By Rich Fisher, Sports Editor
MATAWAN — Alex Bozich wasn’t happy with what just transpired on the football field during a chilly November day.
But the Cranbury resident is justifiably proud of everything that happened in the years and games leading up to that point.
Bozich and his senior classmates had finally gotten Princeton High’s football team back to the promised land. And while it wasn’t fun losing 38-3 decision to second-seeded Long Branch last Saturday, it was a heck of a lot better than playing a consolation game or sitting at home.
”It’s a huge step for the program,” Bozich said. “For all the players, and not even just for us, but for our coach (Steve Everette). It’s huge because it’s his first time being in the playoffs as a coach. As much as we wanted it, you could tell he wanted it just as much if not more.
”The senior class really wanted to give him something to remember our class by. I guess this is something, but we really had our eyes set on going further.”
And, as crazy as it might sound by looking at the final score, for one half the Little Tigers looked capable of going further. On Princeton’s first possession, it became obvious that Long Branch (8-1) was keying on Doug Borchert, the Colonial Valley Conference’s leading rusher. “Wouldn’t you be,” Everette said with a laugh.
Thus, the 7th-seeded Little Tigers (5-5) went to the air behind junior quarterback Connor Ryan, and showed on their first series they were capable of moving the ball as picked up a few first downs.
Unfortunately for PHS, a blocked punt was recovered by Long Branch at the three, and the Green Wave scored two plays later.
Princeton regrouped and, with the help of two big penalties, plus a 25-yard completion from Ryan to Daquan Holman, moved to the 12-yard-line before the drive stalled. A 29-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright, however, which was a foreshadowing of things to come. Princeton would make two other trips into the red zone but could only get three points.
”We just couldn’t come through in the red zone,” Ryan said.
Princeton also gave Long Branch too many opportunities to score easily. A Long Branch interception late in the first quarter set up another touchdown to make it 13-0.
If there was a chance for the Little Tigers to fold up their tents, it was at that point. Instead, Ryan drove the Little Tigers to the 17 before David Griffin tallied Princeton’s lone points with a 34-yard field goal. Ryan completed three passes for 39 yards on the drive, although he misfired three straight times once PHS reached the 17.
It appeared that 13-3 would be the halftime score, but Long Branch’s running game finally broke loose in the final two minutes, as the Green Wave drove 61 yards in just over a minute to up the advantage to 19-3. Long Branch scored again on its first possession and the Princeton threat was over, but the Little Tigers hung tough against an opponent that was bigger and more athletic.
”Everyone thought it was going to be a blowout,” Bozich said. “The scoreboard might show that, but it was much closer than it really was. We came out here thinking we could win.
”They just had some big plays, they were able to put them away. We feel like we gave them a fight, but we could have done more, though.”
Not to be lost was the effort of Ryan, who will be back to lead the Tigers with Borchert gone next year. Everette called it his best game of the year, despite three interceptions. Ryan finished 11-for-25 for 126 yards.
”Since week three, we’ve been facing eight, nine guys in the box every game,” Bozich said. “It’s been almost impossible to run like that, so we’ve really had to bank on Connor doing really well. This week he stepped up. The interceptions, most of them weren’t his fault. It was just tips and stuff.
”We did figure if we could pass the ball we’d have a much better chance. We came out, we were able to move the ball and we just weren’t able to finish.”
In the end, it was just too much Long Branch to withstand.
”I would have to say they’re right up there,” Bozich said. “West Windsor Plainsboro-South and Long Branch are by far the two best teams we’ve played. Their running back was breaking tackles all day. He was really good, so they’re definitely up there, but we still felt we had a chance.”
In the future, Everette wants his team to have more than just a chance.
”We want to be excellent everywhere,” he said. “We have a brand new 7,500 square foot weight room that we’re going to be putting in place. Our kids need to be filling it up, if they want to be . . . not just state playoff qualifiers, but playoff winners.”
But for now, they qualified. And that’s a start.
