  In the past few months, PHS boys varsity soccer team Head Coach Wayne Sutcliffe made the decision to step down after more than 25 years. Leading the PHS boys varsity team in past years to 19 division titles, seven Mercer County Tournament titles, and two state titles, Sutcliffe’s career as the head coach is considered by many as legendary. 
   Sutcliffe has led the team to numerous victories and titles, and as such, his decision to step down has initiated reflection and recognition from the team. The decision ultimately came down to timing and setting the groundwork for future coaches and athletes to succeed. 
    “There was never a day in the 26 years that I've coached that I didn't enjoy ... [but] to do something for 26 years is a long time and I felt as though I gave everything I could,” said Sutcliffe. “The team and the program overall, are in really good shape right now in terms of health and we have a lot of good players. ... It's important to me to leave the team in a better place than it was, even when I became a coach, for the rest of the staff.”
   With Sutcliffe stepping down, there will be a new head coach the following season, but despite the change in staff, there should be little to no change in the way the team is run.
   “I get the same question from a few people that I've talked to, … asking what I'm going to change about the program,” said former Assistant Coach Ryan Walsh, who will be succeeding Sutcliffe’s role as head coach the upcoming fall. “Coach Sutcliffe has won 19 division titles, seven MCTs, [and] two state tournament titles. So what am I supposed to change? My goal is to keep doing and keep practicing his beliefs.”
   As the team bid farewell to their esteemed coach, players on the team, including co-captain of the boys varsity team Nick Matese ’24, , reflected on the transformative impact that Sutcliffe has had on their soccer journey. 
   “Throughout three years of being on his teams, Coach Sutcliffe has helped me improve a lot as a player through his encouragement and constructive criticism, which he was always able to deliver in an effective and positive way,” said Matese. “He created a team culture that really focused on support and togetherness." 
   Beyond the tactical elements of the game, Sutcliffe's team has succeeded because of his capacity to inspire and motivate them at crucial times. 
   “Looking back, I can remember some of his team talks before overtime periods in games such as Hightstown this season or Notre Dame and Steinert the year before,” said Matese. “He had a great ability to fire up the team when we needed it the most.”
   The team mentality that Sutcliffe has cultivated is one in which each player feels empowered to accept criticism and use it as a springboard for improvement. In addition, Sutcliffe's emphasis on efficient communication, which he views as one of the most important components of the game, has helped the players feel more united and cohesive.
   “He's always been there. He's always been pretty vocal, just taking control,” said Matthew Chao ’25, one of the players on Sutcliffe’s varsity team. “[We’ve] had some problems this past season, but he still did his best to show up to be there for us every step of the way.”
   Although Sutcliffe’s coaching journey has been filled with numerous victories, he recognizes that the most rewarding aspect of leading a team lies in the strong connections he’s formed with his players and watching them grow in the face of new challenges. 
   “[I will] never forget what it was like to win a state title. But next to those are the most important things,” said Sutcliffe. “In games, these moments [in my memory] about how young players develop, grow, and mature into different [people] than they might have been when they got here... those are the really important things [to me].”
   These connections that are made, starting as early as freshman or later as seniors, have remained strong even after the players graduate from high school. 
   “I think it's pretty clear to see the connections he's established with all these players throughout the years, because if you just look at the captain's practice[s], you have these alumni who were on the team five, six, seven, eight years ago, and still coming back,” said Chao. “The fact that he was able to establish these connections with other players really helped build a pretty tight team and … established a good team culture.”
   Sutcliffe’s impact and influence on the players are undeniable, inspiring many young athletes to push themselves into becoming better, not just as soccer players, but as people as well. Sutcliffe has not only had an impact on the athletes, but he has also guided and mentored his co-workers into becoming better versions of themselves, setting an example for them to build off of when it is eventually their turn to take over. 
   “[Sutcliffe] has taught me so much about being a coach, and a player's coach, really,” said Walsh. “When I came out of college, I loved soccer, I was good at soccer, but I wasn't a good coach …[Sutcliffe] really taught me how to properly manage a team. He was really good at making connections with all of the players … and he really helps players improve every day.”
   Returning players are excitedly anticipating the next chapter under Walsh's guidance as the team looks to the future. With a strong foundation built by Sutcliffe, the team is ready to embrace the challenges and triumphs that lie ahead. 
   “I'm looking forward to next season as we have a lot of returning guys with experience, and Coach Walsh is a really great coach to lead us,” Matese said.
   Together, Sutcliffe and Walsh have been able to work together as a cohesive team to foster success over the course of multiple seasons. Their combined efforts have created a positive and nurturing environment for the players that Walsh will carry on, allowing them to flourish on and off the field. 
  “I hope that the next 26 years, [Coach Walsh will have] the same opportunities that he can do that for the next coach,” said Sutcliffe. “That will be my hope for a legacy.”



Legendary PHS boys soccer Head Coach Sutcliffe leaves a lasting legacy

  The PHS boys and girls swim team has dominated the competition this season, winning the Mercer County Championships for the second year in a row, followed by the girls winning sectionals. With a record that leaves the competition treading water, the PHS girls swim team is looking strong as they head further into the season, while the boys had an outstanding season themselves heading into sectional finals.

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    The team was on a remarkable winning streak, with a perfect 12-0 record leading up to the Mercer County Championships. This impeccable record set a high bar for the team and fueled their determination to succeed heading into sectional finals. 
    “It was really good last year, and we hope to win next year,” said Zachary Guan ’24. “We think [it] is definitely a possibility.”    
     The Little Tigers’ success can partially be credited to their talented roster. Ranging from the new swimmers to the swim team veterans, everyone has played their part in fighting for both their impressive record and county championship win. 

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    “We have a really strong lineup this year, especially from freshmen to seniors across the board,” said girls swim team Co-Captain Beatrice Cai ’23. “With a lot of strong swimmers … we can definitely get far.”
  While the team’s success is a collective effort, certain athletes put on an impressive performance at the MCTs. Kyleigh Tangen ’24 put on an impressive individual performance, winning both the 50 and 100-meter freestyle events and helping the girls team to their victory. 
      “She’s very strong in sprint freestyle,” said Cai. “You can always count on her for performing well in those events.”
    While Cai and Tangen helped lead the girls swim team towards their impressive county victory for a second time running, Daniel Baytin ’23, tournament MVP and the boys team Co-Captain, led the charge for the boys swim team towards their second counties victory in two years. Baytin also broke the county record while while competing at the prelim semi-finals.           
       “[Breaking the county record is] definitely new,” said Baytin. “It’s been great.”
   Baytin’s monumental achievement played an immense factor towards the team’s comfortable victory at the finals, but despite his integral contribution, Baytin accredits their success to the overall team dynamic, hard work, and support that his teammates demonstrated. 
     “Everybody on the team is very chill … it’s a lot of fun to just be swimming on it,” said Baytin. “We all support each other … It’s great seeing everybody push themselves. You gotta cheer on your teammates. It’s essential. I think a lot of people take that for granted.”
     The success of both the boys and girls swim teams is not without its downsides, though, as it placed a lot of pressure on both teams heading further into the season. Their undefeated streak heading into their successful run at counties placed an immense expectation on their heads, and the swimmers recognize it. 
   “We were county champions last year with boys and girls, we kind of had an expectation to hold up,” said Cai. “Obviously we did, so that was a really great surprise and we’re obviously really proud of the team as well.” 
     While the team’s success may appear to come easy to the swimmers, a lot of hard work was put in behind the scenes, which gave this undefeated team their edge against the competition. The team practices Monday through Friday after school for two and a half hours, as well as on Saturday mornings. Many of the swimmers also practice at their individual clubs, adding on to the rigor and hard work that the athletes put in. The fruits of their labor are evident in the team’s undefeated record heading into their recent win at the Mercer County Championships, as well as the girls’ team going on to win sectionals.
    “If you want to have those desired outcomes, you have to be willing to put the time and effort into it,” said Head Swimming Coach Carly Misiewicz. “I think we’ve always just kind of established a pretty strong culture from the very beginning of you know, this is what we’re about.”
     Misiewicz’s passion and experience for the sport, as well as her commitment to the team, is evident in her coaching philosophy which prioritizes hard work and dedication. Her role in the team dynamic was essential in establishing good habits early on, as well keeping the team members grounded.
   “What I always tell them [is that] states is a completely different beast,” said Miziewicz. “It’s to the point where if you win you move on, if you lose a meet, you’re out and it’s over … I like to kind of tread this fine line of having confidence.”
   While Misiewicz plays an important role as the head coach in keeping the team’s expectations in check, she also pulls the team closer together, establishing a strong team community.
    “Keeping the importance of team spirit...is something our coach emphasized,” said Cai. “[We] win as a team [and] lose as a team.”
   What sets the PHS swim teams apart from other sports teams at the school is their unbeatable record, dominance, and most importantly, their sense of team bonding and support. 
   “We did bonding earlier in the season,” said Cai. “Those kinds of events, as well as the support, made us a very cohesive team.”
   The teams’ commitment to hard work and dedication, combined with their winning attitude and support for one another, make them a force to be reckoned with in the pool. 
     “[We] have high hopes, high expectations,” said Misiewicz. “For both teams to win [the] Mercer County tournament again, was huge ... we’re definitely confident after seeing what [we are] capable of.”

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