PRINCETON: Gargione leaving Little Tigers

Football coach won season finale

By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
   While there were not as many wins as he would have liked, Joe Gargione will take plenty of positive experiences away from his three years as head coach of the Princeton High School football team.
   ”It was definitely a positive experience this season,” said Gargione, who was an assistant for the Little Tigers for three years before taking over as head coach in 2010. “Even though we were 2-8 we started and ended the season well. We beat Northern Burlington in our first game and New Brunswick in the last one. It was special and important for the seniors to have that win and leave high school with a win. I told them they will always remember your last game so it was important to win the last one.
   Princeton was 5-25 in Gargione’s three seasons as head coach. The Little Tigers were 3-7 in 2011, with three of those losses coming by five points or less.
   ”We were 3-7 but very competitive last year,” Gargione said. “This year was a little more difficult. We had an eight-game losing streak and some of the games we just were not in it. To have that snapped on the last game of the season, after extending the season a week due to the hurricane, they really responded.”
   At this point, Gargione was ready to step back from the rigors of the head coaching position.
   ”I tell people to give them insight into the commitment that it is like a second job,” Gargione said. “As soon as the season ends you are right back in the weight room with the guys. I was very appreciative of how much time and effort my staff has put in the last two years. And I am appreciative for John (Miranda) giving me the opportunity to be the head coach. There have been a lot of good moments.”
   Gargione will still be teaching at the high school and may get back into coaching at some point. He had previously coached track and baseball while at PHS.
   ”It’s still up the air,” Gargione said. “When I was named the head football coach I gave up spring track because I knew football was so demanding. I wanted to be with the kids as much as I could. I coached three years of track and also did freshman baseball.
   ”We’ll see what happens.”