Artwork from African American Children’s Books
On View at PPL
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With the November 8 Election Day less than six weeks away, the competition for three positions on the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE) is heating up. Two new candidates, Lishian “Lisa” Wu and Margarita “Rita” Rafalovsky, are challenging three incumbents, Debbie Bronfeld, Susan Kanter, and Dafna Kendal, in the race to serve a three-year term on the BOE.
For this article, the challengers, Wu and Rafalovsky, were asked to introduce themselves, provide some background information, and comment on why they have chosen to run and, if elected, what their priorities on the board might be.
At press time, Wu, who has run for Princeton Council and for Mercer County Executive in recent years, had not responded to multiple requests for information. Town Topics plans to include pro les of Wu and the other candidates in election coverage during the coming month.
Rafalovsky wrote the following in her response:
I live in Princeton with my husband and two children, ages 8 and 11. We moved here 12 years ago for the highly rated public schools and for the diverse, thriving community. For me, education is personal. In 1988, at age 8, I came to this country as a poor, non-English speaking political refugee from the former Soviet Union. I’m a product of N.Y./N.J. public schools, and I strongly believe that quality public education is the greatest equalizer.
Over the years, I have grown increasingly concerned about the trajectory of our school district.
In 2009, PPS was nationally ranked by U.S. News in 94th place; in 2022 we were 490 th. Additionally, test scores across our district declined signi cantly since 2014 — see publicschoolreview.com.
While rankings are not the “ nal grade,” they are indicative of overall perceived quality. This precipitous decline occurred despite the fact that our town’s spend per student remains above most school systems in N.J. This is not a fair return on our community’s generous investment.
I consider myself lucky and grateful to this country for accepting my family and for allowing us to achieve our American Dream. To show my gratitude, I would
Former New Jersey governor and congressman Jim Florio died Sunday of heart failure. He was 85.
A Democrat who was elected governor in 1989, Florio lost to Christine Todd Whitman instead of winning a second term when he raised taxes after vowing that he would not. But he is also remembered for his achievements on cleaning up hazardous waste sites and banning military-style assault ri es, the latter of which earned him a JFK Pro les in Courage award from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.
“Governor Florio was a fighter who never backed down,” Gov. Phil Murphy said in an official statement Monday after signing an executive order directing ags to y at half-staff in Florio’s honor. “He was a leader who cared more about the future of New Jersey than his own political fortunes.”
Among those remembering Florio this week was William Harla, a Princeton resident and attorney who was Florio’s deputy chief legal counsel. In the decades since, Harla has practiced law at DeCotiis, Fitzpatrick, Cole and Giblin with Bob DeCotiis, who was the governor’s chief counsel.
“Governor Florio was a man of great intellect, ethics, and decency,” Harla said in an email on Monday. “He cared deeply about the people of New Jersey and he fought hard for them over his career. He
was often described as a ‘ ghter,’ in part because of his Navy boxing career, and he did ght hard about public policies, but not about personalities.”
“When he faced a veto-proof Republican legislature in his last two years in office, he didn’t run,” Harla continued. “He engaged with the Republican speaker and the Senate president to work out state budget, and other issues — from health care to the environment to insurance reform to antidiscrimination measures — to help people.”
Born in Brooklyn, Florio was a graduate of Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey), and earned a law degree from Rutgers University. He was an amateur boxer before entering college and then moving on to public service. Florio was Camden’s assistant city attorney, later serving four years in the state Assembly and 15 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. After his term as governor, he ran for the U.S. Senate in 2000, losing to investment banker Jon Corzine.
With Election Day 2022 approaching and memories of recent past elections still vivid, the precarious state of democracy in the U.S. has been a big topic in the media. That topic will be the theme of a series of conversations, “The Future of American Democracy,” at Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS) starting on October 13 at 4:30 p.m. with a conversation featuring three young leaders who have been wrestling with the challenges of hyperpolarization throughout the country.
Jane Coaston, columnist for The New York Times and host of the podcast “The Argument”; Michigan Republican Congressman Peter Meijer, one of 10 Republican members of Congress who voted to impeach President Donald Trump
during Trump’s second impeachment; and Symone Sanders-Townsend, former chief spokesperson for U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and host of SYMONE on MSNBC, will be panelists for the conversation at the PTS Wright Library.
“This will be a wide conversation with people whose own life experience is really related to the theme of the series,” said PTS Associate Professor of American Christianity Heath W. Carter, who will moderate the conversation. “For the last ve years there’s been a lot of talk, a lot of concern about American democracy, and the theme of polarization in particular.”
He continued, “People are worried that American democracy is failing, and we
UNRULY SOUNDS MUSIC FESTIVAL: Princeton Public Library hosted an afternoon of original music showcasing local bands and musicians at Hinds Plaza on Saturday. The event also featured rising talents from Princeton University’s graduate composition program. Attendees share what type of music appealed to them in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Weronika A. Plohn) QB Blake Stenstrom Stars As PU Football
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Account Manager,
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The Friends and Founda tion of Princeton Public Li brary invite the community to support the library at an event including spirits and pasture-to-table fine dining at this year’s Beyond Words benefit. The annual fundrais er is on October 15 at Brick Farm Tavern in Hopewell.
David Wondrich, author of the James Beard Award-win ning Imbibe! and an author ity on the history of the cock tail, is the featured speaker.
His latest book, The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails, the culmination of a multiyear global research project, was published last year. Guests will take part in artisanal tasting flights dur ing Wondrich’s talk, which will chart the evolution from the mid-century cocktail to its counterpart today. Alco hol-free options will be avail able.
Following the talk, there will be a seated dinner fea turing Brick Farm Tavern’s pasture-to-table menu.
Wondrich will be on hand to sign copies of his books af ter dinner during a seasonal dessert tapas bar.
Proceeds from Beyond Words support the library’s collections and program ming. Tickets to the tented event are limited to 200 and are available for purchase at princetonlibrary.org/beyon dwords.
Tax Bills Have Been Mailed: After a delay during which the tax/sewer system has been updated, 3rd quarter bills have been mailed and the grace period has been extended to October 10. There is a new online payment portal; check princetonnj.gov to access for more information.
Survey on Food Waste and Organics : The municipality is considering changes to the residential waste collection system to contain costs and decrease the carbon footprint. A survey to share feedback is available at accessprinceton@princetonnj.gov.
S.H.R.E.D. Fest : At Westminster Choir College, 101 Walnut Lane, on Saturday, October 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., shred personal documents; get rid of household goods and clean clothing; recycle home medical equipment, electronics, and comput ers; and donate bikes and dumpster discards. For Princeton residents only. Access princeton@princetonnj.gov.
National Hispanic Heritage Month : Observance is through October 15, and many programs exploring stories and perspectives of Hispanic and Latinx community members are planned. Visit Princetonlibrary.org.
COVID-19 Care Kits for Princeton Families: Low/moderate income families in Princeton can get these kits, which include tests and materials to respond to COVID-19, such as one-use thermometers, an oximeter, and extra household items. They are available for pickup at Princeton Human Services by calling (609) 688-2055. Certain eligibility requirements apply.
Free Vision and Dental Services for Low Income Residents : The municipality is offering these services for low-income Princeton residents impacted by the pandemic. For application information, visit Princetonnj.gov.
Library Card Sign-Up Month: The American Library Association is urging people to patronize libraries. Through September, everyone who signs up for a Princeton Public Library card can receive a bingo card. The first 100 adults, teens, and children who complete their card can redeem it at the library for a prize. Vouchers redeemable for a $1 book from the library’s book store will also be distributed to those who sign up, and children can pose in front of a special banner to have their photograph shared through the library’s social media. Visit princetonlibrary.org for more information.
Flu Shot Clinics : Several clinics are being held throughout the fall at different area locations. For a full list, email healthdepartment@princetonnj.gov.
SARAH TEO JENNIFER COVILL JOANN CELLA John Chairman Lydia Keephart Jennifer Haythorn Nicole Huckerby Jillian Frost Kalyan GETTING IN ON THE ACTION: A group of 45 student volunteers from Princeton Outdoor Action recently gathered at Mountain Lakes Preserve in Princeton to help hydrate vital pollinator plants, install protective deer-exclusion caging, and help with the con struction of a rock path along the bank of Mountain Lake. “A big ‘thank you’ goes out to Princeton Outdoor Action,” said Anna Corichi, director, natural resources and stewardship for Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS). “It was a great day, and the student volunteers were a huge help.” (Photo by Anna Corichi, FOPOS) David WondrichPrinceton Public Library staff members were looking for ways to expand the scope of the library’s exhibits when they hit on a logical match.
“Telling a People’s Story,” a traveling display devoted to the art found within the pages of African American children’s picture books, is
on view starting Saturday, October 1, just in time for the return of the popular Princeton Children’s Book Festival on October 8.
“I had read about this exhibit and had seen some photos,” said Janie Hermann, public programming librarian. “I did some research. When we realized that some of the illustrators had also been in our book festival, it was a really nice tie-in. As well, we just wanted to uplift the work of African American illustrators.”
Segregation, and the Civil Rights Movement. Other themes draw attention to historical figures in politics, music, sports, arts, and entertainment.
The 130 works by 33 artists — from 95 books — include paintings, pastels, drawings, and mixed media, spanning nearly 50 years of creativity. Among the artists represented are Floyd Cooper, Jerry Pinkney, Bryan Collier, and Shadra Strickland, all of whom have appeared at the library as part of the Princeton Children’s Book Festival.
“Collectively, the many books created by authors and illustrators since the late 19th century contribute
On the library’s first floor through October 30, the show is focused on art produced as book illustrations. The traveling exhibition on loan from the Miami University Art Museum in Oxford, Ohio, is the first of its kind. The show spotlights the cultural, historical, and social makeup of African American cultural identity while raising awareness of the role African American illustrators and authors play in the field of children’s literature.
“Children’s picture books can really be a portal for kids learning about important events,” said Hermann. “The books in the show tell about different historical time periods. It provides a way for the community to learn more. And while it’s about children’s illustrators, there is something that everyone can learn from it.”
Hermann and Susan Conlon, who heads the library’s youth services department, worked together on bringing the show to Princeton. “We’re excited this exhibit will be available for visitors to this year’s Princeton Children’s Book Festival to view,” Conlon said in a press release. “The festival is back on Hinds Plaza on October 8 this year, and we hope everyone will take some time to go into the library to experience ‘Telling a People’s Story.’”
More than 600 books and 14,000 illustrations were reviewed during the development of the exhibition. Themes and time periods include African Origins, Middle Passage, Slavery, Emancipation, Reconstruction, Harlem Renaissance,
A PERFECT TIE-IN: Illustrator Bryan Collier, who is among the artists in a new show at Princeton Public Library, was among those who appeared at a previous Princeton Children’s Book Festival at Hinds Plaza. The new exhibit and the upcoming festival on October 8 have some close ties.Continued from Preceding Page to an understanding of the African American experi ence through two perspec tives,” reads a description from the original exhibition. “First, is an internal look into the need for validation and the creation of positive self-images. Second, is to give an introduction to the African American experi ence for those unfamiliar in order to better understand the cultural, historical, and social makeup of African American identity.”
Presenting the exhibit now instead of waiting till February, which is Black History Month, made sense to those involved. “We cer tainly recognize special heri tage months, but we like to uplift diversity year-round,” said Hermann. “That is cer tainly part of our mission.”
—Anne LevinA forum for the expression of opinions about local and national issues.
“What type of music appealed to you here today, and why?”
(Asked Saturday at the Unruly Sounds Festival at Hinds Plaza) (Photos by Weronika A. Plohn)
Kingston Greenways Associ ation presents a virtual webinar with Doug Tallamy on “The Na ture of Oaks,” on Wednesday, October 5 at 7 p.m.
Tallamy, who is the author of the book The Nature of Oaks , will discuss how oaks are the best soil stabilizers, make great street trees, oaks’ excellent leaf litter protects soil communities, plus many more facts and images related to these trees and the diversity of life they support.
For this live program, pre-registration is required, as space is very limited.
Email tari@kingstongre enways.org by Saturday, October 1 to reserve a spot, and the meeting link will be sent to you.
Visit kingstongreenways. org for more information.
Matthew Perry, a star of the television series Friends, will take part in an in-person conversation about his new memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, at the Hyatt Regency Princ eton on Friday, November 4 at 7 p.m.
Perry will talk about his addiction, behind-thescenes stories from the hit sitcom, and his experiences as an actor. The memoir delves into the most per sonal details of the love he lost, his darkest days, and his greatest friends.
The event is presented in collaboration with Penn Medicine Princeton House Behavioral Health. Tick ets are $40 early registra tion; $45 after October 7. The cost includes a copy of Perry’s book, light desserts, coffee, and tea. Visit Event brite.com for registration information.
“We are all college friends and decided to meet in Princeton. We didn’t know about the event, but we heard the music and decided to join. We are really enjoying it. Most of us played some instruments when we were younger.”—Brent Mccomsey, Lancaster, Pa.; Christian Gehman, Caldwell; Janice Tsai, Jersey City; and Leila Terrab, Ewing Julie: “We are a music family, and we follow my daughter and her husband wherever they perform.” Lainie: “I am performing as White Fire with my husband. My music has lots of electronic, ambient, and folk in it. Dan Truman and Owen Lake were great to listen to. It is good to be back and play in the town I grew up in.” Charles: “I love music. It saves my life. We are very grateful to be able to have this event in town and hear so many great artists.” —Julie, Lainie, and Charles Fefferman, Princeton Gavin: “I performed, and now I can support my friends that are going to play.” Tom: “I am here because I love to hear music in public spaces, and am enjoying this beautiful afternoon. I came to hear the Owen Lake and Dan Truman performances.” —Gavin Steingo, Philadelphia with Tom Levin, Princeton Valeria: “We are just enjoying being in town and stopped by to listen to the music. It was a happy accident that we get to listen to such great performances.” Ionel: “We liked the violin and the cello a lot!” —Valeria Turcan with Ionel Balteanu, both of Lawrenceville “I played in the first set with Owen Lake, and I am here to support the entire Princeton faculty that is in the show. It is a great event!” —Davis Polito, Baton Rouge, La. Doug Tallamy (Photo by Rob Cardillo)
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In the first month of the new school year districts throughout the country have been scrambling to fill teaching positions in their schools, and staffi ng shortages have also posed challenges for the Princeton Public Schools (PPS).
In a September 20 email to PPS families and students, Superintendent Carol Kelley reported that teachers were stepping up to take on extra responsibilities and fi ll the gaps. As of Tuesday, September 27, PPS had job openings posted for 13 teachers — three at Princeton High School, four at Princeton Middle School, and six at the elementary schools. In addition, there were openings posted for three aides, two school psychologists, a speech and language therapist, and for substitute teachers and nurses. PPS currently has 741 staff members.
“The bottom line is that while we have managed to maintain excellence in education, staffing shortages are now the new normal throughout New Jersey,” Kelley wrote. “We will continue to creatively manage our resources, to use our trusted substitutes, and to recruit aggressively to make the best of a difficult situation.”
As of September 12, nine out of every 10 school districts in the country reported that up to 10 percent of their instructional staff positions were unfilled, according to the AASA, the School Superintendents’ Association.
Kelley emphasized that PPS is doing relatively well. “Based on our current situation, our staffing situation is much, much better than the national average,” she wrote in a September 26 email. “At this moment, there are relatively few unfilled teaching jobs. There
has been a great deal of progress in recent weeks.”
In her letter to parents and students, Kelley pointed out that “the recruiting program implemented by our Human Resources Department has enabled us to frequently find fully qualified teachers, even in instances where there are severe shortages for a particular subject.”
In confronting the challenges of teacher shortages, PPS has developed closer ties with universities and colleges that have teacher training programs. In addition, PPS continues to host job fairs, which have proved successful in the past, where potential applicants meet with representatives from PPS. The district also continues to work with Central Jersey Pride (CJ Pride) to attract a diverse applicant pool.
Unlike some other districts —in Florida, for example where veterans without college degrees are being pressed into service, and in Arizona, where college students are fi lling some teaching jobs — Princeton seems to have the current situation under control.
Whether the colleges and universities and their training programs will be graduating enough teachers in the coming years to solve the problem of teacher shortages is not clear.
In a September 23 email, Todd Kent, director of the Princeton University Program in Teacher Preparation and director of teacher certification cited the impact of the pandemic and conveyed some bad news and some good news.
“We are a small program, producing 10 to 12 teachers each year,” he wrote. “During the pandemic our numbers fell substantially. We heard about and saw teachers leaving and retiring early during the pandemic due to severely restricted and stressful teaching conditions, limited personal contact with students, and health concerns for themselves and their families.”
He continued, “These factors compounded all the other challenges that can sometimes cause teachers to leave the profession under ‘normal’ conditions. These issues also contributed to a lower interest of young people wanting to pursue careers in education. The good news is that as we begin to return to a more normal school environment, interest in our program has grown signifi cantly over the past eight months, and we have seen our enrollment increasing toward pre-pandemic levels.”
Kent went on to state that the best way to address the teacher shortage is “to remind people that teaching is noble, worthy work, and now, more than ever, students need teachers who care deeply about them and who can address their varied needs.”
He added, “Teachers have done heroic and groundbreaking work over the past two years, and I tell our students that the nation desperately needs passionate and committed people like them to enter teaching. And, on a more practical side with concerns over a looming recession, they will be entering a field that should have plenty of jobs available in the upcoming years.”
—Donald Gilpincontinued from page one like to give back by doing all I can to restore our focus on academics so that all students have equal access to an excellent education.
To restore our district’s strength, we should:
Improve district governance, which requires reliable data and measurable goals. PPS has a $90-plus million-dollar budget. The Board should move toward a more goal-oriented relationship with the school administration, make datadriven, evidence-based decisions and set measurable goals to track performance of major strategic initiatives. In addition, simply saying we want to achieve equity isn’t enough. What equity means for the district and how the district measures equity is unclear, so how will we know if what we’re doing will achieve it? My definition of equity is equal opportunities, not equal outcomes.
Focus on attracting and retaining outstanding educators in all staffing areas, including study aides and ESL experts. Hire more multilingual staff.
Improve district communication and community engagement. PPS and the Board should increase listening to all stakeholders and democratically solicit regular feedback from staff, students, parents , and community members. Students should be regularly surveyed about their classroom experience.
Create tangible, enriching opportunities for all students by leveraging the intellectual capital of our
community. For example, (a) assign champions to talented economically disadvantaged students and (b) create an Advisory Board of industry experts and local University faculty to advise PPS and champion exclusive research, mentorship programs, and internships for all our students.
We can do much better with the talents and resources that we already have, if only we are more creative and efficient. My professional background is in financial services and management consulting. I have the passion, skill set, and tenacity to work with PPS leaders to define measurable district goals which will be the base for evaluating performance and establishing accountability. I firmly believe that these actions will enable PPS to recover our place as the top district in N.J.
—Donald GilpinGet the scoop from
School Board Election
Margarita “Rita” Rafalovsky
continued from page one wanted to host a broad con versation to consider how we reached this point where Amer ica is so divided and how do we move forward from here. I think Princeton residents will be really intrigued by what these panelists have to say.”
Described by a PTS press release as “eminent young leaders whose professional lives have been shaped by the sharp edges of our polarized society,” Coaston, Meijer, and Sanders-Townsend will consid er such questions as “How did we become so divided?” “How do we sustain government of and by an ever-more divided people?” and “Where do we go from here?”
Recently on “The Argument” Coaston has hosted prominent New York Times columnists and other luminaries discussing such subjects as feminism after Dobbs, high school required reading, and “Trump, Dr. Oz, and Our Political Cult of Celeb rity.” She was previously the senior politics reporter at Vox, focusing on conservatism and the Republican Party.
Her work has appeared on MSNBC, CNN, and NPR, and in National Review, The Wash ington Post, The Ringer, ESPN Magazine, and other publica tions. She was a resident fellow at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics, attended the University of Michigan, and now lives in Washington, D.C. Heath emphasized the sig nificance of Coaston’s podcast
“The Argument.” “Some peo ple would say this is old fash ioned, taking a controversial topic and bringing people with different views on to talk about it,” he said. “Jane is going to talk about the value she sees
in that kind of conversation.”
Meijer, who recently lost to a former Trump administration official in the Republican pri mary for his seat in Congress, was a sergeant in Iraq, ran ad visory operations for an NGO in Afghanistan, and served as acting deputy director for Afghanistan, delivering emer gency assistance to aid work ers. He graduated from Colum bia University and received his MBA from New York University before returning to Michigan to work in urban redevelopment and real estate.
Elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2020, Meijer is a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group working to find common ground on key issues.
“Meijer made history right in the beginning of his first term by voting to impeach the pres ident of his own party,” said Heath. “We’ll talk with Peter Meijer about the direction of the Republican Party and what he sees as the future for that Party.”
Sanders-Townsend served as national press secretary for Bernie Sanders’ presiden tial campaign in 2016. Three years later she published her first book, No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America, and served as senior advisor for Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign. She was a senior member of the Biden-Harris administration as deputy assis tant to the president and senior advisor and chief spokesperson for the vice president.
Her show every weekend on MSNBC provides essential context and discourse on press ing issues of the day. SandersTownsend is a former political commentator for CNN and
resident fellow of both Har vard’s Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School and the Uni versity of Southern California’s Center for the Political Future.
“Sanders-Townsend has re ally traveled across the Demo cratic coalition, working across the different factions or wings within the Democratic Party,” said Heath. “She brings a fas cinating lens onto the world.”
Initiatives Thais Carter noted, “All three panelists are young people in their early 30s. When you think about people in public service, these aren’t old hacks reflecting on where democracy went wrong. These are people who really have skin in the game.”
“In a moment defined by cas cading crises, many across the nation and world are wonder ing aloud about the future of
American democracy,” a PTS press release stated. “Increas ingly Republicans and Demo crats alike see members of the other party as not just wrong on key issues, but — accord ing to the Pew Research Cen ter — as immoral, dishonest, closed-minded, and a threat to the nation’s well-being. The reverberations of extreme po larization are felt far from the realm of politics, in schools and
churches and local communi ties where some seem ready to give up entirely on the age-old art of persuasion.”
In addition to the in-person event, 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the PTS Wright Library, the October 13 conversation will be avail able virtually via livestream.
See democracy.panels@ptsem. edu for registration and more information.
—Donald Gilpin
of ’76: Slavery, Empire, and the Anthropocene
Octavia E. Butler’s Kindred
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Anschutz Distinguished Fellow Susana M. Morris is associate professor of literature, media, and communication at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She is author of Close Kin and Distant Relatives: The Paradox of Respectability in Black Women’s Literature (UVA 2014). She is currently at work on a cultural biography of Octavia Butler.Governor Florio continued from page one
“I am devastated to hear of Jim Florio’s passing,” said Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, in a statement. “Jim dedicated his career to serving New Jersey families, spending a quarter of a century in public office. In Congress, Jim fought to pass the Superfund legislation that cleaned up toxic pollution across the country. As governor, he enacted our state’s life-saving assault weapons ban. Thanks to Jim, New Jersey is a cleaner, safer, better place.”
During his term as governor, Florio and his wife Lucinda lived at Drumthwacket, the official New Jersey governors’ residence on Stockton Street, “They were often seen walking on Nassau Street, with his state trooper escorts at a safe distance,” said Tim Quinn, Princeton Public Library’s marketing and communications director
and a longtime Princeton resident. Lucinda Florio was a frequent guest reader for Storytime at the library before it was remodeled in 2004, Quinn added.
In June 2018, Florio appeared at the library to discuss his life in politics and his book , Standing on Principle: Lessons Learned in Public Life, with political columnist and Princeton resident Charles Stile.
Harla recalled his last meeting with Florio a few weeks ago. “Our conversation wasn’t about politics or children or old friends,” he said. “It was about renewable energy and the environment. Uninteresting topics for some, maybe, but exhilarating for him because he never lost his desire to try to improve the lives of regular people by getting decision-makers to think about possibilities.
Jim was a gentleman to the end, and the New Jersey body politic will miss him sorely.”
On September 25, at 10:05 p.m., an individual reported that an unknown male approached him on Witherspoon Street and attempted to punch him in the face, apparently unprovoked. The male then struck him in the face with his bicycle and fled the area. The Detective Bureau is investigating.
On September 20, at 1:07 p.m., an individual reported that two males attempted to break into his Cleveland Lane home and into a vehicle that was parked in the driveway. The males then fled the area in a blue BMW, which was later determined to be stolen out of Monroe Township. The Detective Bureau is investigating.
On September 19, at 2 p.m., an individual reported that 10 checks were stolen after he placed them in the U.S. Postal Service mailbox located at the corner of Witherspoon and Spring streets on September 6. The Detective Bureau is investigating.
On September 17, at 3:09 p.m., an individual reported that, sometime between
Tuesday, September 13 and Saturday, September 17, the front windshield of her Chevrolet Impala on Mulberry Row was damaged. The Detective Bureau is investigating.
On September 14, at 2:35 p.m., an individual reported that she had placed a check in the U.S. Postal Service mailbox at the corner of Witherspoon and Spring streets, made payable in the amount of $3,152. The check was stolen, forged, and cashed under a different payee name, causing a monetary loss of $3,152. The Detective Bureau is investigating.
On September 13, at 7:10 p.m., patrols were dispatched to a bank on Nassau Street after an ATM repair technician observed signs of tampering and skimming devices installed inside the machine. The Detective Bureau is investigating.
On September 12, at 9:54 a.m., an individual reported that the undercarriage of his Silver Honda CR-V was damaged during a theft of the vehicle’s catalytic converter while it was parked on Birch Avenue. The theft was reported to have occurred sometime between September 4 and September 6. The Detective Bureau is investigating.
The Princeton-Blairstown Center (PBC) recently held its annual Links to Youth Golf Outing to raise funds for its signature Summer Bridge Program for young people from historically marginalized communities. During the event, the Ev Pinneo Award was given to Christina Bailey, a PBC trustee and community volunteer.
Established in 2018 as part of the 110th anniversary of the Princeton-Blairstown Center, the Ev Pinneo Award is given to a volunteer or staff member who has gone above and beyond in their dedication and commitment to the mission of the organization, in much the same way that Pinneo has throughout his seven-decade association with PBC. Pinneo began his career at PBC as a student at Princeton University. Throughout the years, he served PBC in many roles including summer staff program coordinator, student director, executive director, part-time development director, donor, and volunteer as well as being a member of the board of trustees on multiple occasions. He now serves as an honorary trustee.
Award recipient Bailey joined the board at a critical time for the organization, when the PrincetonBlairstown Center became its own stand-alone nonprofit for the fi rst time after more than 100 years of being part
of Princeton University. She delved into a number of different tasks, including organizing and leading a benefit committee to host the Center’s fi rst fundraising benefit in two decades. She has been instrumental in leading marketing efforts to help PBC develop its current logo and website.
In addition to leading the institutional advancement committee for three years, Bailey also recruited friends and colleagues to support PBC — on the board, advisory council, and in numerous volunteer roles — and has served as an outspoken ambassador for PBC.
The evening’s program included a PBC Summer Bridge student, Fatima, who spoke about her experiences at PBC. “Growing up in an area with not many opportunities makes you believe that many things are limited,” she said. “For a certain time in my life, I believed that going out in the world and being a part of nature was only a dream, but this program made me realize I can go anywhere and do anything.”
Upon receiving the award, Bailey said, “I’m so honored to receive this award. And, like Ev, I’m somewhat uncomfortable with it because we know it takes a village of people sharing their time, talent, and treasure to change the life, the outlook, and opportunities for students like Fatima.”
—Anne Levinsatisfied
and
To the Editor:
Last week, on a beautiful afternoon, my husband, an elderly cellist, was walking along Levitt Lane. He tripped on a piece of uneven sidewalk and fell onto his shoulder, which broke.
Five minutes later, I happened to drive by, en route home from an errand, and stopped to see if I could help. Here was my own husband lying on the sidewalk, bleeding. Three neighbors, whose names I do not know, were talking to him and had called 911. When the ambulance arrived, a policeman asked me where he had fallen. I saw the piece of sidewalk block that was sticking up and showed it to him. He said he would take care of it.
Today, less than one week later, I walked past that spot and, indeed, that sidewalk block and several others nearby had been repaired.
Thank you to that policeman, to the EMT crew, and to the three neighbors whose names I do not know. We have good neighbors in Princeton.
LESLIE VIELAND Snowden LaneTo the Editor:
On Friday, September 16, Princeton-Blairstown Center (PBC) held its seventh annual Links to Youth Golf Outing at the Fox Hollow Golf Club in Branchburg. This event drew 88 golfers and raised more than $82,500, which will support PBC’s award-winning Summer Bridge Program. Each year, Summer Bridge offers hundreds of students from Trenton, Newark, and Camden a high-quality summer enrichment experience focused on social emotional learning, literacy, and STEM completely free of charge.
At the dinner celebration following the outing, PBC presented the Ev Pinneo Award to Christina Bailey of Princeton. Established in 2018 as part of the 110th Anniversary of the Center, the Ev Pinneo Award is given to a volunteer or staff member who has gone above and beyond in their dedication and commitment to the mission of the Princeton-Blairstown Center, in much the same way that Ev has throughout his seven-decade association with PBC.
The winning foursome for the day, who scored an impressive 11 under par on the Fox Hollow course, included Don Seitz, Michael Seitz, Tom Heffernan, and Jon Heffernan.
This event supports the mission of the Princeton-Blairstown Center to serve young people, primarily from historically marginalized communities, by nurturing their social-emotional skills through experiential, environmental, and adventure-based programming. Developing these skills enables participants to engage in self-discovery and transform their communities to create a more just world.
PBC strives for a future in which young people exhibit personal resilience and compassion, embrace expanded possibilities for their lives, and enact positive change within their communities and the world.
Thanks to our event sponsors: AMSkier Insurance; Mark Antin; Bank of America NJ Market; Bijou Salon, LLC; Blue Ridge Lumber Company; Bryn Mawr Trust; Peggy and Russell DaSilva; Tamara Simpkins Franklin; Pam Gregory and David Palladino; Hill Wallack LLP; Inside Edge Consulting Group, Inc.; Praveena Joseph-de Saram and Vijay Krishnamurthy; Yvette Saeko Lanneaux and Michael Nissan; Lasley Brahaney; Lear & Pannepacker, LLP; Joseph Leccese; Northfield Bank; NRG Energy; Payday; PBC Leadership Team; Penbrook Management LLC; Bruce Petersen; Everard Pinneo; Pinneo Construction; Suman Rao and Kaushik Arunagiri; Ajanta and Pulkit Shah; Pam
Town Topics welcomes letters to the Editor, preferably on subjects related to Princeton. Letters must have a valid street address (only the street name will be printed with the writer’s name). Priority will be given to letters that are received for publication no later than Monday noon for publication in that week’s Wednesday edition.
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and Derek Simpkins; Sarah Tantillo; and Robin and Christopher Van Buren.
We are also tremendously grateful to our Links to Youth co-chairs, Heather Reilly and Derek Simpkins, for their time, energy, and effort organizing and executing this successful event.
CLAUDIA FRANCO KELLY Board Chair, Princeton-Blairstown Center Fieldston RoadTo the Editor:
It was such a treat to have Dodds Lane newly paved and void of potholes this summer. There has been a lot of construction on the street in the past three years, so I thought the paving signaled an end to all the noise, trucks, industrial smells, and uneven pavement that accompany progress. Those of us in the Littlebrook neighborhood very much enjoyed the clean, smooth paved street.
To my surprise, two weeks ago, long tubes were stacked up in 100-meter intervals and the entire newly paved street was marked with arrows and letters indicating where these tubes will be placed. Sure enough, this morning the street is being torn up by jackhammers. There are police cars indicating that the street is closed, and school children are having to cover their ears as they navigate the crazy and noisy work site. I am sure many Princeton residents have had the same experience in their streets.
How difficult would it be to require vendors that supply and maintain services to the town to coordinate their efforts so that this constant paving, digging up, and drilling could be reduced? Could the installing of cables, tubes, or any necessary work be done simultaneously every few years rather than piecemeal?
Our town prides itself for its efforts in sustainability. Shouldn’t the coordination of work undertaken in our streets by services providers be part of this effort? It would minimize the waste, noise pollution, air pollution and inconvenience of a constant digging up and repaving of our streets.
GABRIELLA C. MILLEY Wittmer CourtTo the Editor:
I am writing to support Dafna Kendal’s candidacy for the Board of Education. I’ve known Dafna since our children, who are now both sophomores at Princeton High School, started kindergarten together at Littlebrook Elementary School in the fall of 2012. I was thrilled when Dafna joined the Board in 2016, and throughout her two terms I’ve been continually impressed by Dafna’s commitment to the education and wellbeing of all of Princeton’s students; by her ingenuity in devising creative solutions to budgetary challenges; by her deep respect for our district’s teachers; and by her dedication to open, transparent communications with all town residents.
Dafna’s many achievements during her time on the Board demonstrate the tenacity and vigor with which she approaches her role. Over her six years on the Board, she has, among many other achievements, secured over a million dollars in voluntary payments to the school district from Princeton’s multiple institutions of higher learning. As someone both deeply aware of the extraordinary contributions of the district’s teachers and committed to safeguarding the district’s financial resources, Dafna has led multiple negotiations with all three labor unions, each time reaching a mutually satisfactory outcome without costly and time-consuming acrimony. Today, thanks to Dafna’s efforts, all unionized staff are under contract through 2024 and all teachers are under contract through 2027. Earlier this year, Dafna was part of the leadership team that successfully steered through an essential referendum to repair our schools’ leaky roofs, taking advantage of state aid to cover approximately 30 percent of the total cost, and saving Princeton taxpayers millions of dollars in the process.
An advocate of equity for all students, Dafna has ensured that special education issues are at the forefront of professional development while fighting for curricula that enables all students to thrive. Alert to the importance of Board transparency, Dafna added opportunities for public comment at Board meetings and introduced the practice of emailing parents and staff summaries of monthly Board meetings. During COVID, Dafna was indefatigable in her efforts to keep the schools open for students while pushing for improved HVAC, outdoor tents, and other measures to keep students and teachers safe. Recently, Dafna and her colleagues moved with impressive speed to hire additional mental health professionals to respond to a disturbing rise in mental health struggles among our students.
As Dafna’s accomplishments demonstrate, she is an extraordinarily effective Board member. And she’s running for another term for all the right reasons: to build on our district’s outstanding record; to be a prudent steward of one of our town’s most valuable resources; and to ensure that the education and wellbeing of our students continues to be our district’s number one priority. As the mother of three PPS students, I am profoundly grateful to Dafna for her tireless work on behalf of our district. I could not be more enthusiastic about Dafna’s candidacy, and I encourage all Princetonians to vote for Dafna on November 8!
JANE MANNERS Wheatsheaf LaneTo the Editor:
I was shocked to read earlier this year that 29 pedestrians were struck on Princeton streets in the past year — 24 (83 percent!) in marked intersections. Since we have had a successful trial of the “pedestrian priority” system at the corner of Nassau and Vandeventer streets it now seems logical and urgent to implement that system at other busy intersections in Princeton, whether controlled by the state or the town. This can definitely reduce the conflict between pedestrians crossing and drivers turning at these intersections.
The busy intersection of Witherspoon and Wiggins streets would be a prime location for the “pedestrian priority” system, particularly now as Princeton school and University students, and tourists, are on the streets in increased numbers. With the library on one corner and the Arts Council on another, this has become a busy intersection even during the summer, with lots of foot traffic and, unfortunately, frequent jaywalking. Hopefully, this change can be made without requiring state approval to slow its implementation.
It would also seem logical to implement this system at the corner of Witherspoon and Nassau streets given the conflict of traffic turning north onto Witherspoon Street while pedestrians are crossing simultaneously. Of course, this is more difficult since, as I understand it, the state may have the final say on changes at this location.
And, as the recent discussion of “white lines” has indicated, we are now all aware that there are numerous regulations to be met in making any of these changes.
As I’ve noted before, New Haven uses this system throughout the city. It too has numerous intersections where students and other pedestrians cross busy streets — more safely there because of the “pedestrian priority” crossing system. I hope we do not have to wait for another injury at a marked intersection to spur the use of a safer system for pedestrians in Princeton.
DAVID H. MILLER Hawthorne Avenue
The Althea Ward Clark W’21 Reading Series, presented by the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Creative Writing at Princeton University, opens the 2022-23 season with a reading by poet Sylvie Baumgartel and best-selling novelist Amy Tan. The reading begins at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 4 in the James Stewart Film Theater at 185 Nassau Street on the Princeton University campus.
Quarterly Review, The Nation, Harvard Review, Subtropics , the PEN Poetry series, and elsewhere. She lives in Santa Fe, N.M.
41 Leigh Avenue, Princeton www.tortugasmv.com
924-5143
The reading is free and open to the public; no tickets are required, however seating is limited and audiences are encouraged to arrive early to secure a seat. All guests must either be fully vaccinated, or have recently tested negative and be prepared to show proof if asked, or wear a face covering when indoors and around others. Doors will open at 7 p.m. The Film Theater is an accessible venue. Guests in need of access accommodations are invited to contact the Lewis Center at LewisCenter@princeton.edu at least one week prior to the event date.
Baumgartel has published two books of poetry: Song of Songs (2019) and Pink (2021). Her poems have appeared in The New Yorker, The Financial Times, The Paris Review, The Virginia
Tan’s novels include The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God’s Wife, The Hundred Secret Senses, The Bonesetter’s Daughter, Saving Fish from Drownin g, and The Valley of Amazement, all New York Times bestsellers. She is also the author of two children’s books, a memoir, The Opposite of Fate, and a book about writing, Where the Past Begins: A Writer’s Memoir. She is winner of, among others, the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. In March 2022 she was voted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Her next book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles, is scheduled for October 2023.
The Lewis Center’s Program in Creative Writing annually presents the Althea Ward Clark W’21 Reading Series, which provides an opportunity for students, as well as all in the greater Princeton region, to hear and meet the best contemporary writers. The series is organized by Lecturer in Creative Writing and award-winning poet Michael Dickman.
Amy Tan (Photo by Julian Johnson/ Stephen Barclay Agency) Sylvie Baumgartel (Photo by Barbara Hanson)
Oh, do not ask, “What is it?”
Let us go and make our visit.
—T.S. Eliot (1888-1965) perhaps the most amazing thing about Albert Pujols is that less than two years before he began one of the greatest rookie seasons in baseball history, he was a non-prospect.
—Joe Posnanski, in Sports Illustrated
H ow the miracle of Albert Pujols came to St. Louis, the city where T.S. Eliot was born 134 years ago Monday, is the stuff of dreams, especially if you’ve followed the St. Louis Cardinals for most of your life, longing for that October moment when, in the poet’s words, “all shall be well / And all manner of thing shall be well.”
A “Grown Man” at 18
Born January 16, 1980, in the Dominican Republic, Pujols was raised in Santo Domingo by his father Bienvenido, his grandmother America, and 10 aunts and uncles. At 16, he moved with his father and grandmother to New York City and from there to his paternal grandparents in Independence, Missouri, where he played ball for Fort Osage High. At 18, he looked old for his age, so much so that managers often walked him, not just because he hit eight home runs in the 33 at bats he was given (one traveling some 450 feet), but because they thought their pitchers should not have to throw to “a grown man.” In his first and only season with the Maple Woods Community College Wolves, Pujols hit .461 with 22 homers. Despite putting up numbers like that in Kansas City’s backyard, he didn’t interest the Royals or anyone else until the Cardinals claimed him in the 13th round of the 1999 draft. He was the 402nd player taken overall. After a year in the minors, the “non-prospect” was the 2001 National League Rookie of the Year, hitting .329 with 37 homers and 130 RBIs.
A “Baseball Body”
“We weren’t sure he had a position,” said the Royals General Manager Allard Baird. “He didn’t have a great baseball body. We all saw him the same way, and we were all wrong.”
The reference to “a great baseball body” suggests that a young man with the build
of a superhero at 18 is somehow not to be trusted. What was the problem? Did the Royals suspect that he was a product of Satan’s workshop like Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees ? Surely it wasn’t because they thought that he’d already gone the way of players like Mark McGuire and Roger Clemens, who had “sold their souls” — as in Hall of Fame “immortality” — by using “performance enhancing drugs.”
In his Sports Illustrated article, “The Power to Believe,” Joe Posnanski quotes Pujols: “We’re in this era where people want to judge other people.... But it’s like I always say, ‘Come and test me. Come and do whatever you want.’” As the article’s title suggests, Pujols is a true believer who gestures toward the heavens every time he hits a home run.
For Life Cardinals pitcher AdamWainwright and catcher Yadier Molina recently made their 325th career start together, setting a new major league record. The previous high had been set between 1963 and 1975 by Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan of the Detroit Tigers. As a fan from the days before free agency and big business, trade-crazy baseball, the most remarkable aspect of the record is that two players remained with the same team long enough to achieve it.
When Albert Pujols signed a contract with the Los Angeles Angels after the 2011 championship season, the timing made sense in the wake of manager Tony LaRussa’s retirement. But having grown up in an era when the Cardinals were struggling, I’d have felt betrayed had the owners had dared to trade Stan Musial or,
even more unthinkable, if Musial had left the team for a more lucrative contract. There was an all’s-right-with-the-world security in knowing that Musial would remain a Cardinal for life, like his peers Ted Williams with the Red Sox and Joe DiMaggio with the Yankees.
The wonder of the 2022 season is that Pujols came home to write a final chapter, and there he is on the front page of Sunday’s New York Times after hitting his 700th home run, a big smile on his face, arms outspread on either side of the familiar uniform, two redbirds on the slanted branch of a bat, one of the most poetic team emblems in sports. And here on my desk, looking somewhat the worse for wear, is the lone redbird on a pennant I’ve had since my father took me to see the Cards play the Brooklyn Dodgers at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis. To accomplish this feat meant driving 250 miles west and back as well as paying for a night’s stay at a hotel — and my English professor father didn’t know, as he liked to put it, “right base from left base.”
Last Wednesday night in San Diego, the Cardinals were about to be shut out for the third consecutive game. Worse yet, it was the 7th inning and they didn’t have a hit, when, in true storybook form, Albert Pujols came through with a single. As he arrived at first base he was smiling, aware of the impact that hit would have on the team’s morale. The break-up of the nohitter gave St. Louis the boost it needed
to win the next game, and the game after that was Friday’s Pujols spectacular, his two historic blasts among five Cardinal home runs in an 11-0 win, and this time the smile he was smiling as he rounded the bases was bigger, happier, younger, almost boyish, although he seemed to know that this moment in his personal history was only part of a larger narrative carrying his team to the playoffs and beyond.
Although my father had no interest in baseball or any other sport, he had a cozy book-lined study where I liked to settle down and read things they didn’t teach in high school, one of which was T.S. Eliot’s Collected Poems. Ten years ago, on Eliot’s birthday, I recalled the moment I opened the book to the first line of the first poem: “Let us go then, you and I, when the evening is spread out against the sky.” If you think of the poet as the pitcher, and the reader as the hitter, the next pitch, where the evening is compared to “a patient etherised upon a table,” is unhittable. What was that? Where did he get it? Is it even legal? A literary spitball? You just watch it go by with your mouth hanging open. You’re already in the poem. No questions asked. This isn’t a visit, it’s a visitation, as “the yellow smoke” becomes a cat rubbing its back against the windowpanes and licking its tongue “into the corners of the evening.”
Unlike my father, Eliot was a fan, at least before he moved to England, but he preferred the Boston Red Sox to his hometown team the Cardinals. According to a spirited piece by Louis Phillips in Elysian Fields Quarterly, he never forgave the Red Sox for selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees. Speaking of the Yankees, look what’s going on in the American League. The same week Pujols nails number 700 — and joins Bonds, Aaron, and Ruth — Aaron Judge equals Ruth’s magic number 60.
—Stuart MitchnerJoe Posnanski’s piece appeared in Sports Illustrated, March 16, 2009. He also wrote the introduction to Scott Lamb and Tim Ellsworth’s Pujols: More Than the Game
McCarter is opening its season with The Wolves . The 2016 drama de picts a high school women’s soccer team, whose diverse members discuss cur rent news events — among other, some times lighter subjects — as they practice for their games. The Wolves was a 2017 Pulitzer Prize finalist in drama.
Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen di rects the spirited production. Although this marks the McCarter debut of The Wolves , Rasmussen has prior experience staging the play. Her 2019 production at the Jungle Theater earned her a Minne sota Theater Award for Exceptional Per formative Direction.
While writing The Wolves , Sarah DeLappe (who played soccer from ages 8 to 14) was tutoring teenage girls. An exhibit in the McCarter lobby quotes her as saying, “I felt very close to the current experience of female adolescence.” In a 2017 Lincoln Center Theater interview that is excerpted in McCarter’s printed program, DeLappe explains that she conceived the play “as a war movie. But instead of a bunch of men who are going into battle, you have a bunch of young women who are preparing for their soc cer games.”
Scenic Designer Junghyun Georgia Lee covers the brightly lit Berlind stage with green Astroturf, honoring DeLappe’s opening stage direction that describes an indoor “soccer field that feels like it goes on forever.” The background is white and gray, but this is deceptive; Jackie Fox’s lighting often adds splashes of color.
As The Wolves begins, the lighting moves in rhythm to contemporary pop music procured by Sound Designer Porn chanok Kanchanabanca. As the soccer players enter, they are dancing as though they are in a nightclub. Immediately we know that the play will be infused with youthful energy.
As the teammates stretch or practice their moves, they engage in impassioned — but, to most of them, comfortably ab stract — discussions about world events, such as a Cambodian Khmer Rouge war criminal being brought to justice. While the players kick soccer balls between them, they also exchange banter. As they prepare to compete against opposing teams, they also are preparing to face the world around them — and to confront a tragedy closer to home.
In the beginning we hear several con versations going on at once. On one wall of the McCarter lobby is an enlarged page of DeLappe’s script, enabling us to see
desired effect of letting us be a “fly on the wall.”
For most of the show, the players are identified solely by their team numbers (it is only later that we hear any first names). Even the lone onstage adult is known only by the identity given to her by the game: Soccer Mom.
Raquel Adorno’s costumes support the concept of the players’ personal identities emerging from their identity as members of a soccer team. Initially, we see all of the players wearing the same colorful uni forms.
At an early juncture the Goalie, #00 (played by Renea S. Brown) exits, and re merges wearing a purple outfit. Beyond the confines of the uniforms, personal styles are suggested by headwear, as well as the scarves that #2 (Katie Griffith) is knitting, to raise money for Amnesty In ternational.
Over the course of several weekends, we see the team confront internal ten sions, misunderstandings, and rivalries, even as they unite (and cheer, “We are the Wolves!”) to challenge their opponents.
The drill sergeant-like Captain, #25, is determined to see the team win at any cost — at one point attempting to save time by omitting the usual stretching routine, jeopardizing the players’ safety (and caus ing a certain team member to be injured).
As #25, Mikey Gray strides purposefully around the stage, authoritatively flinging a bag of soccer balls onto the ground.
The newest player, #46 (Maria Habeeb) is homeschooled, and new to the area. She lives with her mother in a yurt; #2 causes tension by substituting the mala propism “yogurt.” #46 attempts to brush this aside by putting exaggerated energy into her soccer practice (while chanting, “I live in a yogurt. My feelings don’t get hurt”). This sequence affords Habeeb the opportunity to perform some entertaining moves with a ball.
#46 is frustrated at being on the bench, and expresses keen interest in the Striker position. However, the acerbic #7 (Jas mine Sharma) has always been the Striker; with the team facing the upcoming college showcase tournament, #25 is reluctant to tamper with success.
Other team members include #8 (Mag gie Thompson), who loves The Lord of the Rings ; the morbid #11 (Owen Laheen); #13 (Annie Fox), whose brother deals drugs from their basement; and #14, who has a complicated friendship with #7. (At the September 23 performance, Isabel Rodriguez played #14, filling in for Isabel Pask.)
Brown also is outstanding in a sequence in which #00 reacts to devastating news that affects the entire team. The peppy be ginnings of earlier scenes resemble a night club, whereas this segment is impassioned, and Brown’s movements are almost bal letic. The musical language, and the light ing, change to match the somber mood. The team generally exists in a bubble.
Adults (such as the Wolves’ useless coach, and a college talent scout) are discussed but never appear onstage. An exception is Soccer Mom (Katharine Powell), who enters to give the team a good-natured but rambling pep talk. Taken aback by this monologue, the players are silent, in marked contrast with their chatter in earlier scenes.
Powell pairs the delivery of her speech with body language that suggests that Soccer Mom has too many thoughts run ning through her head at once, fighting each other to be articulated. Soccer Mom does not have much stage time, but Powell makes every moment count.
This writer attended a “Director’s Cut,” at which a scene was rehearsed in front of an audience. What stood out then was the extent to which the actors make the most of what Rasmussen refers to as “coun terpoint” between their movements and the dialogue. I wrote, “Dialogue often is punctuated by a well-placed kick or stop of a ball. Rasmussen likens the script to a musical score; the kicks add a percus sive effect that accents the conversations.” That remains true.
But witnessing the “Director’s Cut” did not fully prepare audiences to expect the high level of energy the actors — who often seem to be in perpetual motion — exhibit throughout the performance. Nor did the rehearsal reveal that Rasmussen, working with the all-female design team, has given the production the showy, ex pressive aura of a dance piece.
Two divergent comments can be made about this production aesthetic. The first is that it unquestionably succeeds in draw ing the audience into the play’s world and energy. The second is that, initially, it seems slightly at odds with the slice-oflife realism that DeLappe is determined to simulate with the layers of dialogue.
Nevertheless, The Wolves makes me re call a remark by one of my theater profes sors, who suggested that a sporting event constitutes a theatrical one. Examining the production choices on a thematic lev el, perhaps Rasmussen is observing the inherent theatricality of soccer (or any sport) and its participants. Reality TV, websites, and social media can add flair to any everyday event — including soc cer practice. Our culture routinely blends reality with a theatrical gloss.
In a 2020 interview for Princeton Magazine (a sister publication of Town Topics), Rasmussen remarks, “It’s so simple, but it’s also powerful to tell sto ries with intergenerational characters and
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Directed by Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen, “The Wolves” runs through October 16 at McCarter’s Berlind Theatre. McCarter’s website notes that parental discretion is advised for strong language and themes; the play is recommended for ages 12 and up. For tickets or additional information, visit mccarter.org. THE WOLVES: Performances are underway for “The Wolves.” Produced by McCarter Theatre, and directed by Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen, the play runs through October 16 at McCarter’s Berlind Theatre. Above, from left: Teammates 8 (Maggie Thompson), 14 (Isabel Pask), 7 (Jasmine Sharma, 25 (Mikey Gray), 46 (Maria Habeeb), 00 (Renea S. Brown), 2 (Katie Griffith), 11 (Owen Laheen), and 13 (Annie Fox) discuss current events while they practice soccer. (Photo by T. Charles Erickson) Central NJ and County, Central NJ and Bucks County,Choral music performance has had a real struggle over the past two years. For the first six months of the pandemic, no one in choruses sang at all. Then, choristers sang into their computers for six months to create vir tual performances, followed by a year of singing with masks. Now, as a foray into maskless and hopefully unobstructed live performance, the Princeton University Glee Club, conducted by Gabriel Crouch, presented a concert this past weekend with a vocal ensemble based in Zimbabwe, but with strong Princeton ties.
Saturday night’s concert in Richard son Auditorium featured the fruits of a week-long residency by the seven-member vocal ensemble Mushandirapamwe Sing ers, whose conductor Dr. Tanyaradzwa Tawengwa is a Princeton University graduate. While an undergraduate in Princeton’s music department, Tawengwa established a legacy of founding an a cap pella chorus and a senior thesis musical theater work which later became an offBroadway production. Since graduating, Tawengwa has built a career as a conduc tor, arranger, and virtuoso mbira musi cian, performing worldwide while paying tribute to Zimbabwe’s turbulent history and traditions.
Choral music from Zimbabwe other re gions of the African continent is distinc tive in its pure chordal harmonies and spirited approach to text. A number of the pieces in Saturday night’s concert, all of which were either composed or ar ranged by Tawengwa, conveyed a sense of infectious joy and hope, demonstrating why audiences cannot help but get caught up in the enthusiasm of the performers. Tawengwa divided the concert into five parts, with the first chikamu calling the concert to order and then taking the au dience on a journey through Zimbabwe’s history, literature, and culture.
Mushandirapamwe Singers both wel comed the audience and introduced them selves individually with a spirited “Anchul ele,” answered with well-blended singing from the University Glee Club. Tawengwa sang the lead vocal lines in many of the pieces, but the six accompanying singers of the Mushandirapamwe ensemble were all expertly trained performers in their own right, with backgrounds in opera, dance, classical performance, and Broad way. Tawengwa was equally as proficient on the piano, and accompanied herself and the choruses in several numbers.
The excerpts from Tawengwa’s Princ eton senior thesis production, The Dawn of the Rooster, recounted the story of her family during the Zimbabwean Liberation Struggle of 1965-1980. “Muka Iwe,” with
lyrics by Tawengwa, was a plaintive song with haunting harmonies, and like others of Tawengwa’s arrangements, built inten sity through repetition and dynamics. In Tawengwa’s arrangement of “Zimbabwe Takaiwana NeHondo,” the singers con veyed the struggles of war as the rhythmic flow of the piece changed through the use of drums and gourds.
Tawengwa incorporated into the perfor mance an instrument on which she has become an internationally-renowned per former. The mbira , used to communicate with the ancestors, consisted of a wooden board with attached metal prongs inside a wooden chamber with additional reso nators. It was difficult to see Tawengwa plucking the staggered metal tines inside the chamber, but what was heard by the audience was complex and multi-meter counterpoint one might hear from a key board instrument. Tawengwa accompa nied herself in the solo “Rarisa Musuro Wako,” singing a haunting melody with a pure and clear soprano tone against the raindrops of the mbira. Tawengwa ex pertly performed on two mbiras during the concert — each seemed to be tuned to a slightly different scale.
Call and response is a characteristic compositional tool of this region’s music, and the University Glee Club was clearly well in-tune and well-embedded in this concert, both musically and in spirit, while responding to a soloist’s “call.” The Mushandirapamwe Singers residency had immersed the Glee Club singers in the vocal techniques, performance attitudes, and languages of Zimbabwe, and the Glee Club singers were able to enthusiastically fit into the Mushandirapamwe performing style. In a piece calling for more raw sing ing than American choristers might be used to, the two choirs closed the concert with a rousing call for rain — there might not have been rain, but the ensemble clearly left the audience wanting more.
For this concert, rescheduled mul tiple times over the past two years, Glee Club conductor Crouch invited Tawengwa to return to campus as part of the “Glee Club Presents” series, which places the University chorus in “the com pany of great artists” and introduces both singers and audiences to musical reper tory and styles they might not otherwise hear. Saturday night’s audience was cele bratory for a variety of reasons — the new beginnings of the academic year, a return to live choral music, and appreciation for an ensemble which has the capability to turn any performing hall and its audience upside-down.
—Nancy Plum
On Saturday, October 22 at 1 p.m., Princeton University Concerts (PUC) welcomes back The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center for the first family program on the series since the start of the pandemic — “Meet the Music: Can Music Tell a Story?”, curated for kids ages 6-12.
This first of two “All in the Family” events in PUC’s 2022-23 season will take place at Richardson Auditorium. Composer Bruce Adolphe will host the event as Inspector Pulse, the world’s greatest and only private ear, investigating a musical mystery with music by Janá č ek, Ravel, and Adolphe and improvisations, performed by professional musicians from The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
The interactive program seeks to spark a lifelong love of music that will begin the moment that a child “meets the music” in person within the setting of Richardson Auditorium. Tickets are $5 for children and $10 for
adults. Visit puc.princeton. edu, or call (609) 258-2800.
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center will return on May 20, 2023 for a new program curated for neurodiverse audiences ages 3-6, hosted by guitarist Rami Vamos, called “CMS Kids: Exploring Dvo ř ák.”
PUC’s upcoming season also includes the Annual Chamber Jam—a free opportunity for the community’s amateur musicians of all ages and levels to read and play music alongside professional musicians—on Sunday, January 22, 2023. This season’s Chamber Jam will have a mental health focus facilitated by members of the Me2/ Orchestra, the only classical music organization created for individuals with mental illnesses and the people who support them.
The series Music at St. Michaels, which features members of the Westminster Conservatory faculty performing free chamber music recitals in the historic St. Michaels Episcopal
Church, 140 North Warren Street, Trenton, will resume at 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 2 after a hiatus of many months.
Violinist Dezheng Ping and pianist Larissa Korwin will be joined by guest violinist Alexei Yavtuhovich for their performance, which is free. The program features works by Clara Wieck Schumann, Jules Massenet, Gabriel Fauré, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Camille Saint-Saëns.
Ping received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Beijing Central Conservatory of Music in China and Master of Arts degree from Minnesota State University, Moorhead. He has been a member of the Syracuse Symphony, the assistant concertmaster of the Augusta Symphony, the concertmaster of the Greater Grand Forks Symphony, and the concertmaster of the Manalapan Battleground Symphony Orchestra. As a soloist, he has performed with the China Central Philharmonic, the Hunan Symphony Orchestra of China, and the Manalapan Symphony Orchestra. He was invited by the Northern California
Chinese Music Teachers Association to give violin master classes, has served as a judge for the International Music Competition at Stanford University Music Centre, gave a violin master class at the International String Festival in Yunnan China, and has lectured at Baruch College, City University of New York, to introduce Chinese music.
Moscow native Korwin received a Master of Music degree from the State Academy of Music, where she later joined the teaching faculty. Since moving to Princeton in 1990, Korwin has performed in venues such as the Garden State Center, McCarter Theatre and Richardson Auditorium, and on series including the Matinee Musical Club at the Philadelphia Academy of Music, Westminster Conservatory Faculty Series, the Friends of Music in Princeton University’s Taplin Hall, and Longwood Gardens Concert Series. She has collaborated with many opera singers in recitals and opera productions. Korwin is on the piano faculties of Westminster Conservatory and the Lawrenceville School and maintains a private studio in Princeton.
Bachelor of Arts degree at Sokolovsky’s Musical College and a master’s degree in violin performance from the Belarusian Academy of Music in Minsk, Belarus. He graduated in 1995, having specialized in violin and chamber music performance. At age 17, Yavtuhovich became a winner of the Republic of Belarus National Young Violinists competition. As a member of the Belarus State Concert Orchestra, the Belarus State Chamber Orchestra, and the Belarus String Quartet, he has performed in Ukraine, Russia, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and other European countries. Since his immigration to the United States in 1996, Yavtuhovich has devoted himself to a range of activities, from coaching and mentoring young hockey players to providing IT services. In 2018, Yavtuhovich founded the Collegium Musicum, serving as
Hutton, Three Dog Night recorded the music of the best new songwriters of their time including Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, Elton John, Laura Nyro, Paul Williams, and Hoyt Axton. Today, the band maintains a year-round touring schedule of over 90 dates a year, performing for generationspanning audiences nationwide.
For tickets, more information, or group discounts, call State Theatre Guest Services at (732) 246-7469 or visit STNJ.
Live music for meditation and introspection Wednesday September 14 5:30pm
Icarus and Other Party Tricks , a new play written and directed by Princeton University senior Sarah Grinalds, will be given a semi-staged reading on Friday, September 30 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, October 1 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at the Drapkin Studio, Lewis Arts complex, on the campus.
Yavtuhovich was born in Belarus, where he earned a
Princeton University Chapel
Ruth Cunningham, a founding member of the world-renowned vocal ensemble Anonymous 4 and a sound healing practitioner, offers composed and improvised music for meditation, contemplation, and prayer. The program continues monthly: 11/2, 1/11, 2/1,
4/12,
Audiences are invited into the immersive world of a manic episode, shrouded in color, grief, and tenderness. The piece treads into surrealist and often experimental design forms, depicting mandated therapy sessions, familial confrontations, and
The play is produced with extensive collaboration with professional designer Frank Oliva, as well as mentorship from theater faculty member and award-winning playwright Icarus and Other Party Tricks features a performance by theater faculty member Vivia Font and choreography by senior Naomi Benenson. The event is presented by the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Theater at Princeton Uni-
Visit arts.princeton.edu
Ruth Cunningham, a founding member of the world-renowned vocal ensemble Anonymous 4 and a sound healing practitioner, offers composed and improvised music for meditation, contemplation, and prayer.
The program continues monthly: 10/5, 11/2,
2/1,
Orchestra
Mussorgsky Pictures
Michael Pratt, Conductor
Peter Westergaard Concerts
Kyrie McIntosh
Westminster Conservatory Faculty Performs at St. Michaels Church
GEARED TO KIDS AND FAMILIES: The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center presents “Meet the Music: Can Music Tell as Story?” sponsored by Princeton University Concerts. The concert is curated for ages 6-12.
BACK ON TOUR: State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick hosts the legendary band Three Dog Night on Friday, October 14.
NEW PLAY AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: Students rehearse for “Icarus and Other Party Tricks,” a new work by University senior Sarah Grinalds.
(Photo by Dylan Tran ’23)
Dave DiMarchi is expected to be completed by early November and will be on view until early spring 2023.
The Arts Council of Princ eton (ACP) has named print maker Dave DiMarchi as its Fall 2022 Anne Reeves Art ist-in-Residence (AIR). Dur ing his residency, DiMarchi will engage in a deeper ex ploration of his print works — further pursuing research of the interconnected lan guage of collage, drawing, printmaking, and installa tion in his work.
As AIR, DiMarchi’s resi dency will focus on working across printmaking process es, allowing the process to direct each new step of the prints. This responsive style of printmaking will push his practice out of its comfort zone, hopefully allowing for a deeper connection to process and product, and a deeper appreciation of mak ing. A suite of new printed works — editions, mono prints, dimensional prints — will be available at the conclusion of the residency.
DiMarchi is a queer, multidisciplinary printmaker and artist working in printmak ing, papermaking, and sculp tural book forms. He has exhibited works on paper, installations, and books in the U.S. and internationally. He maintains a collaborative studio and art-making space in New Hope, Pa., working deeply with artists to mas ter printmaking techniques and create new portfolio and exhibition-ready prints; his relentless material practice and print research is the basis of his own art-making practice.
He teaches printmaking, papermaking, and book forms extensively through out the New York, New Jer sey, and Pennsylvania area. He is also the owner of 9INHANDPRESS, a nexus of design, print, and educa tion. 9INHANDPRESS hosts an annual International Print Exchange that engages printmakers worldwide in a collaborative portfolio and exhibitions; some nearly 9,000 prints have passed through the exchange since its inception in 2016.
In conjunction with his residency, DiMarchi will create a site-specific mural on Spring Street in Down town Princeton. The mural
“Being chosen as the Arts Council’s Fall 2022 AIR, I’m humbled and excited to pur sue a new vein of print-based work,” said DiMarchi. “The time, space, and support of the Arts Council will allow me to focus on creating work that builds on the traditions of printmaking while explor ing printmaking through a contemporary, processbased lens. The work I make is largely a conversation be tween artist, process, and product, centered on do mesticity — especially that of queer household-building: the schedules, patterns and routines of ungendered work and the ordinariness of place holding, task-do ing, and surviving. My work is an ephemeral record of the normalcy of shared lifeliving: the whats, hows, and whens of making space. It is my goal to expand that con versation to include commu nity — that of artists, mak ers, and passers-by — in the processes of making and discovering what’s to come off the press next.”
Dave’s residency coincides with his appointment of Stu dio Manager of the new Print Studio at the Arts Council.
As a new hub of printmak ing in Central New Jersey, the Print Studio will build a culture of printmaking at the Arts Council. DiMarchi will work to train instructors and artists to utilize the stu dio to its greatest potential.
Centered around a brandnew Stark Press Company etching press, the studio will house the space, tools, ma terials, and supplies for re lief, intaglio, monoprint, and screen-printing techniques.
He, and an acclaimed roster of print artists, will continue to teach a diverse selection of workshops and courses covering all aspects of print making for new audiences of children, teens, and emerg ing and established artists.
The studio will soon allow for Open Studio rental, an expanded roster of work shops and courses, and residency opportunities.
The Print Studio will open with the Glucksberg Print ing Project, a curriculum
of classes, workshops, and community events.
For more information, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org.
“Photo Show Live” Welcomes Artist Wendy Ewald Sept. 29 “Photo Show Live,” the new lunchtime photography talk at Mercer County Com munity College’s (MCCC’s) James Kerney Campus Gal lery (JKCG) at 137 North Broad Street in Trenton, will take place September 29 from 12 to 1 p.m.
This month, Director of JKC Gallery Michael Cho van-Dalton features Wendy Ewald, an artist who has spent more than 40 years collaborating with children, families, and teachers all over the world. During this session Ewald and ChovanDalton will discuss Ewald’s books The Devil Is Leaving His Cave and Portraits and Dreams as well as Ewald’s film Portraits and Dreams that aired on PBS and which will be running at JKC Gal lery.
“Wendy Ewald will be joining ‘Photo Show Live’ remotely while I am in JKC Gallery,” said Chovan-Dal ton, “I am looking forward to discussing the details of her books and the method ology behind the creation of her film. She has an amaz ing story that has taken her around the U.S. and around the world.”
The film Portraits and Dreams made its national broadcast and streaming debut on the PBS documen tary series POV and pov. org in 2020. Portraits and Dreams: Photographs and Stories By Children of The Appalachians, now being republished by MACK (UK), was the result of a unique creative collaboration be tween Ewald and the stu dents she taught at three el ementary schools in Letcher County, Kentucky, in the 1970s. Tasked with finding authentic ways of represent ing the lives of these chil dren, she gave each child a camera and followed up with interviews about their child hoods in the mountains.
The film revisits pho tographs created by the schoolchildren, their work as visionary photographers and the lives they have led since then.
To register for this event visit JKCGallery.online or email JKCGallery@mccc. edu.
YWCA Princeton’s Breast Cancer Resource Center (BCRC) will host its fifth-an nual Beyond Pink Art Show on Thursday, October 6, at MarketFair. The event cel ebrates local women living with, through, and beyond breast cancer through art, most of which is created by women participating in the BCRC’s Healing Arts Pro gram. Photography, paint ings, and multimedia pieces are featured in the show, including painted mastec tomy casts and other heal ing arts projects. In addition to the reception on October 6, art will be displayed as a pop-up gallery for the entire month of October.
For the past two years, the Beyond Pink Art Show has been held virtually due to COVID-19, and the 2022 show will be the third time the event has been held inperson. “We’re ecstatic to
be able to host this event safely and in person once again,” said Melissa White McMahon, director of the Breast Cancer Resource Center. “Beyond Pink elicits such an array of emotions. The art itself brings to life a sense of hope and truth to the emotional struggles that survivors and thrivers may experience through
I hope that the entire com munity will participate in this unique event.”
“We always love to bring the community and custom ers together by helping to raise awareness and sup port an impactful cause like BCRC,” said Doreen Valdes, marketing manager at Mar ketFair. “This event allows our customers to experience
art through a unique lens while also making a positive difference.”
Ticket prices start at $50 for individuals and $90 for couples. All proceeds em power the work of the Breast Cancer Resource Center at YWCA Princeton. For more information, visit ywcaprinc eton.org/beyondpink
As part of our series of talks commemorating 50 years of photography at Princeton University and highlighting exciting voices in the field, we welcome Erina Duganne to speak about her book, Global Photography: A Critical History (2020).
Duganne is Professor in the Art History department at Texas State University. Reception to follow.
“PHOTO SHOW LIVE”: The new lunchtime artist talk at Mercer County Community College’s (MCCC’s) James Kerney Campus Gallery (JKCG) will feature Wendy Ewald on September 29 from noon to 1 p.m. The discussion will center around Ewald’s books “The Devil Is Leaving His Cave” and “Portraits and Dreams” as well as Ewald’s film, “Portraits and Dreams,” that aired on PBS. (Photo by Wendy Ewald)
Register online at capitalhealth.org/events
address.
Thursday, October 6, 2022 | 6 p.m.
Location: Zoom Meeting
Get the latest information about advances in breast cancer screening and treatments from DR. LISA ALLEN, director of Capital Health’s Center for Comprehensive Breast Care. Also, LuAnne Rickey will discuss the services offered for patients at the Oasis Salon and Wellness Spa. The class will end with a demonstration of gentle yoga stretches by Maureen Kaelblein, a registered yoga instructor from the Capital Health Wellness Center.
meeting details
Thursday, October 13, 2022 | 6 p.m.
Location: Zoom Meeting
Join DR. DANIELLE CARCIA, a board certified family medicine physician with fellowship training in geriatrics, to discuss the latest research, treatments, and prevention strategies for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Registered Dietitian MINDY KOMOSINSKY will discuss the MIND eating plan, which promotes the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of certain foods that may help lower the risk of dementia and slow the loss of brain function than can occur with aging.
Friday, October
OUT OF THE FOG: NAVIGATING LONG COVID-19
Monday, October 24, 2022 | 6 p.m.
Zoom Meeting
THE MANY TYPES OF ARTHRITIS Thursday, October 27, 2022 | 10 a.m. Zoom Meeting
FREE HIP & KNEE SCREENINGS
Wednesday, November 2, 2022 | 5 – 7 p.m. Capital Health – Hamilton 1445 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton, NJ 08619
The Gourgaud Gallery in Cranbury is hosting “Back to the Palette : New Paint ings by Watercolorists Unlim ited,” on view October 3 to October 30.
Watercolorists Unlimited is a group of 12 local artists who meet monthly at one an other’s homes to critique as signed paintings on a subject that was discussed the prior month. They meet for lunch and then spend an hour or two discussing the paintings, providing helpful comments and inspiration. This group has been in existence for more than 30 years, with one of the original members still attend ing. The group shows their work as a group several times
a year, including this annual show at the Gourgaud.
“Seeing paintings by these artist friends that I’ve known for so long, and have missed during these difficult few years, inspires me to make time to paint again,” said 20-year member Lisa Walsh. “The critiques are so encour aging.”
A “Meet the Artists Open ing-Closing” will be held on Sunday, October 30 from 2-4 p.m., the last day of the show. The artists will all be there, providing light refreshments and art for sale, including many matted portfolio pieces that won’t be available any other time during the show. In addition, artists will have their sketch books on display for guests to look through.
As part of a nonprofit Cran bury Arts Council, Gourgaud Gallery donates 20 percent of art sales to the Cranbury Arts Council and its programs that support arts in the com munity.
Gourgaud Gallery is located on the first floor of the Cran bury Town Hall at 23 North Main Street, Cranbury. Hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit cranbury artscouncil.org.
At a group show opening October 1 at the Plainsboro Public Library, 20 local artists will present their individual vi sions of peace. The mixed me dia exhibition, “Art for Peace,”
features oil painting, acrylic painting, fiber art, sculpture, collage, giclée prints, char coal, pastel and pencil work, and found and reclaimed objects — all by members of the artists’ group that meets monthly at the library.
According to Paula Ridley, the group’s coordinator, mem bers chose the theme for the exhibition. She said that some of the work in the show de picts specific political issues, such as the war in Ukraine. Other artists opted to present general images — like a sol dier’s helmet and a hovering dove. The exhibition includes both realistic and abstract work.
Exhibiting artists include Palak Amin, Arthur V. Ar eyan, Vimala Arunachalum, Leena Thakar-Bagawde, Ileana Balcu, Mousumi Ba nerjee, Terry Cummings, Susan Freeman, Bhagyashri Guhagarkar, Nelly Kouzmi na, Art Lee, Sandhya Modi, Raji Ramachandruni, Anandi Ramanathan, Elaine Rosen berg, Hiran Sarkar, J. Marion Simmons, Chanika Svetvilas, The-O, and Amiti Vernekar.
The show will be on view through October 29.
The library is located at 9 Van Doren Street, Plainsboro. For more information, visit plainsborolibrary.org or call (609) 275-2897.
Art@Bainbridge, 158 Nas sau Street, has “Alexis Rock man: Shipwrecks” through November 27. artmuseum.princ eton.edu.
Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge
Street, Lambertville, has “Along the Road” through October 2. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. lambertvillearts.com.
Art on Hulfish, 11 Hulfish Street, has “Time’s Relentless Melt” through November 6. art museum.princeton.edu.
Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, has “Women on the Wall” and “A Technicolor Lens by Samantha Foglia” through October 8 and “Inked!” through November 5. artscouncilofprinc eton.org.
Berkshire Hathaway Ho meServices/Fox & Roach, Realtors, 253 Nassau Street, has “Emergence: Expanding in Light,” photographs by Lisa Granozio, through November 4. lagphotography.com.
Ellarslie, Trenton’s City Museum in Cadwalader Park, Parkside Avenue, has “Ellarslie Open 39” through October 2. ellarslie.org.
Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography, 14 Mercer Street, Hopewell, has “Best of the Best” through October 2. gallery14.org.
Gourgaud Gallery, 23-A North Main Street, Cranbury, has “Back to the Palette: New Paint ings by Watercolorists Unlimited” October 3 through October 30. cranburyartscouncil.org.
Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, has “Roberto Lugo: The Village Pot ter” through January 8, 2023, and “Fragile: Earth” through January 8, 2023, among other exhibits. Timed tickets required. groundsforsculpture.org.
Historical Society of Princeton, Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, has “Einstein Salon and Innovator’s Gallery,” “Princeton’s Portrait,” and oth er exhibits. Museum hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 12
to 4 p.m., Thursday to 7 p.m. princetonhistory.org
James A. Michener Art Museum, 138 South Pine Street, Doylestown, Pa., has “(re)Frame: Community Per spectives on the Michener Art Collection” through March 5, 2023. michenerartmuseum.org
The Jewish Center, 435 Nassau Street, has “Black + Jewish: Connection, Courage, Community” through October 31. thejewishcenter.org.
Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, has “Ma Bell: The Mother of Invention in New Jersey” through March 2023 and the online exhibits “Slavery at Morven,” “Portrait of Place: Paintings, Drawings, and Prints of New Jersey, 1761–1898,” and others. morven.org.
The Nassau Club, 6 Mer cer Street, has “The Glittering Outdoors” through October 2. helenemazurart.com.
Phillips’ Mill, 2619 River Road, New Hope, Pa., has “93rd Juried Art Show” through Octo ber 30. phillipsmill.org.
The Present Day Club, 72 Stockton Street, has paint ings by Margaret Kalvar-Bush nell on exhibit through October 28. Viewing appointments are available weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., except for Wednes days. Call (609) 942-1014 or email PresentDayClub@Present DayClub.org.
Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street, has “Mary Witterschein: Oil Paintings” through October 4. “Ariana Gavriilidis: Europe in Black and White” is at the 254 Nassau Street location through October 4. smallworldcoffee.com.
West Windsor Arts Cen ter, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor, has “Trenton Commu nity A-TEAM” through October 29. westwindsorarts.org.
“RUSTY PICKUP”: This painting by Robert Heyer is part of “Back to the Palette: New Paintings by Watercolorists Unlimited,” on view October 3 to October 30 at Gourgaud Gallery in Cranbury.
6:30 p.m.: A Musical Evening with the Ragtime Relics, at Morven’s Pool House, 55 Stockton Street. $10$15. Morven.org.
7 p.m.: Kathleen B. Covalt discusses The Galileo Project for the Systematic Scientific Search for Evidence of Extraterrestrial Technological Artifacts in a virtual program sponsored by Mercer County Library System. Email hopeprogs@mcl.org to register.
8 p.m.: Princeton Country Dancers present a contra dance at Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive. Kappy Laning with Crossing the Millstone. $10 (free for 35 and younger). Princetoncountrydancers.org.
Thursday, September 29
10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Princeton Farmers’ Market is at the Dinky train station parking lot, across from the Wawa. Princetonfarmersmarket. com.
12-1 p.m.: Lunchtime gallery series at West Windsor Arts Council, 952 Alexander Road. Morven Museum docent Kim Gallagher leads a visual exploration of Morven’s origins and Richard Stockton’s relationship with the Declaration of Independence. Westwindsorarts.org.
12-1 p.m.: Women in Development holds an online roundtable, “Donor Databases: Inside Tips on Choosing the Best CRM.” $15 (free for members). Widmercer.org.
5:30 p.m.: Christopher Knight, art critic for the Los Angeles Times, lectures on “Art Museums on the Verge.” At the Friend Center, Princeton University, Room 101. Artmuseum.princeton.edu.
7 p.m.: Virtual program, “St. Michaels Farm Preserve: Beyond the Beaten Path,” presented by Tina Notas of D&R Greenway Land Trust. Register at sourland. org.
7:30 p.m.: “Healing with Music” series, hosted by Clemency Burton-Hill at Richardson Auditorium; concert/conversation about her recovery from a brain aneurysm. With violinist Alexi Kenney, author Maria Popova, and neurologist Dr. Christopher Kellner. $10$40. Puc.princeton.edu.
Friday, September 30
7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.: The New Jersey Conference on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is presented by the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber at the Conference Center at Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. Keynote speakers are Michelle Minter and Dr. William T. Lewis, Sr. Princetonmercer.org.
10 a.m.-4 p.m.: “Quilts in the Mill,” 2022 quilt show and boutique at Prallsville Mill, Stockton. $12. Over 200 handmade quilts on display, vendors, raffles, lunch available. Courthousequilters.org.
4-7 p.m.: eCommuter
Fest, at Westminster Choir College parking lot, Walnut Lane. Electric vehicles, food vendors, and more. Sustainableprinceton.org.
7:30 p.m.: The play Icarus and Other Party Tricks by Princeton University senior Sarah Grinalds is presented at Drapkin Studio, Lewis Arts complex, on the campus. Free. Arts.princeton. edu.
8 p.m.: The musical Once is presented at Kelsey Theatre, Mercer County Community College, West Windsor. $24. KelseyTheatre.org.
Saturday, October 1
10 a.m.-4 p.m.: “Quilts in the Mill,” 2022 quilt show and boutique at Prallsville Mill, Stockton. $12. Over 200 handmade quilts on display, vendors, raffles, lunch available. Courthousequilters.org.
10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Fall Family Fun Weekend at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Pick and paint pumpkins, pony rides, pedal tractors, the corn stalk maze, adventure barn, barnyard animals, live music by Tookany Creek, food, wine, baked goods, and more. $15 online in advance/$18 the day of the event. Children under 3 are free. Terhuneorchards.com.
10 a.m.: Walking tour of Stony Brook, sponsored by the Historical Society of Princeton. $10, must be purchased in advance. Starts at Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road. Princetonhistory.org.
11 a.m.-4 p.m.: Car Wash at Valley Road School, 25 Valley Road, to benefit Princeton High School boys’ soccer teams. $10. Rain date October 2.
2 and 7:30 p.m.: The play Icarus and Other Party Tricks by Princeton University senior Sarah Grinalds is presented at Drapkin Studio, Lewis Arts complex, on the campus. Free. Arts. princeton.edu.
5:30 p.m.: Indie neofolk duo Damsel performs with Red Saint Duo at Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street. Free. Smallworldcoffee.com/events.
8 p.m.: The musical Once is presented at Kelsey Theatre, Mercer County Community College, West Windsor. $24. KelseyTheatre.org.
Sunday, October 2
9 a.m.: Eden Autism 5K and Fun Run/Walk, fundraiser for Eden Autism, at 2 Merwick Road. To register, visit Edenautism.org.
9-11 a.m.: Princeton High School Girls Soccer Team hosts a soccer clinic for girls pre-K through grade 8, at the turf field of the school. The fundraiser introduces younger player to the sport. Skill development, drills, games, and more. $40. Phsgirlssoccerbc.weebly.com/ soccer-clinic.html.
9 a.m.-1 p.m.: Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers’ Market at Dvoor Farm, 111 Mine Street, Flemington. Fresh, organic offerings from 20
farmers and vendors. Morning yoga; music. Hunterdonlandtrust.org.
10 a.m.-4 p.m.: “Quilts in the Mill,” 2022 quilt show and boutique at Prallsville Mill, Stockton. $12. Over 200 handmade quilts on display, vendors, raffles, lunch available. Courthousequilters.org.
10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Fall Family Fun Weekend at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Pick and paint pumpkins, pony rides, pedal tractors, the corn stalk maze, adventure barn, barnyard animals, live music by Heavy Traffic Blue Grass Band, food, wine, baked goods, and more. $15 online in advance/$18 the day of the event. Children under 3 are free. Terhuneorchards.com.
10:30 a.m.: Guided hike focused on how phone apps can help identify and document the natural world, at Dvoor Farm, 111 Mine Street, Flemington. Sponsored by Hunterdon Land Trust. RSVP at Hunterdonlandtrust.org.
1 p.m.: Tour of Princeton Battlefield, 500 Mercer Road, led by historical interpreter. Learn about the Battle of Princeton, soldier and civilian experience. $5 donation; children under 16 and veterans free. Register at Pbs1777.org/battlefieldtours.
2 p.m.: The musical Once is presented at Kelsey Theatre, Mercer County Community College, West Windsor. $24. KelseyTheatre.org.
3-5:30 p.m.: “Notes of Wine and Song,” benefit for Princeton Festival, featuring tenor and sommelier Hak Soo Kim, at Cobblestone Creek Country Club, 2170 Lawrenceville Road. $100 and up. Princetonsymphony. org.
4 p.m.: “Creating the Black + Jewish Exhibit,” Zoom talk by Adina Langer, curator at the Kennesaw Museum of History and Holocaust Education. Presented by The Jewish Center Princeton. Thejewishcenter.org.
5-7 p.m.: Oktoberfest at Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve, Mountain Lakes House, 57 Mountain Avenue, presented by Friends of Princeton Open Space. Craft beer, Jammin’ Crepes food truck, live music by The Ragtime Relics. $50. Eventbrite.com.
Monday, October 3
5:30-6:30 p.m.: The Albert Einstein Memorial Lecture is presented at the Institute for Advanced Study, 1 Einstein Drive. Free; advance registration required. Princetonmercer.org.
Tuesday, October 4
9:30 and 11 a.m.: Read & Pick Program: Pumpkins at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. $12 per child includes craft activity. Terhuneorchards.com.
7:30 p.m.: Reading by poet Sylvie Baumgartel and novelist Amy Tan at Princeton University’s James Stewart Film Theater,
185 Nassau Street. Free. Arts.princeton.edu.
Wednesday, October 5
7-8:30 p.m.: “Wednesday Night Out: Hollywood 1956 with Quentin T. Kelly,” at Hopewell Theater, 5 South Greenwood Avenue, Hopewell. Kelly reminisces about his time in Hollywood, from driving Grace Kelly to dancing with Rita Hayworth, and more. Hosted by Hopewell Public Library. Redlibrary.org.
8-10:30 p.m.: Princeton Country Dancers present a contra dance at Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive. John Krumm with Jared Kirkpatrick and Tom Krumm. $10. Princetoncountrydancers.org.
Thursday, October 6
10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Princeton Farmers’ Market is at the Dinky train station parking lot, across from the Wawa. Princetonfarmersmarket. com.
7 p.m.: At Hopewell Presbyterian Church, “All Star Pollinators: Native Bees,” presented by Master Gardener Jean Miller. Free. Register at sourland. org.
Saturday, October 8
9 a.m.-12 p.m.: Document shredding for Mercer County residents at Lot 4, 641 South
Broad Street, Trenton. Rain or shine, sponsored by Mercer County Improvement Association. Mcianj.org.
10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Fall Family Fun Weekend at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Pick and paint pumpkins, pony rides, pedal tractors, the corn stalk maze, adventure barn, barnyard animals, live music by Tom & Jerry Band, food, wine, baked goods, and more. $15 online in advance/$18 the day of the event. Children under 3 are free. Terhuneorchards.com.
10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.: Celtic Festival and Highland Games at Liberty Lake, Bordentown. Music, competitions, craft beers, entertainment, and more at this family-and-dog-friendly event. Njrenfaire.com.
11 a.m.-4 p.m.: Princeton Children’s Book Festival is held at Hinds Plaza by Princeton Public Library. Princetonlibrary.org.
Sunday, October 9
7 a.m.: The Jewish Family and Children’s Service holds the 2nd Annual Wheels for Meals Bike Ride, at Mercer County Community College, West Windsor, to raise funds to fight hunger. Rides start at staggered times; the first is 7:30 a.m. Routes are 3, 10, 25, and 50 miles. JFCSonline.org.
9 a.m.-1 p.m.: Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers’ Market at Dvoor Farm, 111 Mine Street, Flemington. Fresh, organic offerings from 20 farmers and vendors. Morning yoga; music. Hunterdonlandtrust.org.
10 a.m.: Tour of Princeton University eating clubs, led by historian Clifford Zink. Outdoor tour with entry into one of the clubs. $20, must be purchased in advance. Princetonhistory.org.
10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Fall Family Fun Weekend at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Pick and paint pumpkins, pony rides, pedal tractors, the corn stalk maze, adventure barn, barnyard animals, live music by Ragtime Relics, food, wine, baked goods, and more. $15 online in advance/$18 the day of the event. Children under 3 are free. Terhuneorchards.com.
1-3 p.m.: Send Hunger Packing Princeton Fall Fest, at Hinds Plaza. Food-packing event, with opportunities for creativity and art focused on food insecurity in Princeton. Free. Shupprinceton.org.
7:30 p.m.: YES appears at State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. “Close to the Edge” 50th Anniversary Tour. $59-$199.
That familiar adage “When one window closes, another opens” has certainly proved true at Belle Mead Garage. The longtime and highly respect ed automobile dealership is celebrating its 95th anniver sary, and with a new and very successful component to its business — tractors!
Some businesses and or ganizations — like people — stand the test of time. Some don’t. In recent times, it seems that the business and commercial landscape changes almost in the blink of an eye.
It is all the more remark able when a business con tinues to grow and evolve, despite setbacks and new challenges. Such an enter prise is the aforementioned Belle Mead Garage, located at Route 206 and Station Square in Belle Mead. It has
been at that location since 1927, when Leroy Higgins opened it as a service sta tion and car dealership, and lived in the attic of the origi nal building.
Three generations of the Higgins family have seen to it that their reputation has remained intact through all the ups and downs of the au tomobile industry. Paramount is their love of the business, and a willingness to address unforeseen issues that come along.
“This has been a real family operation,” explains current co-owner Kip Hig gins, now associated with co-owner Chris Carnevale. “My late father, Roy, took it over in 1959, and I came on full-time in 1982. We both grew up in the business.”
Following in his father’s footsteps, he began work ing in the garage, pumping gas, washing cars, and then working on them. Being a part of Belle Mead Garage is all he ever wanted to do, he says.
Originally a service station and new car distributorship,
the garage became a Chrys ler dealership in 1935. It has had a long history of out standing service and excep tional customer loyalty. As one longtime client has said, “The folks at Belle Mead Ga rage are outstanding people. Their word is their bond, and a handshake is their guaran tee of dealings that are hon orable through and through.”
A Chrysler dealership for 74 years, Belle Mead Garage was one of nearly 800 deal ers across the country to lose their franchise in 2009 during the severe economic downturn of that time.
“It was a blow, of course, says Kip Higgins. “We had been a three-generation family business with the Chrysler Corporation, but we certainly planned to stay in business, and we made the change to focus on ser vice and selling pre-owned cars.”
The company continued to be successful and serve as an important automotive resource for its many long time customers as well as new ones.
And then, in 2019, it turned another corner. It added Massey Ferguson tractors to its inventory of vehicles, and this has been a big success.
“Initially, our forecast was to sell 25 tractors the first year, and we actually sold 87,” says Carnevale, who brought the idea of the trac tors to Higgins.
Carnevale, a longtime friend of the Higgins family,
had originally worked at the Garage when he was in high school. He later moved to Wisconsin, where he became general manager of a Massey Ferguson tractor dealership. Massy Ferguson is known for high quality tractors and farm machinery.
Returning to New Jersey and knowing the long and respected history and repu tation of Belle Mead Ga rage, he thought the tractors would be a good fit. He was exactly right!
“Massey Ferguson wanted to open in the east, and this was a good opportunity,” he explains. “We are the only Massey Ferguson dealership in New Jersey.
“More tractors are sold in the state today than was the case 50 years ago. Then, there were many more larger farms, and they would have two or three tractors. Today, there are fewer big farms, but many more smaller farms, and so more tractors are needed.”
“There are not as many professional farmers now, but there are hobby farm ers, who do it for their en joyment,” continues Car nevale. “Some have cows, vineyards, produce, etc.
“Then, there are boutique farmers, who earn their liv ing farming, and customgrow their crops. For exam ple, they might custom-grow certain vegetables for chefs. And they also need tractors.”
In addition, he notes, a number of individuals with large properties like to have tractors for assorted purpos es, such as clearing the land, cutting the grass, plowing, or as snow blowers.
“Also, a lot of nurseries and vineyards in the area are our customers since they need tractors,” he says. “And many people in the area have horses, and they’ll need tractors for baling hay and other projects.”
The majority of tractors at Belle Mead Garage are Massy Ferguson, but SCAG commercial models and two-wheel BCS tractors for spreading, chipping, log splitting, and de-thatching have also been added to the inventory.
Indeed, there is a tractor at Belle Mead for just about any need, including plow ing, tilling the soil, and dig ging holes. There are back hoes, front loaders, standing lawnmowers — and they are all very versatile. They can be utilized for landscaping or reshaping driveways and more. Different attachments and implements can be
added as needed. In addi tion, various tractor-relat ed accessories and supplies are available at the garage.
The tractors have proved so popular that the business has extended beyond Mer cer, Somerset, and Hunter don counties, and expanded statewide, as well as into New York, Pennsylvania, and New England, reports Carnevale.
“It has definitely exceed ed our expectations,” he says. “A lot of people find us on the internet now, and also, sometimes customers will come in for service or to buy a car, and they may not know we have tractors. Then they may become in terested in getting a tractor. Or it can be the other way. They’ll come in for a tractor, and maybe see a car they like, or then bring in their own car for service. A while back, one customer came in to trade a motorcycle for a tractor.
“We also service tractors, including repair and mainte nance. It’s good for a tractor to be checked once a year. We will pick up and deliver, and in some cases, we make house calls if the tractor is very large.”
Tractors cover a wide range in price, anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000. Often those in the $25,000 range are most in demand at Belle Mead.
Noting how life not only takes interesting turns, but sometimes comes full circle, Carnevale points out that Kip Higgins’ grandfather, Leroy Higgins, worked for VanZandt Tractors in the 1920s before he opened Belle Mead Garage.
Carnevale is also proud that Belle Mead has won awards three years in a row (2019, 2020, 2021) from the Massey Ferguson Dealership Excellence Program.
Dedication to Excellence
The company’s dedication to excellence is now focus ing on tractors, just as it had on automobiles as a Chrys ler dealership, when it won the 5-Star Service Award from Chrysler for more than 30 years.
Of course, customers can still count on Belle Mead for its large selection of preowned cars. As Higgins notes, “Service is our specialty. We have stayed small so that we can do everything ourselves, and all our vehicles are test ed. We tend to have cars with higher mileage, and they are popular. We also have some with lower mileage, and cus tomers like to have the latest
technology. The more hightech, the better!
“We also service all cars, whether they have been purchased at Belle Mead or not. We have different gen eration customers from the same family who appreci ate our personal attention, which includes free loaner cars, when needed.
“We are also proud of our staff, which includes many who have been with us a long time. Now we also have mechanics who work on the tractors.”
A unique aspect of Belle Mead, also much appreci ated by customers, is the informal and comfortable office/showroom. Far re moved from the typical sleek look of many car dealerships today, it is still furnished with well-used antique fur niture acquired by Roy Hig gins and his father. It estab lishes a very down-to-earth congenial atmosphere.
Kip Higgins is proud to continue and reinforce the company’s splendid reputa tion, established by his fa ther and grandfather, and he is enthusiastic about the addition of tractors to the business.
“When we sell someone their first tractor, and see their reaction, and they are so excited, it’s like Christ mas! It’s a great feeling,” he says. “Also, every day is different. There is always something to look forward to and something new to learn. It is an honor to carry on the tradition of our com pany and to continue what my grandfather and father started. And now, to add a new dimension with the ad dition of the tractors, it’s a whole new business oppor tunity and a new adventure.”
Belle Mead Garage is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (908) 359-8131. Web site: bellemeadgarage.com.
—Jean Stratton
BEST TRACTORS: This 4610 M 4x4 Hi Crop model, suitable for tillage and planting, is one of many tractors available at Belle Mead Garage. Also known for pre-owned automobiles, rentals, and car service, the company expanded into tractors several years ago. “We are always ready to help customers with advice about the best tractor for their needs and purposes,” point out owners Kip Higgins and Chris Carnevale.Last fall, Blake Stenstrom and Liam Johnson were part of the supporting cast as the Princeton University football team rolled to a share of the Ivy League title.
This season, senior quar terback Stenstrom and ju nior linebacker Johnson have earned leading roles for the Tigers and are emerging as stars.
Last Saturday as Princeton defeated visiting Lehigh 2917 in its home opener to im prove to 2-0, Stenstrom hit on 25-of-34 passes for 291 yards and a touchdown while Johnson made a team-high 10 tackles.
After a bit of a shaky start against the Mountain Hawks, Stenstrom got into a groove.
“There were some chal lenges that we faced and mistakes we made in the first half,” said Stenstrom who was the backup quar terback in 2021, appearing in five games, completing five passes for 44 yards along with 68 yards rushing and two touchdowns. “Some things didn’t go our way. In the end, we figured it out a little bit and came back with a stronger second half.”
Utilizing Princeton’s crew of skill players, Stenstrom spread the ball around. Se nior receiver Andrei Iosivas made seven catches for 115 yards and a touchdown while senior Dylan Classi had sev en receptions for 110 yards, junior JoJo Hawkins made five catches for 34 yards, and senior tight end Carson Bobo had four receptions for 22 yards.
“We are blessed to have a lot of talent all over the field on this team,” said Stenstrom. “Whether it is tight ends, receivers or run ning backs, I don’t feel any doubt when I throw the ball to these guys. It is fantastic.”
In getting ready for his starring role, Stenstrom put in a lot of time over the off season.
“There is a lot of prepara tion we did all summer, all winter, and spring ball too,” said Stenstrom. “I felt like it was my team for sure. I was grateful to have a lot of supportive guys around me too. We practiced hard and we got ready.”
With two starts under his belt, Stenstrom is ready to keep improving.
“Game experience is something you can’t repli cate,” said Stenstrom. “In practice, you are not taking live shots, you are not get ting tackled, and the looks are a little different. It is great to just get some expe rience. That is probably the biggest thing I will improve on week to week.”
Stenstrom took an unusual path to Princeton, having transferred from the Uni versity of Colorado in 2020 after spending two seasons with the Buffaloes.
“Princeton recruited me pretty heavily after high school, but I got offered to go to the University of Col orado,” said Stenstrom, a 6’5, 220-pound resident of Highlands Ranch, Colo.
“I had a great time there, some things were out of my
control. There were a lot of coaching changes, and a lot of factors went into trans ferring when I transferred. Princeton was able to reach out and I was very blessed to come here.”
For Johnson, working his way into the starting lineup has been a family affair as his brothers, Tom (’19) and James (’21), who were both star linebackers for the Ti gers.
“I have followed my broth ers’ footsteps in high school too,” said Johnson, who at tended his first Princeton football game in 2015 at age 13. “They are very good with helping me. They are calling me before the game and just telling me to stay calm.”
The Tiger defense was very good in the third quarter, making two interceptions and recovering a fumble in the third quarter to help Princeton seize control of the contest after the foes were tied 10-10 at halftime
“It is a lot to come home here, we are a young team,” said Johnson. “I think we settled in pretty well and started getting the calls right. We started bluffing more, getting the quarter back on his heels a little bit. They started carrying the ball loose and we harp on it in all of our meetings, getting the ball, winning the turnover margin.”
Johnson got after the Mountain Hawks, making a team-high 10 tackles.
“The nose guard and the three technique positions are pretty underrated, and they carried a lot of the blocks for me,” said Johnson, a 6’0, 220-pound native of Moorestown. “There were just wide open gaps because of my guys — they worked hard this week. We watched a ton of film this week. We just played our game and it showed.”
After playing mainly on special teams last year, Johnson is excited to be see ing more playing time but is quick to point out that it is a team effort.
“Going from seventh string to getting a majority of the reps is pretty difficult,” said Johnson. “We have this thing, it is the next man up. It was huge for us to just get this win today. I had a big role in that, it is about the other guys. It is continuing to play our game, especial ly heading into Ivy League play.”
Princeton head coach Bob Surace acknowledged that the Tigers were choppy in the early going of the game.
“That is kind of who we are right now, we have got to get off to better starts,” said Surace of the Tigers, who went up 7-0 in a Ryan Butler touchdown run but then gave up 10 unanswered points to Lehigh and knot ted the game at 10-10 on a 44-yard field goal by Jeffrey Sexton.
“I don’t want to be sitting here, getting into league play, and saying the same thing, like ‘hey we are a lit tle sloppy at the beginning.’ I thought the first drive on
offense was terrific and then we got into this sloppiness.”
The defense helped turn the tide by getting the three turnovers in the third quar ter as the Tigers outscored the Mountain Hawks 13-0 in the period on two field goals from Sexton and a two-yard TD run by John Volker.
“We got off blocks better, we did a really good job with our eyes and our coverages,” said Surace. “I thought we were really sharp. Our rush picked up as well. We did a good job forcing some throws under duress. We had a couple of nice inter ceptions and a fumble when that guy was running. We punched it and knocked it out, that was a nice play.
Surace acknowledged that Princeton didn’t cash in enough on the good work by the defense.
“We should have scored more points. We had three turnovers in a row and a blocked punt,” said Surace whose team got its final score of the day when Iosi vas got loose for a 65-yard TD reception down the side line early in the fourth quar ter. “We have got to grow.”
Seeing Johnson grow into a star like his brothers be fore him is heartening for Surace.
“His mom and dad make me mad, we need more,” said Surace with a chuck le. “They all have incred ible leadership motors and physical play and they just love football. You can’t get enough guys like that on your team. I really thought Ozzie Nicholas played well, as did Joe Bonczek and An thony Corbin. We have a great mix in there right now. As they get experience, they are going to be a pretty good crew.”
While Stenstrom had his ups and downs against Le high, Surace believes that gaining experience will be key to his improvement.
“I think when things got a little bit confusing, that is where a young quarter back has to get better,” said Surace. “We have seen that with all of the new guys and man did Blake hang in there and make some good throws. He has talent from a throwing standpoint. He just runs the offense, and he is really smart with the ball. He utilizes those guys.”
In addition, Stenstrom brings a smart mental ap proach to the game
“Mind-wise, he is very much in with what the co ordinator and quarterback coach want,” added Surace. “He doesn’t get rattled, he has got this really even tem perament and maturity to him that is really good.”
Surace is hopeful that his squad will keep maturing collectively.
“We have some definite strengths, and they are play ing to those strengths,” said Surace. “We have got some areas that I think by the time we are talking again, they are going to take another step and that will be good.”
Looking ahead to the Ivy opener at Columbia (2-0) this Saturday, Surace knows that the Tigers are going to have to step up physically to prevail.
“That is always a great game; Al (Columbia head coach Al Bagnoli) has done a terrific job wherever he had been from Union to Penn to Columbia,” said Surace. “I haven’t watched them on film, but this game is a great preparation for us because Lehigh is a physical team. Columbia is a very physical team. I have no doubt when I watch the film that I will say this is a physical team.”
Stenstrom, for his part, is
ready for a scrap with the Lions.
“Columbia is a great op ponent; I remember last year, they played us pretty tough,” said Stenstrom, referring to a 24-7 win by Princeton which saw it leading by just 10-7 enter ing the fourth quarter. “We are going to watch film
tomorrow, fix some of the stuff we did on the field to day and then get ready and focused for that.”
—Bill Alden Taking care of Princeton’s trees STANDING TALL: Princeton University quarterback Blake Stenstrom gets ready to fire a pass last Saturday against visiting Lehigh. Senior Stenstrom hit 25-of-34 passes for 291 yards and a touchdown as Princeton defeated Lehigh 29-17 in its home opener. The Tigers, now 2-0, open Ivy League action by playing at Columbia (2-0) on October 1. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)If Extreme Makeover: Stadium Edition existed, the Princeton University women’s soccer team would be the perfect subject.
The Tigers have been in tentionally avoiding even looking toward Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium as Princ eton completes a rebuild of the team’s new home that it will share with the men’s team.
“We’ll get on the bus and we’ll drive by it and every one will look the opposite direction,” said Princeton head coach Sean Driscoll. “No one has actually really seen what it looks like to my knowledge and they’ve all been steadfast with that. I think come Wednesday or Thursday when we unveil it for our first session they’re going to be buzzing and that’s what I want. There are so few surprises in life, I want this to be something really memorable for the team.”
The Tigers will get the big reveal in their first practice at the new stadium this week. They are hoping they can jumpstart the second half of their season when they host Dartmouth on October 1 at 1 p.m. in their first game at the new venue.
“Not getting the result we wanted, I do think it’s per fect timing to find a new home, to establish a new identity potentially and take very seriously the opportu nity to start brand new be cause the stadium has no re sults in it,” said Driscoll. “It has no wins, has no losses, has no draws, has nothing. That’s for us to create.”
Princeton dropped its Ivy League opener at Yale, 1-0, last Saturday to fall to 5-4 overall. The Tigers have lost four of their last six games going into Tuesday’s sched uled non-conference game at Bucknell as they face a short turnaround.
“They’re undefeated at home,” said Driscoll. “It’s going to be a challenging game. We’re going to have to find ways to continue to develop as a group. I’m very curious because I think all this stuff comes down to if you lose, how does your team respond? Do they feel sorry for themselves? Are they jaded? Or do they come back and use that as the
impetus to improve and move to the next? I think that’s the only choice you have in life, but specifically in sport, is to have a very short-term memory and move on to the next.”
Princeton also can’t get caught looking ahead to the excitement of opening their new stadium. Princeton has been playing home games on Sherrerd Field at Class of 1952 Stadium.
“Sherrerd is beautiful,” said Driscoll. “It’s wonder ful, the video board and the environment. The crowd has been awesome every time we’ve played there. But it’s nice to have your thing.”
The opening of the new stadium has been anticipat ed for a long while. Myslik Field was deemed unplay able in 2018, and the team used it in 2019 but the field surface wasn’t up to its usual standards with the stadium already being slated for a rebuild. There was no 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2021 the Tigers also played in Sher rerd during construction.
“The team has not had a home base really since 2017 when you knew it was your place because 2019 was not the same Roberts/Mys lik that it is,” said Driscoll.
“When you think about it in those terms it’s been five years. Just the seniors have been in Roberts Stadium. The others don’t even know what it looks like. That’s incredible when you think about that. They don’t un derstand having your own team room and all this stuff is a huge deal. They have no idea what it means to have your own place. To say it’s exciting would be the great est understatement for the coaching staff and those players and the current se niors, and then the new kids who haven’t had a chance to have their own place and not share it with lacrosse.”
Driscoll was one of the people consulted about the new stadium, which has some different features than the old Roberts Stadium. It will have some stands on the team bench side, and one end has stands embedded in a grassy hill where Princ eton students – most notably a quite vocal group of foot ball players – have occupied
in year’s past. It will be one of only a handful of college soccer stadiums in the coun try that is fully enclosed.
“This is like a proper English or Irish first or sec ond division stadium,” said Driscoll. “The kids are going to love it. It’s going to have a totally unique feel, which is what I’m so excited about. It’s going to be really cool. If you pack it, you’re going to have people everywhere. You’re going to have a con course you can walk all the way around. It’s going to a very intimate environment, and it’s definitely got a hint of the old Roberts Stadium, but it also have some tweaks to make it even better.”
Princeton, too, will be looking to be an even bet ter version of itself in its new home. Princeton has not scored in any of the four games it lost in that stretch, but handled George Mason, 4-1, and beat Hofstra, 1-0. The Tigers who outshot Yale, 19-9, and had a 14-4 advantage in corner kicks.
“We’re outshooting op ponents, we’re having more chances in general, more chances on frame,” said Driscoll. “In every game we’ve played except Rut gers, we’ve had a healthy number of more chances, like double. It’s not a lack of chances. It’s maybe a lack of quality chances, a lack of poise in the box, frankly a little bit of luck. We’ve been a little bit unlucky. I hate to use that, but in this sport, you do need to have some luck on your side. This is a team that hasn’t gotten that bit of luck so far. I feel for the kids. I think they work hard. I have zero issues with their work ethic, I have zero issues with the way we train. It’s a really enjoyable group. It’s a very talented group. It’s also a very inexperi enced group. I think that’s part of it as well.”
The Bulldogs scored in the sixth minute last Saturday, then held off Princeton in their first loss at Yale since 2006. Princeton never could get the equalizer to rally after falling behind early, something that has hap pened too often in the first half of the season.
“We’ve made life difficult for ourselves,” said Driscoll. “We’ve conceded five goals
in the opening five minutes of games. That’s an unchar acteristic situation that we’re experiencing, It’s very much head scratching. That’s in four games. We responded in one and weren’t able to respond in the other three. It puts you on your back foot. It changes the mind set a little bit, it changes the game plan sometimes. Even though you have 85 or 80 minutes remaining, it changes the mindset of the team unfortunately. And we’re learning that.”
There have been silver lin ings even in the losses, mo ments where Driscoll has seen remarkable play from his team in stretches. Princ eton is looking to be more consistent with those mo ments from start to finish.
“The beauty of establish ing a great reputation in the many years that this program has been around, many years before I got here, and we’re trying to continue it, you create a reputation and you’re going to put a
target on your back with many teams,” said Driscoll. “You have to be ready for their best. The most impor tant thing to do when you’ve established yourself is you have to understand you can’t take one second of the 90 minutes off. This sport can be really cruel sometimes, and you have to respect it. The minute you take a sec ond off, that can be the sec ond that determines if you win or lose the game.”
Princeton will play five of its final seven games in the new Roberts Stadium. It’s a chance to establish a home advantage and build momentum in the Ivies.
“When you’re hosting Dart mouth (5-3-1 overall, 0-1 Ivy) in your first game and then you’re hosting Brown and Harvard and Penn, those are massive games,” said Driscoll. “As I told the team, you control your own destiny. That’s how you have to look at this. You can be upset about the result you just had, but you control your own destiny and you’re doing it with four Ivy League games and one non-conference game in your own stadium. How cool is that?”
Princeton defeated Dart mouth, 3-0, last year on its way to a 6-1 Ivy season. Both teams dropped their conference openers so the game pits two teams with similar styles in similar situ ations within the Ivy race.
“I think it’ll be a really
well played, eye-pleasing game,” said Driscoll. “It’s not overly direct. There’s a focus on retention of the ball and movement and spac ing. I just think it’s always a good game with them. Philosophically we’re similar and I think it lends itself to a good game. I’m curious to see how we handle the emo tions of having that kind of pressure to win.”
Driscoll is hopeful that the stadium opening will give the Tigers a little ex tra push to play for a win. He’s also wary of overhyp ing it, and curious how his less experienced players will handle their emotions in the moment.
“When you put a kid on the field in their first year for the first time in front of 2,000 or 3,000 fans, some are really motivated by that, some are really intimidated by that,” said Driscoll. “You don’t know which one it’s going to be until they get out there. You don’t play in front of that in high school, you don’t play in front of that in club. You don’t know what that will elicit out of a player, you just have to let it happen and see what tran spires. I just hope we can channel all our energy in the right direction. I know the kids will be up for it. I know they’re so excited, I know I’m excited. A lot of recruits have seen the facility, and we have not.”
—Justin Feil BRINGING IT HOME: Princeton University women’s soccer Kamryn Loustau, right, goes after the ball in recent action. Last Saturday, Loustau and the Tigers had a tough night in Connecticut as they fell 1-0 at Yale in the Ivy League opener for both teams. Princeton, now 5-4 overall and 0-1 Ivy, will be resuming league play on October 1 when it hosts Dartmouth in the first game to be held at the new Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)After it was over, the Lafay ette College field hockey play ers bounded across Bedford Field to soak in the cheers of their supporters.
Meanwhile, the seventhranked Princeton University squad trudged back to their bench, heads down as they processed falling 3-2 in over time to a Lafayette team that brought a 2-7 record into the contest.
While the weekend had started on a high note for the Tigers as they had edged Penn 2-1 on Friday in their Ivy League opener, Princeton head coach Carla Tagliente sensed trouble on the horizon.
“We had some carry over from Friday, we didn’t come out and play our best,” said Tagliente, whose club fell to 5-4 overall with the setback to the Leopards. “We weren’t connecting, there was little bit of low energy and not execut ing. I think that was a byprod uct of Friday. We Band-Aided it up with a win. I think this was bound to happen at some point here.”
In the loss to Lafayette, the Tigers generated enough op portunities to win, outshoot ing the Leopards 21-7 in regulation. Princeton took a 1-0 lead late in the first quar ter on a goal by Zoe Shepard and then forged ahead 2-1 with 2:47 left in regulation on a penalty stroke by Sam Davidson. Lafayette, though, responded, with a goal 15 sec onds later to force overtime and got the game-winner 4:42 into the extra session.
“There was a flukey play, they threw an overhead,” said Tagliente, referring to Lafay ette’s second tally. “Overtime is a crapshoot with seven versus seven. You can have a lucky break, or one person’s individual skill can make the difference, it is what it is. You don’t want to put it to that point where you are rolling the dice.”
Princeton had been on a roll coming into the contest, having won five of its last six games, including victories
over No. 7 Syracuse (5-1 on September 9), No. 15 Rutgers (4-1 on September 11), and No. 3 and previously unde feated Maryland (4-3 in over time on September 20) along with a 2-1 overtime loss to No. 1 and defending national champion Northwestern on September 18.
“I think we have shown lot of promise, a lot of growth,” said Tagliente. “We have played good hockey. I think today and Friday, we didn’t. I don’t know if it was the emo tionality of the week before and it just bubbled up and here we are. We have kind of hit a little bit of a lull here.”
In getting on the winning track, Princeton had gotten contributions from some of its key veterans, including senior captains Sammy Popper and Hannah Davey along with ju nior goalie Robyn Thompson and sophomore standout Beth Yeager.
“I think Sammy has done a great job being a leader and scoring a lot of goals,” said Tagliente. “Robyn didn’t have her best game today but she has done a nice job in goal.
Hannah has been very consis tent. She is not going to put a lot of stats on the board, but she has been a very consis tent leader. Beth has worked very hard — I think teams are defending her differently. She is putting everything she has into it.”
The focus going forward is getting back to basics and put ting more balls in the back of the cage.
“We need to clean a lot up in terms of basic skills,” said Tagliente, whose team plays at Yale on September 30 and at Connecticut on October 2.
“We come into games, we are not quite sharp. We need to take advantage of oppor tunities that we have. We have been pretty good in the backs and the midfield. Our forwards are just lacking a bit in terms of finishing and ex ecuting up front.”
Melina Mahood starred as the Princeton University women’s volleyball team defeated Penn 3-0 (25-21, 25-12, 25-13) last Friday evening at Dillon Gym in the Ivy league opener for both squads.
Senior star Mahood had 11 kills to lead the Tigers as they improved to 9-2 overall and 1-0 Ivy. Princ eton senior Lindsey Kelly led the match in assists with 42 while freshman Lucia Sca lamandre led in blocks with five.
Continuing its Ivy cam paign, Princeton plays at Dartmouth on September 30 and at Harvard on Oc tober 1.
Running into a buzz saw, the Princeton University women’s rugby team fell 102-0 at Harvard last Sat urday.
The Tigers, now 0-4, host Quinnipiac on October 8 and will be celebrating Youth Rugby Day.
Producing a record-break ing performance, Princeton University women’s golf star Victoria Liu placed first in dividually at the program’s annual Princeton Invita tional last weekend at the Springdale Golf Club.
Sophomore Liu carded a nine-under 204 for the three-round event. Liu’s -9 finish was the tournament’s best score to par by three strokes, surpassing the -6 from Albany’s Amber Thorn ton last year and Yale’s Ami Gianchandani in 2019.
Princeton was limited to three players due to health and safety protocols, one short of the four needed to make a run at defending its team title from a year ago.
Yale ended up taking the team title with a score of +2, 12 strokes better than runner-up Harvard.
Princeton is scheduled to compete in the Evie Odom Invitational from September 30 - October 2 at the Prin cess Anne Country Club in Virginia Beach, Va.
Anthony Monte set the pace as the 21st-ranked Princeton University men’s cross country team placed 11th of 27 squads at the Cowboy Jamboree hosted by
Oklahoma State last Friday in Stillwater, Okla.
Junior Monte was the top finisher for Princeton, tak ing 25th individually with a time of 23:50.5 over the 8,000-meter course where the NCAA Championships will be held in November.
Fourth-ranked BYU placed first in the team standings with a score of 75 with Princeton coming in at 253 for its 11th place finish.
Princeton head coach Ja son Vigilante was impressed by his team’s performance in the elite competition.
“We had a very good race to place 11th in a first-class field,” said Vigilante. “Eight of the top-nine teams in the country were here, and a good amount of the over all Top-25 were in the mix. We’re focused on improving each day over the next few weeks, I believe this could be one of the best teams we have ever had at Princ eton.”
In upcoming action, Princeton competes in the Paul Short Invitational at Lehigh University on Sep tember 30.
RIDING HIGH: Princeton University men’s soccer player James Wangsness slots the ball upfield in recent action. Last Friday, sophomore midfielder Wangsness tallied a goal to help Princeton defeat Rider 3-0. Senior midfielder Ryan Clare scored the two other Tiger goals in the victory as Princeton improved to 3-2-1. The Tigers open Ivy League play with a game at Dartmouth on October 1 and then host Monmouth on October 4. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski) —Bill Alden on October 2. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)•
SEPTEMBER 28, 2022
Ashley Chen and MayaAlexandra Todorov quickly sensed they would be a good pairing when they were teamed up at first doubles this season for the Princeton High girls’ tennis team.
Senior Chen liked the chemistry between the two from the outset.
“I don’t think we had re ally big issues,” said Chen. “We just played together well.”
Todorov, a sophomore, had a similar feeling. “We realized we had a good team,” said Todorov. “We have good communication. We are good friends, we set each other up really well.”
Their playing styles meshed as well. “Maya’s net game is really strong; if it is a short ball, she is right there,” said Chen. “I know I can always rely on her to get that. My groundstrokes are strong, and I hit them an gled. She can put it away.”
The 6’0 Todorov thrives on dominating matches with her volleys.
“Playing at the net is what I bring, it is easier on my knees,” said Todorov, who was sidelined last season by injury. “Ashley is really con sistent and sets up the ball good and I just put it away.”
Last Wednesday, Chen and Todorov displayed team work and skill as they rallied to put away Peddie’s Lakhi Raju and Catherine Zhang 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 in the first doubles final at the Mercer County Tournament.
The comeback was a
product of the pair being more deliberate.
“We slowed it down,” said Todorov. “We talked to each other, and we went by our own pace. We didn’t let them rush us.”
After setting the pace in the second set, Chen sensed that they could finish the deal.
“We tried to keep the mo mentum with us,” added Chen. “We definitely were feeling confident going into the third; they were upset. We just kept going. We just had a pace; we kept the ex act pace with everything.”
Winning the doubles crown was a special coun ty tournament sendoff for Chen.
“It is my last time playing this, winning a county title is awesome,” said Chen.
Playing in the MCT for the first time, Todorov was thrilled to come through with the title.
“It is a big deal,” said Todorov. “We haven’t reg istered it — we are really excited.”
PHS head coach Sarah Hibbert was excited to see Chen and Todorov prevail.
“That was a real highlight for us, we have had strong first doubles team for the last few years,” said Hib bert, whose squad ended up placing seventh in the team standings at the event which was won by WW/PSouth. “Sophia [Kim] and Lucia [Marckioni] have won it a couple of years. It was really nice for them, being
a new pairing to be able to continue our tradition of a strong first doubles team.”
The pair played some re ally nice tennis in bouncing back from losing the first set in the final.
“We talked about recov ering from it and going for ward,” said Hibbert. “They did a really good job of get ting out of the gate to a 3-0 start. They were able to get the lead and get the momen tum and take it into the third set. They were rushing a lit tle bit at the beginning. They were playing into the game of the other team that liked to hit really hard and move quickly. It was taking us out of our game, and I told them to slow down, take a second, refocus. Think about what you are going to do, just don’t run, run through it.”
Chen and Todorov have the game to run through most foes.
“Ashley sets up the ball well and Maya is fantastic at net,” said Hibbert. “They had great volleys and very smart placement. Some people just hit the ball re ally hard, but Maya knows when to play the angles, when to attack, and she just has great hands. Ashley was hitting good volleys, serv ing nicely, and setting them up. It was great match for them. I am really proud of how well they were able to play there.”
Hibbert was also proud of second doubles team of senior Sophie Miller and freshman Ashna Bushan, who ended up third as they
defeated Anushka Chinta maneni and Malin Phelan of Lawrenceville in the thirdplace match, prevailing in a 10-point match tiebreaker after the teams split the first two sets.
“They lost a really close set in a tiebreak, and they didn’t let that discourage them,” said Hibbert. “They were able to rally from that and win a second set They had hoped to play a full third set as opposed to a tiebreak. They were able to get to a 7-0 lead and then the other team came back to 7-5 but they were able to re ally focus in and hold them off and really play a couple of really good points at the end. It is nice for them being a new pairing as well; a se nior/freshman pairing that is getting a medal as well.”
While all three PHS singles players were all
eliminated on the first day of the MCT, they showed promise.
“Our first singles (junior Johanna Roggenkamp) lost to the finalist, our second singles (sophomore Lada La bas) lost to the finalist, and our third singles (freshman Katie Qin) lost to the cham pion,” said Hibbert.
“They unfortunately just had poor draws. They played good matches against them, they all fought really hard.”
With the state sectional around the corner, Hibbert is confident her team will keep fighting really hard.
“We have states coming up, we see North next week so that will be a good test for us as well,” said Hibbert. “I think this will give us re ally good experience going into states. We will see what happens. We are in Group 3 this year; hopefully this
experience will help them get a little more prepared.”
Todorov, for her part, is primed to build on her ex perience at the MCT.
“I have never played states before, it is really early in the season,” said Todorov. “Playing all of these people will definitely give is an ad vantage.”
In Chen’s view, winning the county crown will help make the pair tough to beat in states.
“I think winning this and having that county title and still having a lot more of our season left definitely gives us a lot of confidence,” said Chen. “All of the people we played at counties, we have not played in our season. It helps us to see them again and being confident since we beat them before. We can go into states with that.”
—Bill Alden Bloomberg Monique & Jon Bombardieri Nikki Sheetz Frith & Brinton Frith Louise & John Wellemeyer Callaway Henderson Sotheby's International Realty Lynne & Van Davis Hamilton Jewelers Carolyn & John Healey Betsy & Matt Kohut Novi Wealth Partners Margaret Sieck & Robert Baldwin Fleur & Jay Chandler Emily & Johan Firmenich Meg & Jack Hanington Kelly & Scott Harrison LANDSEER Leddy Interiors Joanne Gusweiler & Richard Moseley Whitney Ross & Steve Moseley Princeton Financial Group Shannon & Paul Rangecroft Ruth & John Sayer Shareapy Lisa & Robert Stockman Daphne Townsend Trinity Church Cathy & Mark Weiss Sarah Whitehouse Alice & Peter Yi Casa Aziz Chambers Walk Cafe & Catering Closet POSSIBLE D.Star Design Flaster Greenberg Jaguar Land Rover Princeton Law office of Christina Woodward Strong, LLC Partridge Plastic Surgery Peekaboo Patterns Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart Princeton Nursery School Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart Robin Gosnell TOWN TOPICS, PRINCETON, N.J., DOUBLE WHAMMY: Princeton High girls’ tennis doubles star Ashley Chen reaches for a shot last week at the Mercer County Tournament as partner Maya-Alexandra Todorov looks on from the baseline. The pair of senior Chen and sophomore Todorov won the first doubles title at the MCT as PHS placed seventh in the team standings. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
As one of just three senior starters on the Princeton High boys’ soccer team this year, Leo George has as sumed extra responsibility on the field.
“I have definitely stepped up as a leader,” said center back George. “We lost a lot of seniors coming in so I know I had to step up. We are a young team.”
Last Thursday as PHS played at Hopewell Valley, George stepped up early in the first half, blasting in a goal off a feed from Patrick Kenah on a set piece.
“I was feeling very op portunistic,” said George. “I saw a loose ball, so I just took a knock at goal. It was on my left foot, I de cided why not. It went into the top, it felt great. I also knew it was only about 10 minutes in and anything can happen.”
Lifted by that tally, PHS carried play for much of the first half as it had a lot of possession and took a 1-0 lead into intermission.
“We were playing great soccer,” said George. “I would say we had the first half in our hands.”
But HoVal wore down PHS as the game unfolded, scor ing a pair of goals in the last 15 minutes of regulation to pull out a 2-1 win and hand the Tigers their first loss of the fall.
“They came out strong in the second half,” said George. “They are much bigger, much stronger than us. Their first goal was by No. 6 (Austin Warren);
he towered over all of us and put it in. The second goal was unfortunate, we lost our man. In the future, we have to do better on those.”
Although PHS didn’t get the victory, George enjoyed the competitiveness of the matchup.
“It was definitely our big gest test, we came in know ing that it was going to be our biggest game of the year,” said George. “We just had a big game against Hightstown (a 4-3 OT win on September 20), we were still recovering from playing overtime.”
In George’s view, the ex perience of battling HoVal should help the Tigers play better down the stretch.
“We just have to persevere through 80 minutes,” said George. “We will learn a lot from this going forward, playing more big games. We have Notre Dame coming, we have the county tourna ment coming up. It was a great learning game.”
PHS head coach Wayne Sutcliffe credited his squad with getting off to a great start against the Bulldogs.
“I couldn’t be more pleased. It was a really good early goal, and we were on top of it,” said Sutcliffe. “We were making them suf fer, we were winning the lit tle battles. We were finding one another well.”
Sutcliffe believes that his young squad gained some valuable lessons from the setback.
“We will take a lot from the match, having a good
first 40 is really good and nicking a goal and going into halftime ahead is re ally important,” said Sut cliffe. “With the quality of Hopewell, it is a matter of just getting through the sec ond half and learning how to manage the game properly and neutralize their assets and get another one. That is the message.”
In reflecting on the HoVal rally, Sutcliffe acknowledged that the quality of the play from PHS slipped a little bit down the stretch.
“I thought we lost a little bit of our sharpness,” said Sutcliffe. “They made a tac tical adjustment; they moved their center back up and that presented us with some is sues. That is the learning curve for us.”
The Tigers have been get ting sharp play from George throughout the fall.
“Leo has been phenom enal, he is a great leader,” said Sutcliffe, noting that George also stars for the PHS boys’ lacrosse team. “He is a captain of the team. He is extraordinary. What a goal he had. All season long, he has been consistent, steady. He is a good center back. He brings a great ath leticism, and he is a senior. We only have three in the lineup of which he is one. We are so proud of him.”
A trio of juniors — Felipe Matar Grande, Nick Matese, and Kenah — brought ath leticism and skill to the pitch against HoVal.
“Felipe and Nick are doing great, they each had good spurts, especially in the first half,” said Sutcliffe. “Patrick had a really good second half.
While the defeat stung, Sutcliffe believes it could be a blessing in disguise.
“I think we are going to be fine; we are a young group, but we are good enough to win big things,” said Sut cliffe. “You learn a lot more from a loss. I would have liked it if we had won the game. We have a really good team. Are we good enough to win every CVC game? I don’t know about that, or if it would even be advanta geous going into two tour naments not having lost. I have had other teams who have done that, and it is not easy.”
Playing lot of games in a schedule that has been con densed hasn’t necessarily been advantageous for PHS as well.
“We are being forced to play three games a week for six weeks, this is the seventh game,” said Sutcliffe. “It is counterproductive; it leads to soccer players not hav ing enough time to recover. I think that was a factor in the game today. We were 4-3 against Hightstown, we won the game in extra time. Three games a week for six weeks is not easy. It is an administrative decision.”
Sutcliffe is confident, how ever, that his players have the right mindset to deal with that challenge.
“The chemistry and the spirit of the team is phe nomenal,” asserted Sut cliffe, whose team defeated Lawrence 2-0 last Satur day to improve to 7-1 and was slated to play at Notre Dame on September 27 be fore hosting Nottingham on September 29.
“My assistant coach Ryan [Walsh] and I couldn’t ask for more. The spirit, the genuine honesty, the work rate, that is the No. 1 thing. Then just behind that is the great quality we have. We are a young team, and they are so enjoyable to work with.”
George, for his part, be lieves the Tigers will main tain their work rate.
“It is just putting our head down and keep grind ing,” said George. “We are a young team, and that is all we can do. It is just go on to the next one and learn from this one. We will keep going.”
—Bill AldenYou can now purchase a copy of Town Topics for 75 cents in front of our previous office, 4 Mercer Street, or our new location, 4438 Routh 27 North in Kingston, from our coin-operated newspaper boxes, 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week.
Despite trailing Bishop Eustace 17-0 entering the fourth quarter last Friday evening, the Princeton High football team was not about to throw in the towel.
Buoyed by a homecoming throng on hand for the pro gram’s annual Friday night lights contest, PHS senior star Ryan Friedman was primed to battle to the final whistle.
“It is just not putting your head down and don’t stop working,” said Friedman.
On the first PHS posses sion of the fourth quarter, wide receiver Friedman got open and gathered in a pass from sophomore quar terback Travis Petrone and raced for a 62-yard gain down to the Bishop Eustace 29-yard line.
“We saw the corners, they were sitting 15 deep,” said Friedman. “We thought we could get something quick inside and we did We were executing well. I had the green light. I tried going in for the touchdown and I felt someone grab me.”
PHS ended up being stopped on that drive but minutes later, Friedman got the ball back for the Tigers, making a fumble recovery at the Bishop Eustace 34.
“It was right place, right time,” recalled Friedman. “I shot through, and it was right there.”
On the next play, Fried man made a 22-yard catch to get the ball to the 12. Two plays later, Tyler Goldberg scored on a one-yard touch down plunge to narrow the gap to 17-6.
That was as close as the Tigers got with the Crusad ers utilizing their ground game to march 59 yards for a score to make it a 23-6 final as PHS dropped to 0-5.
While the loss hurt, get ting the touchdown was some consolation for the Tigers.
“It was great, it was some thing we needed as a team,” said Friedman, who ended the game with four catches for 97 yards. “We went out there and did it.”
Friedman and his team mates were energized by the raucous crowd packing the stands and spilling out on the hill behind the end zone.
“We always like to come out with all of the fans,” said Friedman. “It is a great night. Unfortunately, we couldn’t pull it out but we had fun.”
As a senior captain, Fried man is having fun with his role.
“It is a lot more guiding our freshmen and the young er guys,” said Friedman, who plays both receiver and defensive back. “Since it is a younger team, it is showing them how to play football really. In a few years we are going to be pretty good.”
PHS head coach Charlie Gallagher likes the example Friedman is setting for the squad’s younger players.
“He did a great job to night,” said Gallagher. “That is one of the reasons why he is a captain. He is a tough kid; he really does a great job for us.”
Gallagher relished the great atmosphere of the annual PHS Homecoming night game.
“No doubt, I wished we
could have performed a lit tle better,” said Gallagher. “They do a great job as a school. As a football team we really appreciate all of the great school spirit that they throw this way. We have got a lot of great sports programs and we appreciate all of the love that they give the football team.”
The Tigers gave a spir ited effort from the opening whistle, trailing just 3-0 at halftime.
“I liked where we were at,” said Gallagher. “We had a nice drive at the end, but we didn’t capitalize. Their No. 24 (Mekhi Simmons) is a good tailback. He is only a sophomore, and he is a real running back out there. It was hard to contain him, but we did a nice job in the first half.”
PHS lost contain during a decisive sequence in the third quarter when Bishop Eustace connected on a pair of TD passes in a stretch of 1:45 to build its 17-0 lead.
“We made some critical errors with defensive backs, they got sucked in,” said Gallagher. “When you have a talented tailback and you are trying to stop that guy, you are creeping up. They knew when to strike.”
The Tigers kept battling, putting together two good drives in the fourth quarter.
“We were trying to make it a game, even though it was 17-0 with 5 minutes left,” said Gallagher. “We just had to keep the kids’ heads up.”
Getting the score with 3:17 remaining in the con test was a lift but ultimately PHS couldn’t build on it.
“It was great; the mo mentum was great because then you can go for an off side kick,” said Gallagher. “Everybody is excited. The crowd is back into the game. That was the idea.”
With PHS hosting Holy Cross Prep (1-3) on Octo ber 1, Gallagher is looking for his players to play a little sharper.
“I am happy with the ef fort, we are just making some critical errors,” said Gallagher, noting that the squad needs to shore up its tackling. “We are young and we are making young guy mistakes, but there is still no excuse. They are still getting coached up, whether they are younger guys or older guys. We still coach them up every week.”
Friedman, for his part, believes that PHS will keep putting in a strong effort to the end.
“It is just putting our heads down and winning some football games,” said Friedman. “We need to stay in the game and work hard.”
—Bill Alden HEADS UP PLAY: Princeton High boys’ soccer player Leo George, center, heads the ball in recent action. Last Thursday, senior center back George scored a goal in a losing cause as PHS fell 2-1 at Hopewell Valley. The Tigers, who defeated Lawrence High 2-0 last Saturday to im prove to 7-1, host Nottingham on September 29. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)Even though the Hun School boys’ soccer team lost three times to the Pennington School last fall, Connor Frykholm believed that the squad was poised for a breakthrough against their powerhouse rival when the foes met last Wednesday.
“We were thinking on last year, it was the first time we played them when we lost 3-2 in overtime,” said Hun junior midfielder Frykholm. “We had that feeling coming into this game that we are just going to go in there and battle.”
Frykholm got things going for the Raiders as he converted a free kick in the first minute of the contest to give Hun a 1-0 lead.
“It starts coming from the back, win a great head ball, all pressure and all effort from there,” said Frykholm, reflecting on the tally. “We got a foul and I was able to tuck it in.”
With just under seven minutes left in the first half, Frykholm cooly slotted in a penalty kick to put Hun ahead 2-0 going into intermission.
“It is just step up and have confidence, I know what I have to do,” said Frykholm. “I have taken them before I had the confidence to do it.”
Displaying that confidence, Frykholm added a third goal with 9:39 left in regulation to put the finishing touch on a comprehensive 3-0 win for the Raiders. It marked Hun’s first win over Pennington since 2010 and sparked a raucous postgame celebration as the
players sprinted across the field to hug goalie Diego Pena and posed for cell photos in the aftermath.
Despite the frustrating losses to Pennington last year, Frykholm never doubted that Hun would hold off the Red Hawks last Wednesday.
“With this new group of guys coming in, we have got the chemistry,” said Frykholm. “All of these guys are going to work for each other as well as people coming off the bench. Every single person played a part in today. We knew we were getting it done.”
In getting it done on his curling, long range kick in the second half that sealed the deal, Frykholm took an aggressive approach.
“It was Zach Stark who gave me the ball,” recalled Frykholm. “I took one touch and just picked up my head.
I heard Mass [Verduci] calling from the other side of the field but I saw the keeper off his line a little bit and decided to take a strike.”
In addition to his offensive heroics, Frykholm helped key a stifling defensive effort by the Raiders.
“We stayed back a little more from what we did in the first half,” said Frykholm. “We were able to give up zero goals against a topranked team in the country.
I think it speaks a lot to our defense.”
As his role on the Raiders has evolved, Frykholm is confident that he can keep scoring goals.
“I am getting into a lot
this year,” said Frykholm. “I am a lot more attacking because we have Will [Zeng] playing the six (defensive midfielder) now with more of a defensive mindset. I think that going forward, the coaches believe in my attacking skills. being able to find people and getting on the scoresheet too.”
Hun head coach Pat Quirk urged his players to take an attacking mentality in dealing with the Red Hawks.
“We knew that we could hold them,” said Quirk. “I know we are a little bit better than last year, and we have guys with experience from last year coming back. We said, ‘look we are not going to back down, we are going to play scared.’ It is tough not to play scared against that team because they are a powerhouse. They have a lot.”
Quirk credits Frykholm with giving the Raiders a lot all over the field.
“Connor’s offense is great, but his defense is just as good with shutting down some of their midfielders and some of the tackles he has made,” said Quirk. “That shot was unbelievable. Coming in, he played the six and liked to play a little more defensive. We know he can get dangerous. He can wreak havoc if he can drive and get shots off like that. He has had a couple of goals like that this season that were phenomenal.”
Hun produced a phenomenal defensive effort as it held the fort in the second half, blunting a number of Pennington attacks.
“They were making wave after wave and they were flying,” said Quirk, referring to Pennington’s offensive approach as it looked to rally after halftime. “The back line was led by Tyler Stark. Michael D’Aulerio and Alden Hill have both been super strong. We knew if they broke through the midfield, we had those guys in the back.”
Sophomore goalie Pena produced a strong effort in the win, recording five saves.
“If they broke past them, we have Diego,” added a smiling Quirk. “He is a great asset, he makes some great saves. He is good with his feet; he sees the game really well. He made some saves in the first half that carried us along.”
While the win over Pennington was huge for the Hun program, Quirk doesn’t want his players to get overconfident.
“I keep telling them that you can’t let one result define the season; we had a bad game on Sunday (a 3-2 loss to Malvern Prep (Pa.) and this was a great win today,” said Quirk, whose team topped Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) 4-2 last Saturday to improve to 5-2 and plays at Episcopal Academy (Pa.) on September 28, hosts Life Center Academy on October 1, and then plays at Steinert on October 3.
“We have got to focus on the MAPL (Mid-Atlantic Prep League) and hopefully we can keep the record good. and get in the top eight for the Mercer County Tournament.”
In Frykholm’s view, Hun did serve notice to the
county that it could be something special by virtue of the win over the Red Hawks.
“I think it gives a statement to whole Mercer County
that we are here to play this year,” asserted Frykholm. “We beat the reigning champions from last year in a comfortable 3-0 win.”
—Bill AldenThursdays
Performing Sept
John Wolfe
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church,
Performing Oct 6,
Chad Levitt
Cathedral Basilica
St.
St.
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SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE: Hun School boys’ soccer player Mass Verduci celebrates a goal last fall as Connor Frykholm looks on in the background. Junior star Frykholm had a lot to celebrate last Thursday, scoring three goals as Hun defeated Pennington 3-0. The Raiders, who defeated
(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
Amanda Francis had her game going as she started play for the Hun School girls’ tennis team in the final day of the Mercer County Tournament last Wednesday at the Mercer County Park tennis complex.
Looking for her second straight trip to the MCT first singles final, Hun senior star Francis topped Praslin Hayes of the Pennington School 6-4, 7-5 in a gruel ing semifinal match.
“Amanda is such a strong player, she has great intu ition for tennis,” said Hun assistant coach Neal Spada fora. “During her semifinals match, which was a battle, it seemed like each point was won after 15 hits. She is very determined.”
But things ended on a down note for the gritty Francis as she retired af ter losing the first set 6-2 to Lawrenceville’s Aarushi
Attray in the final.
“She was feeling unwell, she played as hard as she could,” said Spadafora, whose team ended up fin ishing ninth in the team standings of the event won by WW/P-South
Another Hun senior, Sa brina Wang, made it to the semis, advancing at third singles, where she fell 6-1, 6-1 to Courtney Cane of Peddie. Wang went on to lose to WW/P-South’s Alys sa Yang in the third-place match.
“Sabrina played against another strong player and lost in two sets,” said Spada fora, referring to the thirdplace match. “She is playing well, her serve is very powerful. She is just a very well-rounded player. This was a good tournament for her, and it showed how she has developed as a play er.”
Competing in the county tournament helped the Raid ers players gauge their early season progress.
“We have a very good idea of where everyone is at,” said Spadafora. “We are able to now anticipate how the rest of the season is going to go and develop and know what we need to work on. I think we have great team chemistry. Everyone’s spirit is lifted and very en couraging of one another which goes a long way.”
Looking ahead to Mid-At lantic Prep League (MAPL) action and the state Prep A tournament, Spadafora is encouraged about the squad’s prospects, both over the short-term and in the future.
“I think we will have a great season; we have a strong team this year,” said Spadafora. “We have a lot of depth. We have a lot of younger players too in the program who are going to develop nicely.”
—Bill AldenBringing high hopes into the Mercer Country Tourna ment last week, the Princ eton Day School girls’ ten nis team got derailed in the opening day of the compe tition by illness as it had to default in two of the five flights of the event.
While PDS head coach Michael Augsberger was dis appointed to see players un able to finish their matches in September 19 action, he liked the way the team dealt with the situation.
“We thought we could do certain damage in the places where we did enter,” said Augsberger, whose team finished in a tie for 11th place with Hopewell Valley in the team standings in the event won by WW/P-South. “It is good to see that even with the illness happening, we still had a good show ing. They had spirits up and you play good competi tion at counties. This is my second time here with the girls. It was the most schools
involved, and we are seeing even more great players.”
Junior Kristina Wang did some damage, advancing to the semifinals at second sin gles last Wednesday where she fell 6-2, 6-1 to Polaris Hayes of Pennington.
“She was in the semifi nals last year, so she had the weight of expectation to come back,” said Augs berger. “She started out at third singles this year and then won the second singles position back. She is playing good tennis. It was tough to have to have to play Polaris who is returning Player of the Year. They have a strong team, and she is at second. We tried to attack her game as best we could, and she did a great job of staying patient.”
In her third-place match, Wang fell in two sets to Ped die’s Karen Yao but played some more good tennis.
“She got off to a great start in the second set and
then the energy level went down,” said Augsberger. “It is tough to play that level of tennis for three, four hours in a row.”
The PDS first doubles team of sophomores Arya Kalra and Kavita Amin pro duced some high-level play as they worked their way through the backdraw.
“We really liked the way that Arya and Kavita played at first doubles,” said Augs berger. “They won the con solation bracket; they are up and coming players for us.”
In Augsberger’s view, the frustration of the MCT could pay dividends later in the fall for the Panthers.
“It is good to see players that are that hungry when we have Prep Bs coming up and later we have the state tournament,” said Augs berger, whose team won the Non-Public A South Jersey sectional title last year. “This disappointment because we didn’t have 100 percent is just going to fuel them later. We want them to peak for the state tour nament.”
—Bill Alden
ENCORE PERFORMANCE: Hun School girls’ tennis player Amanda Francis displays her form last week at the Mercer County Tournament. Senior star Francis advanced to the first singles final at the MCT for the second straight year, helping Hun take ninth in the team standings. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
STRINGING IT OUT: Princeton Day School girls’ tennis star Kristina Wang hits a backhand as she competed in the Mercer Country Tournament last week at the Mercer County Park tennis complex. Junior star Wang placed fourth in second singles to help the Panthers finish in a tie for 11th place with Hopewell Valley in the team standings. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
Football : Keon Kenner led the way as Pennington defeated Morrisville (Pa.) 14-6 last Saturday. Kenner rushed for 131 yards and two touchdowns to help the Red Hawks improve to 2-1. Pennington hosts Solebury (Pa.) on September 30.
Boys’ Soccer : Getting shut out for the second straight game, Pennington fell 2-0 to St. Benedict’s last Saturday. The Red Hawks, who had lost 3-0 to Hun last Wednesday, moved to 4-31 with the loss. Pennington will look to get back on the winning track when it plays at Blair on September 28 and then hosts Hopewell Valley on October 1 and Lawrenceville on October 4.
Girls’ Soccer : Sparked by Morgan Kotch, Penning ton defeated Paul VI 3-0 last Saturday. Kotch scored two goals as the Red Hawks im proved to 6-0. Pennington hosts Hopewell Valley on October 1.
Girls’ Tennis : The Hayes sisters starred as Penning ton wrapped up play in the Mercer County Tournament
last Wednesday at the Mer cer County Park tennis com plex. Polaris Hayes took the title at second singles with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Alice Nad tochiy of WW/P-South while Praslin Hayes placed fourth in first singles. Pennington tied WW/P-North for fourth place in the team standings of the event won by WW/PSouth.
in a losing cause as PDS lost 3-2 to the Blair Academy last Saturday. Junior star Salzano tallied a goal and an assist for the Panthers, now 4-2. PDS hosts the Hill School (Pa.) on September 28 and Lawrenceville on October 1 before playing at Robbinsville on October 3.
Field Hockey : Falling just short in a defensive battle, PDS lost 2-1 to the Hun School last Friday. The Panthers, now 2-5, play at Lawrence High on Septem ber 29 before hosting Law renceville School on Octo ber 1 and Pingry on October 3.
Boys’ Soccer : Unable to get its offense going, PDS got edged 1-0 by the Hill School (Pa.) last Wednes day to move to 2-3-1. In up coming action, the Panthers host Springside Chestnut Hill (Pa.) on September 29, Lawrenceville School on Oc tober 1, and Lawrence High on October 3.
Girls’ Soccer : Adriana Salzano had a strong game
Football : Suffering its first loss of the season, Law renceville fell 37-0 to Cho ate Rosemary Hall (Conn.) last Saturday. The Big Red, now 2-1, host Phillips Exeter Academy (N.H.) on October 2.
Field Hockey : Caitlin Hoover triggered the offense as Lawrenceville defeated Choate Rosemary Hall (Conn.) 5-0 last Saturday. Hoover tallied two goals and two assists as the Big Red improved to 1-4. Lawrencev ille plays at Princeton Day School on October 1.
Girls’ Tennis : Aarushi Attray came up big as Law renceville competed in the Mercer County Tournament last week. Senior Attray took the title at first singles, defeating Hun’s Amanda Francis 6-2, retired, in the final. Attray’s heroics helped Lawrenceville take second in the team standings as the Big Red piled up 19 points with WW/P-South winning the title at 23.5
Football : Marco Lainez III starred as Hun defeated Salisbury School (Conn.) 41-0 last Saturday. Senior quarterback and Iowa com mit Lainez passed for 353 yards and four touchdowns to help the Raiders improve to 4-0. Hun hosts Toronto Prep on October 1.
Field Hockey : Sparked by Avery Barrett, Hun topped Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) 4-0 last Saturday. Junior forward Barrett scored two goals as the Raiders im proved to 5-0. Hun plays at Villa Joseph Marie High (Pa.) on September 30 and at Pennington on October 3.
Girls’ Soccer : Snapping a three-game winless streak, Hun defeated the Mercers burg Academy (Pa.) 3-1 last Saturday. The Raiders, who moved to 4-2-1 with the vic tory, play at Delran on Sep tember 29 and host Princ eton High on October 3.
Field Hockey : Erin Lig gio had a huge game as PHS defeated Robbinsville 6-1 last Friday. Junior stand out Liggio tallied five goals to help the Tigers improve to 6-0. PHS hosts Hamil ton West on September 29, Hightstown on September 30, and Hopewell Valley on October 3.
Girls’ Soccer : Failing to find the back of the net, PHS fell 2-0 to Lawrence High last Saturday. The Ti gers, who moved to 5-2-1 with the loss, play at Not tingham on September 29 and at the Hun School on October 3.
Field Hockey : Lily Har lan led the way as Stuart defeated South Hunterdon 6-1 last Monday. Senior star and Boston University com mit Harlan tallied two goals and an assist in the win and has now passed 100 points in her career for the Tar tans. Stuart, who improved to 5-1 with the victory, hosts Blair on September 28 be fore playing at Peddie on September 30 and at the Solebury School (Pa.) on October 3.
The Princeton High girls’ soccer team is hosting a one-day soccer clinic for girls from grades pre-K through eighth on October 2 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the PHS turf field.
The event, a fundraiser for the Tiger program, the New Jersey Group 3 state final ists last fall, is designed to engage younger players, re gardless of ability or experi ence, in the joys of the game of soccer.
The clinic will include skill development, drills, games, and plenty of encourage ment from the players. The fee is $40 per player and space is limited. Registra tion closes on September 30.
Attendees should wear cleats and shin guards, if they have them, and every one should bring a water bottle.
For more information and to register, log onto phs girlssoccerbc.weebly.com/ soccer-clinic.html.
The Princeton High boys’ soccer program is holding a car wash fundraiser on Oc tober 1 between 11 a.m and 4 p.m. at 25 Valley Road.
The cost will be $10 per car with all proceeds go ing to the PHS boys’ soccer teams. The rain date for the event is October 2.
In addition, Rita’s at Princ eton Shopping Center will be part of the fundraising effort as 25 percent of sales on October 1 from 2 to 6 p.m. will go to the boys’ soc cer program.
In opening day action in the Princeton Junior Foot ball League (PJFL) Seniors division (ages 11-14) last Sunday, the DZS Clinical Cardinals posted a 3320 win over the Princeton Global Jets, led by Julian Frevert’s four touchdown passes and one touchdown run. Jayden Staley caught two TDs, with one each by Will Arns and Manfred Yan As for the Jets, Ben Kahn ran for a touchdown, threw a touchdown pass to No lan Mauer, and received a touchdown pass from Colton Monica, with Alex Paul and Monica adding the extra points in the losing effort.
In other action in the di vision, t he Dick’s Sporting Goods Ravens edged the Tamasi Shell Steelers 3534. Jacob Reese threw for
two touchdowns and ran for one in the win while Andrew Spies passed for two touch downs. Gavin Pomraning, Shail Besler, and Jacob Re ese has TD receptions for the Ravens. Jacob Reese ran in the winning two-point extra conversion. As for the Steel ers, Ryan von Roemer threw touchdown passes to Langs don Hinds, who also had an interception return for a touchdown. Koby Smith and von Roemer added rushing touchdowns.
The Christine’s Hope Lions nipped the Petrone Associ ates Colts 46-45. Raymond Buck had one touchdown pass, two rushing TDs, one kick return TD and an inter ception. Phineas Choe added a touchdown reception and a rushing TD. As for the Colts, Charlie Baglio threw touch down passes to Ari Rosen blum, Victor Espitia, and Xander Cox.
touchdown pass from Regan deTuro to Jamie Monica. Os car Pedersen added a touch down pass to Teddy Hogshire with Geordie Feller and Moni ca adding touchdowns on the ground. For the Chiefs, Luke Branagh and Ethan Friedlich had a touchdown each. Hud son Hanley returned an inter ception for a touchdown.
The Sunoco Steelers held off the PREA Lions to prevail 27-20. Ilan Spiegel, Aiyan McCollum, Anderson Haney, Hugh Kelly, and Connor Widener all scored for the Steelers. Leo Miele had two rushing touchdowns for the Lions and Nathan Stock had one receiving TD.
In the Juniors division (ages 8-10), t he PBA-130 Raiders defeated the DZS Clinical Packers 28-7. For the Raiders, Weston Rosen baum caught a TD pass, Theo Henderson ran for two touch downs, and Reggie Wright caught a TD pass from Ben Saindon. James McFarlane put the Packers on the board with a TD run. The McCaf frey’s Jets defeated the Merca to Ravens 19-12. The Ravens offense was paced by Bryce Davison and Alex Spies, who threw and caught a TD pass each. The Eagles were sparked by their dual QB threats, Jasper Weiss and Zephaniah Chambers who each threw a TD pass. The Woodwinds Bengals edged the Petrone Associates Chiefs 34-32 on a last second
609-819-1240
In the Rookies division (ages 6-8), the PBA-130 Steelers salvaged a tie against the COE Pirates 28-28 on a touchdown catch by Jack O’Dowd as time expired. Matt Sheleheda produced a do mina nt performance for the Steelers with three TDs. For the Pirates, Alberto Bu zali and Boone Sferro each scored twice. The PREA Chiefs topped the Conte’s Tigers 35-28. Oliver Weiss and Evan Santarpio each had a pair of touchdowns for the Chiefs with Brian Willi son Jr. adding one TD. The Tigers were led by Ethan Borrus with two TDs while James Armstrong and Jack Wachter each added one. The PBA-130 Knights defeated the UOA Packers 42-21. An drew Lutz and Connor Ryan scored two TDs apiece for the Knights while Ozzie Roeser and Henry Robinson each added one. Graham Morfe had two TDs and Jake Brown added one for the Packers in the losing effort.
Emile F. VanderStucken
III, also known as Van, died at Morris Hall Meadows in Lawrenceville, NJ, on September 22, 2022, at age 79.
He grew up in Princeton,
NJ, and attended Princeton Country Day School and Blair Academy before graduating from George Washington University. Van served as an officer in the Air Force and later attended the University of Southern California for graduate school.
He had been a resident of Skillman, NJ, for over 45 years. He enjoyed his connections to Sonora, Texas, and managing his beloved West Ranch.
Van is survived by his wife, Hillary, and two children, Wyatt and Kristen. He is also survived by his sister, Emily Spencer, as well as a niece and nephew.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Van’s memory to Trinity Episcopal Church in Princeton, NJ (trinityprinceton. org/giving) or St. John’s Episcopal Church, Sonora, TX (dwtx.org).
Extend condolences and share memories at TheKimbleFuneralHome.com.
The Rev. David H. McAlpin, Jr. Memorial Service at Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church on October 8 at 11 a.m.
Will also be livestreamed to Nassau Presbyterian Church
Reception to follow at Nassau Presbyterian Church
Please attend at Nassau Church if you are ambulatorily challenged.
Sally Edwards, a 50-year resident of Cranbury and longtime teacher at the Princeton Ballet School, died on September 24 in North Haven, CT, after two years of treatment for metastatic lung cancer. She was 82.
A graduate of Wellesley College, she earned a master’s degree from Yale and came to Princeton with her husband, Don, who was a student at Princeton Seminary. She taught at the Stuart Country Day School, and after the birth of their fi rst child, began a 26-year career on the faculty of the Princeton Ballet School, where she annually prepared the soldiers for The Nutcracker She served on the Vestry of Trinity Church in Princeton and was the “choir mum” to its Choir of Men, Boys, and Girls. She earned a master’s degree cum laude from General Theological Seminary in New York and served as Pastoral Associate at Christ Church in New Brunswick and as a hospice chaplain and taught in the Yale Summer Institute in Bioethics. She was a member of the Institutional Review Board of Rob-
ert Wood Johnson University Hospital. In retirement, she worked as a volunteer chaplain at Monroe Village.
Sally had many passions in life, including creating a welcoming home for loved ones and strangers alike, supporting dozens of nonprofits from medicine to social justice to education and the arts, and doing needlework of all kinds. After insisting that she and Don find a church home in the late 1970s, she became an enthusiastic contributor to the life of Episcopal parishes in New Jersey and Connecticut as lay leader, acolyte, and fl ower arranger. Sally’s lifelong love of gardening created beauty for everyone around her. Her deep attachment to special places found its fullest expression at her family’s five-generation summer cottage, “Underoaks,” on Casco Bay in Yarmouth, Maine. Her life exemplifi ed the Wellesley motto: non ministrari sed ministrare, not to be ministered to, but to minister.
She is survived by her husband of 57 years; daughter Jeanette (Ricardo) Chavira of Hamden, CT; son David (Helen) of Bend, OR; and six devoted grandchildren. She is also survived by a brother, David, and sister, Jeanette, both of Yarmouth, ME.
A Memorial Choral Eucharist will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 29, at St. Thomas’s Episcopal Church, 830 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Wellesley Students’ Aid Society, 106 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02481, or online to Doctors Without Borders at donate. doctorswithoutborders.org.
Can be purchased Wednesday mor nings at the following locations:
Princeton McCaffrey’s Kiosk Palmer Square Speedy Mar t (State Road) Wawa (Universit y Place)
Hopewell Village Express Rocky Hill Wawa (Rt 518)
Pennington Pennington Market
Preaching Sunday, October 2, 2022
Associate Dean of Religious Life and of the Chapel, Princeton University Music performed by the Princeton University Chapel Choir with Nicole Aldrich, Director of Chapel Music and of the University Chapel Choir, and with Eric Plutz, University Organist. Join us at 10:30am for a brief tutorial on our new Communion music, composed by Shawn Kirchner especially for the Chapel.
What’s your favorite area restaurant? Do you have a landscaper that you love? Town Topics Newspaper is happy to announce that its 2022 Readers’ Choice Awards is now open for VOTING FOR THE BEST:
KIDS
Al
Barber Shop
Dentist
Dermatologist ENT Hospital Ob/Gyn Optometrist/Opthalmologist
Orthopedist
Plastic Surgeon Podiatrist Salon/Spa
Senior Care
Speciality Medicine
HOME & REAL ESTATE
Furniture Store
Home Remodeler/Design
HVAC
Interior Designer Kitchen/Bath Designer
Landscape Designer
Nursery/Garden Center
Outdoor Furnishing Store Realtor
Roofing
Senior Living
Child Care/Preschool
Children’s Gym
Children’s Dance Lessons Children’s Party Place
Pediatric Group
Toy Store
RETAIL
Artistic Experience
Florist
Bike Shop Men’s Shop
Pet Supply
Speciality/Gift Store
Women’s Boutique SERVICES
Auto Shop
Animal Boarding/Daycare
Cleaners
Financial Advisor/Planner
Grocery Store
Pet Groomer
Pet Training
Veterinarian
MISC.
New Business Night Out
The winners will be announced in the October 19 and 26 editions of Town Topics Newspaper. Don’t miss your chance to vote for your favorite businesses or services!
The Readers’ Choice Awards is open for online voting now at towntopics.com, or mail to 4438 Route 27, P.O. Box 125, Kingston, NJ 08528.
NO PHOTOCOPIES ACCEPTED. Must be on original newsprint.
Painting, hang cabinets & paintings, kitchen & bath rehab. Tile work, masonry. Porch & deck, replace rot, from floors to doors to ceilings. Shelving & hook-ups. ELEGANT REMODELING. You name it, indoor, outdoor tasks. Repair holes left by plumbers & electricians for sheetrock repair. RE agents welcome. Sale of home ‘checklist’ specialist. Mercer, Hunterdon, Bucks counties. 1/2 day to 1 month assignments. CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED, Covid 19 compliant. Active business since 1998. Videos of past jobs available. Call Roeland, (609) 933-9240.
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06-28-23
WE BUY CARS
Belle Mead Garage (908) 359-8131
Ask for Chris
WHAT’S A GREAT GIFT FOR A FORMER PRINCETONIAN?
A Gift Subscription!
Call (609) 924-2200, ext 10 circulation@towntopics.com
= GREAT WEEKEND!
Put an ad in the TOWN TOPICS to let everyone know!
Call (609) 924-2200 ext. 10;
classifi eds@towntopics.com
DEADLINE: Tues before 12 noon
HOME HEALTH AIDE:
731-6904.
09-28
LOST: TOYOTA ELECTRONIC
KEY FOB Lost over the summer in the Kingston, Rocky Hill or Princeton area: 2022 Toyota Rav4 Electronic Key Fob. Call: 609-924-1142. 09-28
Female Semi-retired music teacher seeks affordable room in apt. or house shared with good company, school year or longer. Princeton and surrounding locations preferred. Residing locally 25 years. 609-7062209, Jerseylea.tu3@gmail.com. 09-28
KARINA’S HOUSECLEANING: Full service inside. Honest and reliable lady with references. Weekly, biweekly or monthly. Call for estimate. (609) 858-8259.
11-02
2 AKC REGISTERED ENGLISH BULLDOGS FOR FREE. If interested, contact d123.johnson@gmail. com.
10-05
JANE AUSTEN reading group. For more information, please text your email address to 609-6138852.
10-05
CLEANING, IRONING, LAUNDRY by women with a lot of experience. Excellent references, own transportation. Please call Inga at (609) 530-1169 and leave a message.
10-19
LOOKING TO BUY vintage clothing for period costume. 1980s and earlier. Few pieces to entire attic. Men, women and children. Call Terri: 609-851-3754.
11-23
STORAGE UNIT FOR RENT 10 minutes north of Princeton, in Skillman, Montgomery. 10x21, $200 discounted monthly
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still
4621 Route 27 Kingston, NJ
Mon-Fri 10-6; Sat 10-5; Sun 12-5
HANDYMAN–CARPENTER:
Painting, hang cabinets & paintings, kitchen & bath rehab. Tile work, masonry. Porch & deck, replace rot, from floors to doors to ceilings. Shelving & hook-ups. ELEGANT REMODELING. You name it, indoor, outdoor tasks. Repair holes left by plumbers & electricians for sheetrock repair. RE agents welcome. Sale of home ‘checklist’ specialist. Mercer, Hunterdon, Bucks counties. 1/2 day to 1 month assignments. CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED, Covid 19 compliant. Active business since 1998. Videos of past jobs available. Call Roeland, (609) 933-9240.
tf
I BUY ALL KINDS of Old or Pretty Things: China, glass, silver, pottery, costume jewelry, evening bags, fancy linens, paintings, small furniture, etc. Local woman buyer. (609) 9217469.
10-06
BUYING: Antiques, paintings, Oriental rugs, coins, clocks, furniture, old toys, military, books, cameras, silver, costume & fine jewelry. Guitars & musical instruments. I buy single items to entire estates. Free appraisals. (609) 306-0613.
06-28-23
GET TOP RESULTS!
Whether it’s selling furniture, finding a lost pet, or having a garage sale, TOWN TOPICS is the way to go! We deliver to ALL of Princeton as well as surrounding areas, so your ad is sure to be read. (609) 924-2200 ext. 10; classifieds@towntopics.com
SERVICE: I will clean out attics, basements, garages & houses. Single items to entire estates. No job too big or small. In business over 35 years, serving all of Mercer County. Call (609) 306-0613.
06-28-23
Belle Mead Garage (908) 359-8131
Ask for Chris
Witherspoon Media Group is looking for a part-time advertising Account Manager, based out of our Kingston, NJ office, to generate sales for Town Topics Newspaper and Princeton Magazine
·
The ideal candidate will:
For additional info contact: melissa.bilyeu@ witherspoonmediagroup.com
• Establish new sales leads and manage existing sales accounts for both publications
• Develop industry-based knowledge and understanding, including circulation, audience, readership, and more.
• Collaborate with the advertising director and sales team to develop growth opportunities for both publications
Track record of developing successful sales strategies and knowledge of print and digital media is a plus.
Fantastic benefits and a great work environment.
Please submit cover letter and resume to: charles.plohn@witherspoonmediagroup.com
609-924-5400 4438 Route 27 North, Kingston, NJ 08528-0125
