Princeton Boys Soccer Team in State Champ Game-Friday Night!!!

[guest411]

Princeton boys beat Moorestown for spot in state final

The Princeton Boys Soccer Team is off to the Big Show!! This team has several Cranbury boys most of whom grew up in Town and played for the Cranbury School. They are now on the verge of the being State Champs. Please come out and support our boys, and PHS this Friday Night, and keep those fingers crossed!!

Published: Wednesday, November 18, 2009
By RED BIRCH-Trentonian
Staff Writer

TOMS RIVER — What most thought would happen a year or two ago happened last night.

The high-powered Princeton High boys soccer team finally claimed a spot in the NJSIAA Group III state final by defeating Moorestown, 1-0, at Toms River High North.

It will be the Little Tigers’ first trip back to the state final since winning the crown in 1995.

To recapture a state title, however, Princeton (20-0-4) will need to knock off defending state champ Millburn, which defeated Montville in a penalty-kick shootout yesterday to return to Friday’s 8 p.m. championship game at The College of New Jersey.

Getting there was the biggest hump to get over for the Little Tigers. In the last 14 years, Hopewell Valley was the only other Colonial Valley Conference boys team to reach the state finals, doing it three times — in 1998, 2001 and 2002. No CVC boys team has won states since Princeton’s last crown.

To return, Wayne Sutcliffe’s boys had to defeat his brother Mike’s team. The Quakers, though playing without star John Taglienti because of a hamstring injury, held the Little Tigers scoreless for 54 minutes.

Even though this was not the Princeton team of recent years with a big name scorer like all-time leader Sam Kotowski and a much-heralded lineup, this Little Tigers squad worked hard all year to make a name for itself.

“Tonight we went in not as the underdog like we did when we played Ocean City in 2003 and Shawnee in 2006. I think that made a big difference,” Wayne Sutcliffe said. “This team has a little something special. They work so hard defensively in the back third.”

Players like junior John Marsh, whose older brother, Corey, moved on to Cornell after last season, came up big when Princeton needed it most yesterday.

Senior Evan Gershkovich ripped a free kick on goal with 25:03 left in the second half, and Moorestown keeper Tommy Hand made a nice diving save to knock the ball away from the net. But Marsh collected the rebound, lost the ball, won the ball back, then danced through the defense before shooting into the opposite side of the net for the lone goal.

“When their goalie saved the ball, it was bouncing at the six (yard mark),” Marsh said. “I poked the ball off one of the defender’s feet. When my shot went in, it was such a huge adrenalin rush.”

“What a great goal,” Wayne Sutcliffe said. “That was just tenacity on John’s part.”

Just as impressive as that one tally was the dominating defensive effort turned in by the Little Tigers’ back line.

With Marsh helping out from his defensive midfield position, senior fullbacks Wilson Urias, Scott Schwarz, Alan Bryant (who shut down the Quakers’ big scorer Pablo Zegarra) and Max Reid helped goalkeeper Steve Hellstern only have to face three shots all game, including one in the second half, as Princeton posted its school-record 18th shutout.

“I can’t say enough about the job all the backs did,” said Reid, who had one of his strongest games since becoming the team’s sweeper this season. “A year after losing the team’s all-time leading scorer, this is so unexpected.”

The Little Tigers had the better of the chances with 10 shots, including a near miss in the first half when Paul Ehrenworth kicked the ball off the crossbar with 20:10 left. Teammate Gustavo Vega collected the rebound right in front, only to have Hand come up with the save.

In the second half, Princeton got the one it needed and earned its long-awaited return to the state final.

Moorestown (13-9) 0 0 — 0

Princeton (20-0-4) 0 1 — 1

Goals: M-none; P-Marsh. Assists: M-none; P-none. Shots: M-3; P-10. Saves: M-Hand 8; P-Hellstern 3.

[Guest]

[guest1]

How exciting for our boys, our town and Princeton High School. Lets hope we get a huge crowd out in support!