PENNED IN: Stuart Country Day School basketball player Bey-Shana Clark gets thwarted by a Pennington School player last Sunday in the state Prep B semifinals. Sophomore star Clark scored seven points in a losing cause as top-seeded Stuart fell 48-23 to fourth-seeded and defending champion Pennington. The Tartans, now 18-8, are next in action when they compete in the Mercer County Tournament, where they are seeded eighth and will be hosting ninth-seeded Nottingham in an opening round contest on February 17. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Hosting a run-and-gun Pennington School squad in the state Prep B semis last Sunday afternoon, the Stuart Country Day School basketball team was looking to slow things down. more

FANTASTIC FINISH: Members of the Princeton High boys’ track squad celebrate after winning the team title at the Central Group 4 indoor sectional meet at the Bennett Center in Toms River last Sunday. Trailing Hunterdon Central 41-22 entering the final two events, PHS rallied to pull out the title, paced by a 1-2-3 finish in the 3,200 from senior Alex Roth, junior Will Hare, and junior Alex Ackerman. It was the program’s first-ever indoor sectional crown at the Group 4 level.

On Sunday night, the New England Patriots produced a miraculous comeback in Super Bowl LI, rallying from a 25-point deficit to pull out a 34-28 victory in overtime. more

FAMILY TIES: Princeton High boys’ hockey player Anthony Trainor goes after the puck in recent action. Last Saturday at Baker Rink, senior forward Trainor tallied a goal and an assist to help PHS defeat WW/P 9-0 as the program held its annual Senior Night celebration. Trainor was joined in the ceremony by younger brothers and PHS teammates, sophomore forward Robbie and freshman forward Aidan. In upcoming action, the Little Tigers, now 14-2-4, will be competing in the Mercer County Tournament, where they are seeded first and will face the victor of the Steinert/Paul VI opening round game in the quarterfinals on February 8 at Mercer County Park. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

There was a family feeling in the air at Baker Rink last Saturday night as the Princeton High boys’ hockey team held its annual Senior Night celebration. more

LANDING A BLOW: Princeton Day School boys’ hockey player Coby Auslander races up the ice in recent action. Last Wednesday, sophomore forward Auslander contributed three goals and an assist to help second-seeded PDS roll to an 11-1 win over third-seeded Montclair Kimberley Academy in the state Prep semis. PDS, now 11-9-2 after a 3-0 win over the Portledge School (N.Y.) last Monday, plays at top-seeded Morristown-Beard in the title game on February 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

As it hosted Montclair Kimberley Academy in the state Prep semifinals last Wednesday, the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey team was primed to break out of a recent slump which had seen it lose five of its previous six games. more

TITLE CHASE: Princeton Day School boys’ basketball player Chase Lewis dribbles up the court in recent action. Recovering from a knee injury suffered in early December, senior guard Lewis recently passed the 1,000-point mark in his PDS career. Last Sunday, he tallied 15 points to help the third-seeded Panthers defeat sixth-seeded Newark Academy 64-48 in the opening round of the state Prep B tournament. PDS, now 15-7, will play at second-seeded Morristown-Beard in the Prep B semis on February 12. In addition, PDS will play at Springside Chestnut Hill (Pa.) in a regular season contest on February 9. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

As Chase Lewis lay writhing on the floor after driving to the basket in the home opener for the Princeton Day School boys’ hoops team in early December, he feared he might not play again for the Panthers. more

FINAL APPROACH: Princeton Day School girls’ basketball player Shayla Stevenson drives to the hoop in a game earlier this season. Last Sunday, senior guard Stevenson scored five points in a losing cause as fifth-seeded PDS fell 72-34 at fourth-seeded Pennington in the opening round of the state Prep B tournament. The Panthers, who dropped to 7-13 with the defeat, host Delaware Valley on February 9 before starting play in the Mercer County Tournament. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Scrapping to the final whistle, the Princeton Day School girls’ basketball team outscored Pennington 12-9 in the fourth quarter last Sunday as the rivals met in the opening round of the state Prep B tournament. more

GOING FOUR IT: Hun School boys’ hockey player Blake Brown controls the puck in recent action. This week, senior star Brown and the Raiders will be starting their quest for a fourth straight Mercer County Tournament title. Hun, now 4-15, is seeded 7th in the MCT and was slated to play 10th-seeded Pennington in an opening round contest on February 7 with the winner advancing to a quarterfinal clash against second-seeded Lawrence High on February 8 at Mercer County Park. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Even though the Hun School boys’ hockey team is bringing a 4-15 record into the Mercer County Tournament this week as it goes for its fourth straight county crown, the squad believes it can still be dangerous. more

FILLING A NEW ROLE: Princeton High boys’ basketball player Alex Filion, right, tries to thwart Princeton Day School’s John McArthur in recent action. Last Friday, senior forward Filion chipped in six points in a losing cause as PHS was edged 52-50 by Hightstown. This winter, Filion is starting at forward after riding the bench in the 2015-16 campaign. The Little Tigers, who moved to 7-7 with the defeat to Hightstown, play at Trenton High on February 3 and at Notre Dame on February 6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Alex Filion was a member of the supporting cast for the Princeton High boys’ basketball team last winter, getting called up to varsity but never seeing any game action. more

Heading into the final county meet in his career with the Princeton High boys swimming team, Alex Petruso drew on his experience.

“When you get older, your best times stop coming out every time,” said senior standout Petruso.

“You have got to work through it. There are specific meets where you train, taper, and work really hard for. This is definitely one of those and I was close to a bunch of best times.” more

On paper, Ben Samara figured that the Mercer County Indoor boys’ track meet last Sunday would come down to a three-horse race between his Princeton High squad along with Trenton and Nottingham.

But with several PHS athletes under the weather, it couldn’t keep up with an inspired Trenton team as the Tornadoes picked up 62 points to take first with the Little Tigers scoring 54 to come in second among the 16 teams that competed on the boys’ side.

“It didn’t end well for us we had a lot of guys sick and we weren’t quite there and Trenton over performed,” lamented PHS boys’ head coach Samara. more

HOLDING THE FORT: Princeton Day School boys’ hockey goalie Logan Kramsky turns away a shot last Thursday as PDS played at Lawrenceville. Senior standout Kramsky made 37 saves in a losing cause as the Panthers fell 3-1 to the Big Red to move to 9-9-2. This week, PDS starts play in the state Prep tournament where it is seeded second and hosts No. 3 Montclair Kimberley Academy in a semifinal contest on February 1 with the victor advancing to the title game on February 8. The Panthers also have a regular season game at the Portledge School (N.Y.) on February 6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Logan Kramsky stood tall in goal for the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey team as it played at the Lawrenceville School last Thursday evening. more

DARTING THROUGH: Princeton High girls’ hockey player Ashley Dart heads up the ice in a game last winter. Last Friday, senior forward Dart and classmates Ella Quainton and Maggie Herring were honored on the program’s annual Senior Night as PHS hosted Pingry at Baker Rink. The Little Tigers fell 7-0 to the Big Blue. Last Monday, Dart picked up an assist as PHS lost 8-5 to Summit in the State Cup game. In upcoming action, the Little Tigers, now 2-6, face Rye Country Day (N.Y.) on February 2 at the Princeton Day School’s McGraw Rink. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

For Ashley Dart, joining the Princeton High girls’ hockey team as a freshmen in 2013 filled a void for her. more

BRIDGING THE GAP: Hun School boys’ basketball player Desmond Cambridge goes up for a shot in a game earlier this winter. Last Sunday, post-graduate guard/forward Cambridge scored 12 points in a losing cause as Hun fell to Pope John. The Raiders, now 8-11, host the Phelps School (Pa) on February 2 and Linden on February 4 before playing at Life Center on February 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

When Desmond Cambridge joined the Hun School boys’ basketball team this winter, he was primed to be the go-to scorer for the squad. more

ALEX THE GREAT: Princeton High boys’ swimmer Alex Petruso churns through the water in a backstroke race earlier this season. Senior star Petruso helped PHS go 9-3 in regular season action. This week, Petruso and the Little Tigers will be looking to come up big at the Mercer County Championships, which take place from January 26-28 at WW/P-N. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

When the Princeton High boys’ swimming team lost 94-76 to Notre Dame on December 1 to fall to 0-2, it looked like the squad could be in for a long winter. more

WHALE OF AN EFFORT: Princeton High girls’ swimmer Maddie Whaley displays her freestyle form in recent action. Senior star Whaley played a major role as PHS went 9-0-1 in its last 10 meets to finish the regular season at 9-2-1. This week, the Little Tigers will be going for a fifth straight team title as they compete at the Mercer County Championships from January 26-28 at WW/P-N. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

As the Princeton High girls’ swimming team goes for a fifth straight team title at Mercer County Championships this week, it faces an uphill battle. more

NICK OF TIME: Princeton High boys’ hockey player Nick Ashcroft controls the puck in recent action. Last Wednesday, junior defenseman Ashcroft scored a goal as PHS tied Robbinsville 2-2 and moved to 11-2-3. The Little Tigers face Middletown North on January 25 and then have a rematch against Robbinsville on January 27, with both games taking place at Mercer County Park. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Nick Ashcroft has bounced around in his high school hockey career. more

DEVINE INTERVENTION: Princeton High girls’ basketball player Erin Devine puts up a shot in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, sophomore forward Devine scored a game-high 15 points in a losing cause as PHS fell 47-35 at Montgomery to drop to 4-11. The Little Tigers play at Hightstown on January 27. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Steve Hennessy knew his Princeton High girls’ basketball team faced a big challenge when it hosted Allentown last Friday. more