PHS rallies to overtake Haddonfield in B semi
By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
LAWRENCE — Will Stange had enjoyed plenty of individual success as a swimmer prior to coming to Princeton High School.
But none of that success had prepared him for what high school swimming was all about.
”I didn’t really know what it was about when I was getting into it,” the Princeton freshman said. “Now I get the sense of how great this really is. I look forward to it in the future and I am looking forward to going to the championship. It is a lot more of a team effort and you have to rely on everyone and not just yourself to swim fast.”
Stange did his part to make sure the Princeton High boys would be swimming for a state championship when he won the 200-meter and 400-meter races on Tuesday in the state B Division semifinals, helping the Little Tigers to a 92-78 win over Haddonfield.
Princeton will swim for the state championship when it faces top-seeded Scotch Plains-Fanwood on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at The College of New Jersey.
Princeton trailed, 34-28, after four events but dominated the meet over the final seven events. Stange had won the 200 free and Derek Colaizzo had won the 50 free to keep the Little Tigers close through four events. But coming out of the break, the Little Tigers sizzled the rest of the way.
Victor Honore won the butterfly, with Colaizzo second and Addison Hebert fourth to help Princeton grab a 40-38 lead. Matt Kuhlik then won the 100 free, and when Stange, Peter Kalibat and Scott Mackenzie went 1-2-4 in the 400 free, the Little Tigers had a 61-49 lead.
”It was definitely a boost to me to know that I was swimming fast because I am coming off of strep throat,” Stange said. “So it gave me a confidence boost to know that I am still swimming well. We all knew that we had to swim our fastest and get as many points as we could, whether it was getting first place or getting third place. We had to swim our fastest just to get that place.”
Haddonfield got a little closer with a first and third in the 200 free relay and a first and third in the backstroke, but Princeton pulled away when freshman Colburn Yu won the breaststroke, followed by Jacques Bazile in second and freshman Matt Purdy in fourth.
”The guys did a terrific job of fighting for places and in that sense we scored some points in places that we might not have expected,” said Princeton coach Greg Hand, whose team improved to 16-0 on the season. “If we’re fortunate enough to accumulate points in bunches like that it becomes pretty daunting. The score shows we didn’t even need as much as we got in the backstroke and breaststroke because of what we were able to do before.”
Stange joined Kalibat, Yu, Purdy and Mackenzie as freshmen who came up with big swims for the Little Tigers. The group has helped make an already strong team a state title contender.
”We’re doing very well,” Stange said. “Peter had some fast swims. I had some fast swims. Scott Mackenzie really pulled it together on the 500. Colburn Yu had a great breaststroke, which was great. It’s all a great system and we all get along whether we’re seniors or freshmen or anybody. We all know each other and it is really great.”
Added Hand: “Scott was huge. And Matt Purdy coming back in the breaststroke like he did was great. I though Scott’s race was heroic. I don’t know what he was aware of, but he certainly was digging deep in his race. Will and Peter and those guys have a lot of racing experience already. It’s so nice to see when the chips are down they are going to swim for place and try to do something for the team.”
The freshmen have become part of a Princeton High swimming culture where team success always comes first, joining their older teammates for a magical season.
”There is a feeling of satisfaction to it and also a feeling of relief because I can’t control what kind of people they are,” Hand said. “I think the parents of the kids on the team are certainly more responsible for the fact that their kids are willing to dig deep and work hard and balance their lives. We have a squad that has great character and when you move deeper and deeper into a tournament it is a new kind of test and you are finding out more about your kids every step of the way. I’m lucky to have such great kids.”