Princeton Packet Athlete of the Week

Borchert adding offense for PHS football

By: Bob Nuse

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Doug Borchert


…Princeton football


   Steve Everette knew coming into the season that he had a defensive presence with Doug Borchert.
   He wasn’t quite sure what to expect from his senior captain on offense.
   If last Saturday’s season-opener is any indication, the Princeton High football coach has a presence on both sides of the football.
   Borchert is in his third year as a starter at linebacker. In the Little Tigers’ 29-7 win over Steinert, he had nine tackles and recovered a fumble in what has become a typical performance. It was on offense where Borchert gave Princeton its biggest lift, rushing for 181 yards and scoring three touchdowns.
   "I’m not going to complain at all about an effort like that," said Everette, who plans to go with multiple running backs in search of a replacement for Alexz Henriques, who graduated after two straight 1,000 yards seasons. "Until our younger guys step up, we’ll depend on Doug to carry the load.
   "He’s pretty much a downhill runner, but he’s getting better with his vision. Once he makes that first cut and gets some room, it’s all down hill for him. He’s worked really hard since he’s been here. There was never any doubt he’d do whatever needed to be done."
   This year, that means playing as much of a role on offense for the Little Tigers as he does on defense. And that means plenty of chances to have productive efforts like the one against Steinert.
   Doug Borchert is the Princeton Packet Athlete of the Week.
   With Henriques carrying most of the load at tailback the last two years, Borchert’s carries were limited. A year ago he ran the ball 39 times for 114 yards. As a sophomore he was a little more productive on offense, carrying the ball 28 times for 212 yards. This year he started the season with 181 yards in one game.
   "I spent a lot of time in the winter working out and getting ready for the season because I thought I might be used more on offense," Borchert said. "I think the biggest thing about the first game was that the line blocked so well. Those guys had a great game and opened up the holes for me. They made it easy."
   On a whole, the Princeton offense was led by the running game. In addition to the 181 yards from Borchert, Steven Barsamian and Luke LaVoie combined for another 49 yards.
   "Last year I was more of a third down-and-short yardage runner," Borchert said. "We had Alexz and he was so good, he got most of the carries. But I’ve worked at becoming a better running back and I feel like my vision is getting better.
   "Last year I had a pretty good game against Hopewell because we were ahead and Alexz didn’t run the ball as much. This year will be different and I’m just hoping I can do whatever I can to help the team."
   Even before the season started, Borchert and the rest of the senior class have led by example. They were diligent in their off-season workouts and set a high standard for the rest of the team.
   "We had 6:30 a.m. workouts three times a week and I think I might have missed one the whole time," Borchert said. "We had the entire team there and we worked hard. I think that’s the biggest thing with this team. Everybody wants to work hard and do the best they can all the time. We’re not afraid to put in the work."
   And that mentality has helped Princeton come into this season very prepared. It showed in the opener against Steinert, where both the offense and defense were clicking.
   "The kids have worked hard to get ready for the season," Everette said. "Doug has been very intense about working in the weight room. He was in there all winter and did all the extra stuff he needed to do. He would work out with his dad and you’d see him out there dragging the tire and running up and down the field. He sets a great example for the rest of the team. We have some great senior leaders in this group."
   On Saturday, Borchert showed he wasn’t just a leader, but a productive player on both sides of the ball.
   "As a sophomore, he ran the ball pretty well," Everette said. "But last year he was injured in the preseason and we wanted to make sure he was fresh on defense, so we didn’t use him as much as a runner."
   This year, Borchert figures to be used quite a bit. And thanks to his hard work in preparing for the season, he certainly appears up to the challenge.