competing public schools who have hundreds in their classes,” said Kachmarski, the STEM curriculum coordinator at the school, who played volleyball in high school and college. “We have been through a few rebuilding years starting the program and getting it off the ground because when we started the program we actually had a high number of students who were seniors and left after the first year.” more

TO THE MATT: Princeton High boys’ soccer player Matt Chao kicks the ball in a game earlier this season. Senior Chao helped key a strong defensive effort as PHS fell 1-0 to Southern High in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 4 state semis on November 19. The Tigers ended the fall with an 18-3-4 record. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden 

Playing at Southern High in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 4 state semis last week, the Princeton High boys’ soccer team faced some challenges in terms of a talented foe and a choppy pitch.

“They are really big, athletic and we knew that Aidan Donnelly, their forward, was really a handful,” said PHS head coach Ryan Walsh. “They were really senior heavy so we knew that we were going to have to handle them athletically. It was going to be a different style of soccer because of their grass field. We spend so much time training to play some quality soccer. We knew it was going to be a different game, so we had to change our style a little bit.” more

SPECIAL FORCE: Members of the Wilberforce School girls’ cross country team are all smiles after they placed second in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public B state championship meet at Holmdel Park earlier this month. Junior Laura Sallade placed third individually at the meet to lead the way for the Wolverines. In the team standings, Wilberforce had a team score of 53 with Villa Walsh taking first at 25. Pictured, from left, are Stella Tobey, Sophia Vardeman, Gwen Mersereau, Sallade, Stella Blanchard, and Adeline Edwards. (Photo provided by Lois Szeliga)

By Bill Alden

Heading into the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Non-Public B Group championship meet earlier this month, the Wilberforce School girls’ cross country team had extra motivation to excel.

“Having no county meet made a difference, the goal all season was Non-Public B,” said Wilberforce head coach Lois Szeliga, referring to the decision by the Mercer County Tournament Association last spring that it was discontinuing county competitions in favor of Colonial Valley Conference Tournaments which bar local private schools who are not members of the CVC. more

TYME TO SHINE: Hun School boys’ basketball player Drae Tyme heads to the hoop in a game last season. Senior forward Tyme, who also stars at football, will be looking to give Hun some muscle in the paint. The Raiders start their 2024-25 campaign by hosting Malvern Prep (Pa.) on November 30. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As the Hun School boys’ basketball team rounds into shape for the upcoming season, adding some muscle from the school’s dominant football program should give it some more punch.

“We have got three football players, they are getting into the fray pretty quickly here,” said Hun head coach Jon Stone, who guided the Raiders to a 10-14 record last winter. “There is a lot of energy, there is a lot of enthusiasm. It is a really good group.” more

By Bill Alden

Having lost a stellar group of nine seniors to graduation from last year’s squad, the Hun School boys’ hockey team will have a different look this winter.

“We have a lot of new faces but at the same time we still have a lot of guys who are familiar with the program and have been around for a few years,” said second-year Hun head coach Eric Szeker, who guided the Raiders to a 5-12 record last season. “One of the things I try to build is a good culture and that starts with the guys inside the locker room. They have done a really good job of making everybody feel welcome, whether it is the JV guys, the varsity guys, or new transfers, whatever it might be. There was a lot of excitement coming into the season.”

Hun started the season with two exciting games, falling 4-3 to Devon Prep (Pa.) last Thursday in its season opener and then skating to a 3-3 tie with Father Judge (Pa.) a day later.  more

ON POINT: Princeton University women’s basketball player Ashley Chea heads upcourt in a game last season. Last Wednesday, sophomore point guard Chea scored a career-high 17 points to help Princeton defeat Villanova 70-61 in its home opener. On Sunday, Chea tallied 14 points in a losing cause as the Tigers fell 74-66 at Quinnipiac. Princeton, now 2-2, plays at Seton Hall on November 21 and at Rutgers on November 24. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

During her freshman season with the Princeton University women’s basketball team last winter, Ashley Chea served as an understudy to senior star point guard Kaitlyn Chen.

With Chen having departed and now playing for UConn as a graduate transfer, Chea is now applying the knowledge she gained from her mentor.

“I learned so much from her, I think that this year I am trying to take on her role but me and Kaitlyn play super differently,” said Chea, a 5’8 native of Los Angeles, Calif.  “I think both of our confidence spikes up when times are heated. I just try my best to lead the team and do whatever they need me to do.” more

ENCORE PERFORMANCE: Members of the Princeton High girls’ volleyball team celebrate last Saturday after they defeated Ramapo 2-0 (25-8, 25-11) in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 3 state finals at Franklin High. It marked the second straight Group 3 state title for PHS and putting the finishing touch on a sensational 28-1 campaign. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As Lois Matsukawa served for Princeton High girls’ volleyball team to open its New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 3 state final against Ramapo last Saturday, she zipped the ball over the net which resulted in the Tigers taking a 1-0 lead on a block at the net.

PHS rattled off five straight points on Matsukawa’s serve and never looked back on the way to a comprehensive 2-0 (25-8, 25-11) win over the Raiders at Franklin High, earning its second straight Group 3 state title and putting the finishing touch on a sensational 28-1 campaign.

With PHS having won the program’s first-ever state title last fall, senior center Matsukawa and her teammates were calm and collected as they took the court last Saturday. more

SHINING PEARL: Princeton High girls’ volleyball player Pearl Agel sets the ball last Saturday in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 3 state final. Senior libero Agel starred as PHS defeated Moorestown 2-0 (25-8, 25-9) in the NJSIAA Group 3 state semifinal round last Thursday in its home finale and then went on to top Ramapo 2-0 (25-8, 25-11) in the Group 3 final on Sunday at Franklin High. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As the Princeton High girls’ volleyball team hosted Moorestown last Thursday in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group 3 state semis, it was the last-ever home game for Pearl Agel and she was determined to make it memorable.

“We were excited, we just really wanted to bring our all,” said senior libero Agel. “We always say, ‘Let’s play Princeton volleyball. Let’s play together, that is really important.’ I have had such a blast at the school and I am so happy.” more

TITLE CHASE: Princeton High boys’ soccer player Chase Hamerschlag boots the ball last Friday as PHS hosted Monroe in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 4 sectional final. Junior center back Hamerschlag scored a goal on a header to give third-seeded PHS a 1-0 win over fifth seeded Monroe. The Tigers, who improved to 18-2-4, were slated to play at Southern (17-5-1) on November 19 in the Group 4 semis with the victor advancing to the state final on November 24. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

In the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) tournament final on October 26, Chase Hamerschlag headed in a goal off a pass from Aaron Thyrum on a corner kick in the second half to give the Princeton High boys’ soccer team a 1-0 win over
Notre Dame.

History repeated itself last Friday as third-seeded PHS hosted fifth-seeded Monroe in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central Jersey Group 4 sectional final. With the teams knotted in a scoreless tie in the second half, junior center back Hamerschlag soared above a Falcon defender to head in a pass from Thyrum on a set piece to give PHS a 1-0 victory. more

BEST FOOT FORWARD: Princeton Day School boys’ soccer player Todd Devin, right, kicks the ball in a game last season. Last Friday, senior midfielder Devin scored two goals as sixth-seeded PDS fell to top-seeded Moorestown Friends on penalty kicks after the teams had tied at 3-3 through regulation and overtime in the final of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey Non-Public B tournament. The defeat left the Panthers with a final record of 8-14. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Although the Princeton Day School boys’ soccer team brought a mediocre 5-13 record into the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) South Jersey Non-Public B tournament, Todd Devin was confident that the squad would be a tough out in the tourney.

“We started playing this tournament my freshman year and every year we are told at the beginning of the year no matter how the regular season goes, we can always make a run,” said PDS senior midfielder Devin. “That was pretty prevalent early in because we were playing in the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) and we were playing the best teams. Five of seven teams went far in states. We know we are playing good competition through the whole season. We get to the state tournament and we always know that we have a chance to win and no game is out of our reach.” more