HEADS UP: Princeton High boys’ soccer player Sam Serxner heads the ball up the field last Thursday as PHS edged Hopewell Valley 2-1 in the season opener for both teams. Senior defender Serxner assisted on the winning goal midway through the second half, sending a free kick into the box that Quentin Pompliano headed into the back of the net. The Little Tigers host Notre Dame on September 15 and WW/P-S on September 19. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

When the Princeton High boys’ soccer team opened its season by hosting Hopewell Valley last Thursday, Sam Serxner was just one of three returning starters in the lineup for the Little Tigers. more

ON THE RUN: Princeton High quarterback Vince Doran rolls out to fire a pass last Sunday against Pemberton in the season opener. Junior Doran hit on 19-of-35 passes for 149 yards in his debut as the starting QB but it wasn’t enough as PHS fell 33-6 to the Hornets. The Little Tigers will look to get in the win column when they play at Hightstown on September 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Between the 20-yard lines the Princeton High football team held its own as it hosted Pemberton last Sunday in the season opener for both teams. more

FANCY FOOTWORK: Hun School girls’ soccer player Kara Borden shows off her ball skills last Saturday against Notre Dame in the season opener for both teams. Junior star Borden notched a goal to help Hun earn a 2-2 draw with the Irish. In upcoming action, the Raiders host Germantown Academy (Pa.) on September 15 and Oak Knoll on September 19. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Two years ago, the Hun School girls’ soccer team reached new heights as it defeated perennial power Pennington 2-0 to win the state Prep A title. more

LAW AND ORDER: Hun School field hockey player Delia Lawver marks a foe in action last season. Hun will be depending on senior star Lawver to keep order in the midfield this fall. The Raiders start their 2016 campaign when they play at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (Pa.) on September 14. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Over the years, the Hun School field hockey program has displayed a propensity for coming on strong down the stretch. more

With a horde of players hitting the field this summer the Hun School boys’ soccer program, Pat Quirk has been busy sorting through the talent at his disposal.

“We had 65 kids come out for the three teams that we have, it is very good,” said Hun head coach Quirk, who guided his varsity team to a 5-12 record in 2015.

“They are at about the same level so we are just kind of weeding through that right now. We have a good core of returning kids from the varsity team, for sure, and we got some incoming kids that are very, very skilled. I think are going to jell well together.” more

GETTING THEIR KICKS: Members of Princeton High boys’ soccer team enjoy kicking the ball around in a drill at recent practice. PHS, coming off a 16-2-3 campaign last fall, open the 2016 season by hosting Hopewell Valley on September 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

The bar has been set high for the Princeton High boys’ soccer team. more

For Heather Serverson, guiding her Princeton High field hockey team through the preseason has been akin to working on a jigsaw puzzle.

“We have some seasoned players so it really is just a matter of figuring out how we can function best as a team,” said Serverson, who guided PHS to a 13-6-2 record in 2015 and the semifinals of both the Mercer County Tournament and the North 2 Group 4 sectional.

“We have the experience under our belts; we still haven’t quite figured out how we work best together yet.” more

FLYING SOLO: Princeton High football payer Alex -Solopenkov races up the field in action last fall. Senior receiver -Solopenkov figures to be a key target this fall for PHS. The Little Tigers start their 2016 season when they host Pemberton on September 10. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Charlie Gallagher acknowledged that his Princeton High football team has been feeling the heat over the last few weeks. more

LEADING THE WAY: Princeton Day School girls’ soccer player Abby Atkeson runs through a drill at a recent practice. Senior captain Atkeson will be counted on to provide gritty play in the midfield this fall for the Panthers, who have won two straight state Prep B titles. PDS is slated to open its 2016 campaign by hosting WW/P-S on September 10. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Over the last few years, the Princeton Day School girls’ soccer team has provided living proof of the adage that defense wins  more

Growing up in Wales, Ollie Hilliker fell in love with the game of soccer at a young age.

Hilliker rose through the ranks and played for the country’s U-16 national team. He later played for two Welsh semiprofessional teams before heading to the University of Liverpool to study sports science with an emphasis on soccer.

“I played at a decent level; I had good experience playing but also I know the culture of being immersed in the game,” said Hilliker. more

FRENCH ACCENT: Princeton Day School field hockey player Kiely French controls the ball in action last fall. Senior star French figures to anchor the back line for the Panthers again this season. PDS opens the 2016 season by hosting Stuart Country Day School on September 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

With Heather Farlow entering her second year at the helm of the Princeton Day School field hockey program, the team has hit the ground running this season. more

The players on the Stuart Country Day field hockey team have adopted “hustle and heart” as their mantra for the upcoming season.

Two weeks into preseason, Stuart head coach Missy Bruvik believes that her charges are living up to those words.

“It is going very good in terms of the kids learning, progressing and working hard everyday,” said Bruvik, noting that the team had a productive weekend trip to Washington D.C. in late August where it had two scrimmages and then went 2-0 in play day scrimmages last Wednesday. more

WATTS UP: Sydney Watts sends the ball up the field in action for the Amherst College field hockey last fall during her junior campaign. Watts, a former Princeton High standout, has been a starter on defense for Amherst the last two seasons and will serve as a co-captain of the team this fall. (Photo Courtesy of Amherst Athletic Communications)

A rash of injuries paved the way for Sydney Watts to get some playing time during the latter stages of her freshman season with the Amherst College field hockey team in the fall of 2013. more

BEARING DOWN: Marco Pinheiro, left, chases down the ball in action last fall during his freshman season for the Washington University in St. Louis men’s soccer team. Pinheiro, a former Princeton Day School boys’ soccer star, made the WashU varsity squad as a walk-on as a freshman. He ended up getting into 15 games and making four starts. He is currently in preseason training at WashU as the squad prepares for its season opener at Webster on September 1.

When Marco Pinheiro started looking at colleges, he was initially focusing on schools that would further his soccer career. more

A NEW SPIN: Former Hun School and Princeton University basketball star Douglas Davis, right, works with a camper on his shooting form last week at the inaugural TopSpin Hoops Academy. The program was an overnight basketball camp that took place from August 12-16 on the Hun campus. (Photo Courtesy of Pete Farnsworth)

In common parlance, “top spin” usually refers to a stroke in racquet sports where the ball is hit with a rising action and then dips over the net, making it hard to return. more