Playoff berth eludes Little Tigers football

PHS falls one game short

By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
   Steve Everette had his sights set on a return to the Central Jersey Group III playoffs.
   So did his Princeton High football team.
   But when Ocean posted an overtime win at Wall on Saturday afternoon, the Little Tigers just missed out on a second straight trip to the playoffs.
   ”It was another learning lesson for our kids that if we handle our own business then we don’t have to worry about what other teams do,” Everette said after the Little Tigers finished their regular season with a 45-13 loss at West Windsor-Plainsboro South on Saturday.
   Just three weeks ago, Princeton was 5-1 and hoping for a home playoff game. But a home loss to Hightstown and a loss at Notre Dame left the Little Tigers in need of some outside results going their way this past weekend.
   ”I can’t be disappointed with the effort the kids have put in,” said Everette, whose team is 5-4 and will likely host Carteret in their season-finale on Saturday. “They have battled week-in and week-out. We had a heartbreaking loss to Hightstown and then we went to Notre Dame and gave up our first punt return for a touchdown and kickoff return for a touchdown in two years — and we did it in the same game.”
   Princeton got itself in a 38-0 hole by halftime against the Pirates before a pair of second-half touchdown passes from Mike Olentine to DeQuan Holman cut the margin. The Little Tigers will finish out this season, then turn their thoughts to 2009.
   ”The kids know we’re going to have to work hard and get better in the offseason to get to where we want to be,” Everette said. “We got to the playoffs last year and got a taste of it and that’s where we want to be. We want to get back there because we feel like once we get there, we like out chances against anybody.
   ”We have a loaded junior class and I am hoping that they come out of this wanting to be better and learn that you can’t let one get away. If we just go out and take care of our business, we don’t have to worry about what other teams do.”