PHS encouraged by effort despite loss to HV
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
While the Princeton High School boys lacrosse team was disappointed to lose its season opener, it was also plenty encouraged.
The Little Tigers answered a big question as their inexperienced defense withstood its first challenge from a hot Colonial Valley Conference pick before PHS fell, 5-4, to Hopewell Valley on Friday.
”Hopewell is a pretty good squad,” said PHS head coach Peter Stanton. “It’s got a bunch of kids who have been playing together for a while, so they’re pretty together. We were very happy to have held them to five goals.”
The Little Tigers were less thrilled with their offensive output, but that’s an area that they believe will get much better.
”The offense is easier to fix than the defense,” Stanton said. “The defense was the biggest question mark coming into the season. What we take out of this game, is our defense is at a position right now where we can compete. They give us a chance to win and be competitive.”
The Little Tigers need to know they have a chance. They’ll host a much improved West Windsor-Plainsboro North team today, then play at Lawrenceville School in their toughest scheduled game of the year. It’s a difficult opening week, but the tests could pay off down the road.
”We’re pretty positive about the game,” Stanton said. “In every lacrosse game, you win a close game, we got some breaks, and we had some things go a little differently (Saturday). We were in a competitive fight with one of the better teams in the CVC. Overall, we’re encouraged from that game.”
Princeton was tied, 1-1, after the first quarter, but trailed 4-2 at halftime. The Little Tigers maintained that deficit through a 1-1 third quarter, then pulled within a goal in the fourth quarter as their defense locked up Hopewell, but they couldn’t manage to tie the game.
Colman Preziosi had two goals, Kirby Peck had a goal and Alex Rifkin had a goal for the Little Tigers.
”It’s going to be a little like last year,” Stanton said. “We have some good players. We have some capable players, but we have to figure out how to put it together in game situations. Kirby Peck and Alex Rifkin, as midfielders, they’re excellent dodgers who can create their own scoring opportunities. Colman is an excellent shooter who can also go to goal well. We haven’t quite figured out how to put it together in game situations. That’ll take us a little while, kind of like last year.
”We had way too many turnovers. Guys were being too impatient, guys were forcing things that we’re quite there. Guys were going to the goal without a plan really and running into double and triple teams.”
With each game, Stanton expects the offense to get better in its decision making and cohesiveness. He’s excited about the potential of his defense to do the same.
”The big story with us is we’re obviously replacing a starting goalie in Griffin Peck, who was a second team All-State pick, Mike Irving, who was All-American, Robby Dowers, who received a lot of accommodations, Jack Miller and Dean DiTosto. They understood the game and how to play together.”
Stanton has a bunch of no names to step in their place, but together they didn’t look much different from the highly decorated defenders of a year ago, and they may be quite well known by the end of this season. Elliott Wilson made nine saves in goal and in general they stifled the Hopewell attack.
”We’ve replaced them with guys with a combined total of zero minutes of meaningful varsity experience,” Stanton said. “To hold them to five goals is quite an accomplishment. We had no idea who was going to replace those players.”
The Little Tigers are more confident in the defense after what they saw in the opener. Jack Persico is a junior who played junior varsity a year ago. Matt DiTosto started on JV last year as well, but he was on attack for the first part of the season before moving to defense. Tyler Nkadi only started playing as a sophomore and played short stick middie last year. Jonah Glasgold is a senior long stick middie who is seeing his first varsity action. Wilson, a senior, was the most experienced of the defenders this year. He served as Griffin’s back-up in goal last year.
”He played a couple important games when Griffin was hurt last year,” Stanton said. “He always pushed Griffin. He was just a step behind him the past two years.”
The rest of the defense in front of Wilson is learning on the job. They’re adjusting to the speed and strength of the varsity game, and doing so as a unit.
”We’ve been working together,” Stanton said. “We really just started working with this group in March. We had some good scrimmages that we played pretty well in.
”They are a really teachable group,” he added. “They’re really willing to listen to instruction, to work together, to communicate together. Jason Carter (defensive coach), he drills them on the fundamentals and they really absorb all that they’re teaching them.”
The only potential issue with all that inexperience in the back is who the leader is. Stanton doesn’t believe that will be a problem this season.
”Sometimes, a group that functions without a leader is surprisingly effective,” Stanton said. “Nobody is looking to somebody else to tell them what to do. They’re just listening to the coaching. That’s sometimes an effective dynamic. They all have different roles. Jack is a big strong physical kid that definitely demands respect. Matt DiTosto is just such a hard worker, and Jackson Andres, being a freshman, he is just really willing to go with the flow.”
The Little Tigers will need them to continue to mesh as one, and they need their offense to continue to grow. If those two things can happen, the Princeton High boys lacrosse team is confident the results will come after an encouraging start.