
For the first time in recent history, the PHS Girls Varsity Soccer Team has made it to the State Championships. After an undefeated season, they played the state finals November 21 at Kean University.

In the final moments of the game, Sophia Lis ’22 striked the soccer ball into the lower right corner of the net, winning four minutes into overtime. The PHS Girls Varsity Soccer Team (21–2) had just won against Lacey High School in the Group 3 State Semi Final 1–0.

The game against Wayne Valley High School was electric. The PHS Tiger Cage showed up in full force and cheered for every play. Tigers in the audience watched closely as the direction of the ball changed countless times. Throughout the match, they jumped and shouted, drowning out the opposing teams’ remarks of dissent every time a player shot at the goal. At the end of the second half, the score was tied 1–1, with Lis’s goal. However in overtime, with just 2:38 remaining, Wayne Valley High School scored. Although the Tigers did not win, having such a close game and even qualifying for the states was a huge success.

“Our game against Wayne Valley was tough, and of course we would have loved to win our last game, but at the end of the day, we’ve had a great season and still gave it our all,” Lis said.

Although not winning the state tournament, the girl’s soccer team won the division and sectional titles in the Colonial Valley Conference for the first time since 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Part of their success this season is thanks to the “Packed Cage” that supported them with enthusiasm throughout the season, but especially during their last game. On the morning of the state final game, students and Principal Chmiel boarded a bus from PHS to Kean University in their “Blue Out” attire. The long drive made the Tigers even more excited for the upcoming final game.

Further contributing to their successes was team chemistry. The team spent a lot of time together not only in practices but also in team bondings, such as dinner parties.

“It was all done through creating a sisterhood with every player on the team no matter what year they are in,” said Mojisola Ayodele ’22.

But, it was their hard work, camaraderie, and dedication in every practice that allowed the team to push themselves to the highest levels.

“Every game, we have played our hearts out and stood by one another by supporting each other,” said Annie Kosa ’22. The PHS Girls Varsity Soccer Team has come so far since they met during preseason in August.

“This year has been so unexpected. In the beginning of the year we had no idea how it would go, and we ended up playing in the state final,” Kosa said.

Younger teammates agree; inspired by the leadership of older players and excited by the prospect of playing in big matches, they rose to the occasion.

“This season was such a nice introduction to soccer at PHS. I honestly surprised myself with how hard I was able to play each match and how we were able to advance past so many rounds,” said Ava Tabeart ’25.

PHS Girls Varsity Soccer Team has unprecedented season, making it to NJ state finals




As the siren buzzes, Joshua Kim ’22 springs off the board, propelling himself into the water. He swiftly glides underwater and rises to the surface to begin his breaststroke. “Go, go, go, Josh!” The PHS swim team watches and cheers as Kim moves his legs and arms in sync, racing towards the end of the lane.

Kim began swimming when he was in seventh grade. His mother originally pushed him to try the sport to stay active, but he gradually found his passion for swimming and decided to join the team in high school for opportunities to go to competitions.

Swimming competitively while being a busy high school student has trained Kim to be efficient with his time management skills. The process of developing a productive schedule has become especially difficult during seasons that require intense and long practices, but throughout his four years, Kim has learned to do this.

“I swim in the morning before school, so I do all my homework as fast as I can [the night before], so I can sleep early,” Kim said.

When racing competitively, it is normal to feel pressured, which can affect an athlete’s performance. Since swimmers race next to competitors in adjacent lanes, the proximity and constant comparison to those next to you can cause anxiety. Kim mentioned that his movements used to be stiff because of his nervousness, but throughout his years on the team, he has learned to overcome those emotions and swim freely. Part of this was from the help of his father, who has supported him throughout his swimming career.

“He helps me with my mindset and my workouts,” said Kim. “He likes to remind me to just focus on myself and really try my best. It’s made me understand that it is okay if I lose, as long as I am able to bounce back strong and reflect on what went wrong. I really appreciate him.”

In swimming, having a calm and confident mindset is especially important for success because of its extremely competitive nature, and it can be easy to get sidetracked. With his outgoing characteristics, Kim has been able to bond closely with other athletes on the team. Head Swim Coach Carly Misiewicz believes these characteristics contribute to Kim’s leadership abilities.

“People look up to him. He is definitely a big leader for us,” said Misiewicz. “He came in a little quieter as a freshman, but now that he’s a senior, [and he is] growing and getting to know everybody.”

Like Misiewicz, Daniel Baytin ’23, a member of the swim team, is also impressed by Kim’s leadership skills.

“He always leads the lane, [and] every day, he makes sure that everyone’s in the water on time and tries their hardest. If there was a ... team captain, it would be Josh Kim,” Baytin said.

Taking inspiration from his father and encouragement from his teammates, Kim plans on furthering his skills. He looks forward to potentially swimming for a college or club team, but whatever happens, he is certain swimming will be a part of his life for a long time.

Athletes of the Month: Joshua Kim ’22: swimming

As the PHS girls field hockey team charges up the field during an intense final game, Head Coach Heather Serverson closely watches each member’s position on the field. This is Serverson’s sixteenth season coaching the team, and through her coaching career, she has guided them to the 2019 Mercer County Tournament and the 2019 Central Jersey Group semi nals.

Serverson’s long experience in field hockey first began in high school where she found her love for the sport. Her passion continued as she played throughout high school and during her studies at Temple University. In her prior coaching career, she was exposed to players with varying abilities ranging from young beginners to college level athletes. Her ability to adapt in a variety of team settings allows her to lead the PHS Tigers.

“You cannot apply the same thing that you do one year to the team you have next year; you have to base [your coaching] off of what they present and what they need,” Serverson said. “Adaptability and flexibility is probably the number one thing that I bring to that leadership role.”

Stella Matsukawa ’22, a member of the PHS field hockey team, comments on Serverson’s leadership.

“She’s always thinking of new drills for us to practice that highlight many important aspects of the game,” Matsukawa said. “Her dedication to the sport makes us all want to work hard and have fun.”

As a teacher and a coach, Serverson’s coaching philosophy is to keep her team happy and to take failure as an opportunity to improve.

She stresses the importance of players not being discouraged by mistakes, especially in a competitive environment.

“Everyone looks at failure as a bad thing when, really, failure is just an attempt at something that didn’t work out,” Serverson said. “As long as you learn from it, it’s a success.”

Developing a strong relationship between team members is an essential element in sports, and COVID-19 did not prevent the PHS  eld hockey players from doing so. In fact, Serverson suggested that the team has gotten closer with each other. The Tigers compensated for the time lost from having no season last year by regularly getting together outside of school.

Serverson enjoys helping a team with different backgrounds and levels to function as a unit and work with each other on the  eld. Filled with passion and encouragement, Serverson shared some advice for the athletes who are coming back to play this year.

“We all just need to have fun, relax, and realize that we’re going to be coming out of this strange COVID-19 experience pretty soon,” Serverson said. “We have some really good athletic teams here at Princeton High School, so have fun, because you only get this experience until your senior year.”

So far, under Serverson’s coaching, the girls varsity field hockey team has a 14-1 record. They won their division and made it to the semi-final round of the Mercer County Tournament semi-finals.

Coach of the Month: Heather Serverson encourages team to learn from failure


Watching her siblings’ soccer games in her childhood contributed to Sophia Lis ‘22’s growing interest to play on the field and prompted her to continue her soccer career in high school. Lis’s talent, consistency, and knowledge of the game lead to her skillful performance on the field: Lis quickly moved up to the varsity team in her freshman year and is now captain of the girls varsity soccer team. Head Coach David Kosa, who has been coaching the Princeton High School girls soccer team over the four years of Lis’s engagement, commented on Lis’s ability and growth.

“She’s very intelligent out on the field [and] unselfish, too,”

“Her improvement throughout the years has been very noticeable. Her skill level is at such a high point right now,” said Kosa.

Lis is consistently a top scorer for both her Princeton High School and club teams. She is committed to play Division I soccer for Lehigh University starting next fall.

After an injury her sophomore year and a long rehabilitation process, Lis was uncertain of her career in soccer. However, she recognized her desire to continue her soccer career and was inspired by others that recovered from ACL injuries. With perseverance, Lis has not only resumed her role playing on the PHS soccer team but also on the Players Development Academy (PDA), where she trains with athletes from different schools in a competitive environment.

“Just observing my teammates and the people around me, I learnt a lot about myself that year and made me realize I wanted to continue playing soccer and reach my goals of playing my junior year,” Lis said.

“PDA has taught me how to persevere and handle the pressure of the coach always watching or wanting to perform at the top level.”

Although she was in the rehabilitation process during her sophomore year, Lis was dedicated to improving her soccer skills and learning from her coaches and peers. As she took on a leadership role as an upperclassman, Lis consistently challenged herself to be more assertive on the field.

“Freshman year, she was very timid, even though she was the best forward and the top scorer she didn’t really talk that much. And now watching her as a captain, facilitating all the drills and incorporating the underclassmen she’s grown so much as a person and a player,” co-captain Megan Rougas ’22 said.

Lis is not only a hardworking athlete who always seeks to improve herself, but she has also shown strong abilities in leading and helping her teammates. As one of the captains of the PHS girls soccer team this year, Lis has become more of a team player, giving her teammates more scoring opportunities.

“For captains, it is always important to discuss with your team and ensure everyone is included and knows the value they bring to the team,” Lis said.

As an athlete who has gained many experiences from games and leadership, Lis gave some advice to the incoming and current underclassman athletes on the PHS soccer team.

“When there are any obstacles in the road, there is always a way around it,” Lis said. “You just have to keep pushing through and working hard to better yourself and the people around you.“

Athletes of the Month:  Sophia Lis ’22: soccer


As the end of the year approaches, senior athletes, who have either been recruited or are thinking about playing sports in the future, are excited to begin their athletic careers in college. However, high school and college sports differ in aspects such as intensity, competitiveness, teamwork, and coach relationships. To prepare the student athletes graduating this year, PHS alumni athletes offered their perspective on the differences between the high school and college.

Most high school athletes are excited to play sports in college because they are entering a new stage of their lives. As a college athlete, they are offered a chance to play with skilled players from all over the world. However, this opportunity comes with more responsibility and engagement. As a former captain of the PHS girls tennis team and a current player at Swarthmore, Spencer Watts ’20 attests that college sports are more intense.

“Practices definitely do feel more serious. We have quite a bit of practice. We had six [practices a week] during our offseason last semester, so basically practicing every day, except for Sunday. So I definitely had a lot more training, which was different from high school,” Watts said.

This difference in intensity most likely stems from both the variation in skill and difference in importance of sports. High school teams are made up of athletes with different ability levels, some athletes who simply follow their friends, while others who have played for 10 years. Contrastingly, college teams consist entirely of athletes who have a great deal of experience and have worked hard to reach the level they are currently at. In addition to the contrast in skill, colleges focus heavily on their sports teams, which mostly likely accounts for the increase in engagement. With their reputation reflecting on the success of their sports teams, colleges pay great attention to the state of their athletes. Amelia Whaley ’13, a former PHS and Lock Haven University cross country athlete, said that she was startled by the attention that sports received from the college.

“My university put a lot of funding into cross country. They would send out a bus with the name of the University on it. They would pay for us to get to the hotel the night before, we would have to dress up for the dinner before and when we got there, we did quite a post race. That, of course, makes it more serious because there's a greater chance of [you] becoming a pro athlete afterwards,” Whaley said.

As a representation of the school, athletes have to stay focused and motivated. Colleges emphasize the importance of creating a balance between academics and sports.

“You're put under slightly different pressures than you were in high school,” said Whaley. “If you're not doing great in college with balancing academics and sports, then [colleges are going to] have a more serious discussion with you than they would if you were in high school. Because [in] their eyes, you're representing the university.”

While the distinction in intensity and commitment are expected, the difference between the team dynamics is often overlooked. Having a strong team dynamic in sports is crucial since it allows team members to collaborate and work towards a common goal. Graduating student athletes often feel unprepared for the difference of team dynamics. According to Watts, the interaction within the team is different.

“I would say that in my experience, college sports just have more of a team dynamic, like people there have worked for the last 15 years or so to get themselves into college, to play the sport that they want to play. Whereas like high school, it's definitely still super fun,” said Watts. “Specifically regarding practices, the way that we play is a little bit different. We're much more competitive in the way that we play in college than we were in high school.”

While moving on to a new stage in their lives, former PHS athletes often reflect back on the unforgettable memories they made during their high school careers.

“[In high school] we had so many different types of players, especially for tennis. You had this range of people: from people who just picked up the sport last year to people have been playing for like 12 years. Everyone would have a lot of fun just seeing each person improve in their own way,” said Watts. “I also definitely miss having the court in the center so your friends walked by when you were playing matches and you would shout out to each other at the same time.”

Other students agree with Watts and confirm that they miss having fun in high school. Caroline Tan ’19, a former girls tennis captain, reflects back on the enjoyable times she’s had.

“I remember the bus rides, to whichever school we were playing, were always super fun. Just music blasting and we were distributing snacks to everyone,” said Tan. “A lot of really good memories there.”

The former PHS athletes also acknowledged the struggles of current students during COVID-19. Though PHS has been working on getting athletes to return by putting safety rules in place, there are still limitations. In order to help the current PHS athletes reach their dreams of playing sports in college, Tan advises that they stay motivated.

“My biggest advice would be, even though... teams aren't playing together anymore or practicing together anymore [because of COVID], definitely don't stop with your passion for your sport,” said Tan. “Keep playing [and] keep practicing.”

Advice for future college athletes

The Researcher encourages scientific awareness
Focusing on current scientific discoveries, achievements, and events, The Researcher is PHS’s new student-run monthly science magazine. The editors are currently publishing the magazine online, with seven sections: biology, physics, chemistry, psychology, student research, guest speakers at the school, and a section for logic puzzles.
Editors-in-Chief Ben Baumgartner ’21 and Sanyukta Mudakannavar ’21, who were inspired to create the magazine by their experiences in PHS’s research program, organized a group of editors to begin creating the first issue of the magazine.
“[In my freshman year], I felt that there was no outlet at PHS for me to read more into the sciences. I was unaware of the fascinating ongoing scientific research underway in both the broader scientific community and by high school students,” said Mudakannavar. “I felt that if I was exposed to the research world earlier, I would have greatly benefited from it and explored more of the different fields in the sciences.” 
Mudakannavar and Baumgartner wanted to educate the community by creating a magazine that would discuss and share recent scientific discoveries, both at PHS and in the greater scientific community. 
“The Researcher is a magazine that students and faculty can access if they want to read up on all of the interesting discoveries happening in science in the world, and the speakers and experiments happening at the school,” said Baumgartner. “One of our goals is that this would help to promote high school student research and raise awareness about the student-led research in the PHS research program to the Princeton community.”
Through the creation of this magazine and the need for coverage of a multitude of scientific fields, Baumgartner and Mudakannavar became interested in many different sciences that they had previously not known much about. They hope to do the same for other students at PHS who read their magazine.
Beyond research conducted by professional scientists, Baumgartner and Mudakannavar are also planning to share the scientific work of students at PHS. Because Baumgartner and Mudakannavar have seen the dedication of time and effort put into the PHS Research projects, they hope that the accomplishments of these students can be seen and appreciated by their peers.
“One of the challenges that [Ben and I] faced [before we started the magazine] was that [we] were unable to effectively publicize and share [the Research students’] findings or research projects [with] the community,” said Mudakannavar. “This magazine is [unique because] it showcases interesting and awesome PHS student research, which isn't really known to many students in the school.”
The magazine comes out monthly, having published its first issue in February. In the future, its editors hope to publish more articles and enlist more students as writers to continue their pursuit of informing the community about scientific research and events in the world and at PHS.
	“Eventually, when the magazine gains more recognition, we plan to approach local businesses who would be interested in placing ads on our website, [to be able to publish a physical version as well],” said Mudakannavar. “Our main hope is that this will raise awareness in the school about events in the scientific community happening today.”

Link to website: https://www.theresearcherphs.com/
Career speakers promote student opportunities

Throughout this school year, the Ideas Center hosted career speakers in the Learning Commons during F-Day community service times instead of the usual Career Fair. The first event took place on February 27, and the Ideas Center Board originally planned for them to continue through mid-May. Because of the switch to remote learning, the Ideas Center was only able to host one more session on March 9.
In an attempt to present a multitude of career options and ideas for students, the Ideas Center Board, along with advisor Dr. Andrea Dinan, invited speakers of different careers to advise and offer their own experience to the students.
“[Having the speakers come is beneficial] because [students will] see that there are so many opportunities and [different] ways that you can [be successful],” said Moriah Eley ’21, a member of the Ideas Center Board.
	Based on her prior experiences with listening to career speakers in college, Dinan believes that having experts come in and talk is more effective than a career fair because the communication of real information is more direct.
“I wanted to do something [other] than the Career Fair [because] I don't think students get an opportunity to ask a lot of questions or find out any in-depth information about any careers,” Dinan said. 
Eley hopes students will be able to see what the careers are like in practice by learning more about the duties and benefits of the jobs. The board carefully chooses the speakers to address the interests of the student body and the practical applications of each job. 
“We started with a really big list. We want to make sure we have a diverse group that represents a diversity of people, careers, [and] interest for all the students,” Dinan said.
	They especially hoped to encourage students to participate and ask questions to the speakers, to ensure that the students would learn something from the presentation. Additionally, with the many choices they had, they were able to choose jobs that were beneficial for students to learn about.  
	“I really wanted students to understand that these careers are [attainable], and [what] their futures would look like,” said Dinan. “Having these career speakers come in and talk about their [experiences] really helps students to diversify their [ideas] about what [career] they want to pursue in the future.”
	The speakers also explained to students what challenges came with their careers and how to overcome them, as well as introduce them to careers or even entire fields that they might have never had the opportunity to learn about.
	“What I think [students] can benefit from here is to listen to different points and different perspectives,” said one of Johnson & Johnson’s Senior Finance Director Eduardo Gonzalez and one of the career speakers. “There are a ton of opportunities for [students] right now, and I want [them] to be [aware] of those opportunities and [begin] thinking more about [their] futures.”
	Although it is currently not possible for speakers to deliver presentations in person, the Ideas Center is finding new ways to continue offering these opportunities to students, and is considering hosting speakers over Zoom during the period of remote learning.
Princeton’s new affordable housing plan will increase PHS enrollment

	Princeton’s new affordable housing plan calls for construction of several developments to meet Princeton’s required number of affordable housing mandated by the state. However, this would increase enrollment at PHS, which is already high and steadily rising. 
	“We're very mindful that there are enrollment concerns [and the] district has [been] sensitive to that,” said Mayor Liz Lempert. “We know that the school district is having some challenging discussions right now, [and] we’re also having conversations about the benefits of affordable housing in [Princeton].”
	Soorya Baliga ’22, a member of the Youth Advisory Committee, believes there should be a balance between the increasing class size and the preservation of more personalized education.
	“On one hand, [the addition of more students leads to a] less individualized education.  However, having more students also means more perspectives to add to the school community,” Baliga said.
	Although the Affordable Housing Plan will increase the overcrowding at PHS, Lempert believes there are benefits to it as well. 
The mayor has already set a goal to make sure the locations of these housings can maximize the benefits in the community by helping local businesses.
“[We wanted the developments to be] walkable to shops, jobs, [and] transit. [The] buildings [will be] sustainable,” said Lempert. “[But] we also had to make sure that the developments were going to be feasible.”
	This affordable housing will increase the level of income diversity in Princeton Public Schools, which is relatively low in comparison to other districts. Additionally, one of the developments will be reserved only for senior citizens.
“[We want to] lower the negative impact of this affordable housing application on the schools and the community,” said Lempert. “[Senior housing] is important because we hear all the time from seniors in the community that they need to have more housing options that will be more affordable.” 
Currently, the township has reached half of the approximately 750 affordable housing units needed by 2025. To reach this number, the municipality will use two methods to build new developments, aimed to satisfy the affordable housing mandate while still helping out the people receiving affordable housing.
“First, there is the method where the township builds affordable housing. [The other way is with an] inclusionary project, [where] an outside developer comes in, and they are required to make 20 percent of their development affordable,” said Lempert. “What the [Princeton] plan tries to do is strike the balance between the two methods.”
 On February 19, the Princeton Council approved the Thanet Road development, moving the affordable housing plan forward. This was one of the first steps in continuing the development of more affordable housing in Princeton.
“The truth is that the town is growing, and we want to plan for the municipality, [while also making sure] it has a good relationship with the district,” said Lempert. “We’ve been working together on questions about how the schools might grow, [and we hope] that we can sustain that growth.”

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