By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
Amir Melvin has come a long way on the lacrosse field since he first picked up a cross as a seventh grader at Princeton Day School.
“My first year was seventh grade,” said Melvin, now a senior with the Panthers. “That was the first time I picked up a stick. These kids out here, my teammates, they convinced me. I used to be a baseball player and they got me to switch over to lacrosse.”
The switch has paid dividends for Melvin and the Panthers. He has developed into one of the top defenders in Mercer County and next year will play at the college level when he heads to Goucher College.
On Tuesday, his play on defense helped the top-seeded Panthers hold off defending champion Hopewell Valley for a 4-3 win in the Mercer County Tournament semifinals. With the win, PDS advanced to face third-seeded Robbinsville in the MCT final on Thursday.
Jonah Tuckman scored a pair of goals and added an assist, while Connor Fletcher and Joseph Levine also scored goals. Connor Green made a pair of saves in goal for the Panthers.
“It’s very exciting,” Melvin said of getting to a second straight MCT final. “We were there last year against this team and it was a very hard-fought game. We knew this game would be a tough game. Hopewell lost a few players from last year but we know they come back strong every year. We know they have a lot of heart but we have a lot of heart, too.
“We have one word that we all buy into and we all preach and that is together. We’re a family and we know that. A lot of us have been playing together for three to four years from middle school and on. We’re just all really close.”
Melvin loved the sport of lacrosse from the start and has come along way in his six years at PDS.
“I played pole my first time ever freshman year when I was a little, scrawny kid out there not knowing where to go,” Melvin said. “Coach (Rich) D’Andrea and Coach (Rob) Tuckman brought me under their wing and showed me the ropes and now I am going to play lacrosse in college. It’s been a big turnaround.
“I thought I was going to maybe play college soccer or even basketball but never lacrosse. I just fell in love with the game.”
As Melvin heads into his final week with the Panthers, he has high title hopes. They played for the MCT title on Thursday and will go after the state Prep B title next week, facing Montclair Kimberly in the semifinals on Monday.
“Right now I am trying to get through these two tournaments,” he said. “I would love to have an MCT championship. I have never had one in my career. And I would love to have a second prep championship.”
In the other semifinal on Tuesday, Princeton dropped an 11-9 decision to Robbinsville. The second-seeded Little Tigers trailed, 4-0, early but bounced back to draw even before falling just short against the Ravens.
Nick Halliday scored three goals for Princeton, while Rory Helstrom added two goals and two assists in the loss. Eamon McDonald also scored twice.
