Luther returns in back for PHS boys soccer
By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
Peter Luther hade to sit and watch as his Princeton High School boys soccer teammates won two dramatic games to capture the Mercer County Tournament championship.
But since returning from an injury that kept him out of the MCT semifinals and finals, Luther has stepped into a new role and delivered for the Little Tigers.
”Early in the season I was playing center defensive mid and I felt really comfortable there,” said Luther, who was part of a defense that shut down Allentown during a 3-0 win in the Central Jersey Group III semifinals on Monday. “After the injury I missed the last two MCT games. I just came back a week ago and they put me in the back and I have been comfortable.
”It was tough to watch those hard games and watch the team go through them knowing I couldn’t do anything about it.”
While Luther could only watch from the sidelines during the MCT, he has been back on the field for a run through the CJ III tournament that landed the Little Tigers in the finals for the first time since 2012.
Top-seeded Princeton opened with a 2-1 win over Hamilton and then topped Hopewell Valley, 3-1, before the win over Allentown in a rematch of the MCT final. Alex Ratzan, Cole Snyder and Luis Lazo scored goals to back the shutout goalkeeping of Laurenz Reimitz in the win.
”Laurenz, when we were 1-0, had arguably the best save of the game,” said Princeton coach Wayne Sutcliffe, whose team was scheduled to face sixth-seeded Red Bank in the sectional final on Thursday. “What can I say? He has just been phenomenal the last seven or eight games. And then the back four of Chris (Harla), Jake (Caddeau), Axel (Galeano) and now Peter Luther, they did fantastic.
”Peter we’ve slotted in. He was a holding center mid and he went through a stretch with injury and he’s a versatile player. He had to persevere through some injuries.”
Persevering through injuries is nothing new for Luther, who had to watch the Little Tigers struggle last season while on the sidelines.
”I have dealt with this before,” Luther said. “Last year I was out for the whole season and had to watch from the sidelines. I have been waiting for this moment. It’s great to get back to the finals. We have worked so hard for this.
”Last year wasn’t too successful for us, but we just try to keep the tradition going with our victories. When I was at the middle school across the street I would always come over to watch the older guys. This is from over nine months of work. Our chemistry has built up which gives us an advantage over other teams.”
Princeton was looking to capture its first sectional title since the 2012 team won one on its way to the state championship. A group that came into the season without high expectations has carved its name into the successful history of PHS boys soccer.
”I think more than anything, just the work and the day in and day out effort in the weight room and in the summer and all the hard work, our guys have earned it,” Sutcliffe said. “These young guys on the team who have heard about the success, they have earned it now. They have won an MCT title, they won the overall Colonial Valley Conference title. They have earned it.”