The 2023 Princeton football team made history last year, advancing past the quarterfinal round for the first time, eventually landing in the Class AAA state championship game where it fell to perennial power Martinsburg.
The 2024 squad isn’t afforded the same luxury of anonymity.
The Tigers come into the Class AAA playoffs as the No. 1 seed, searching for their first state championship and after the first 10-0 season in school history they have a grasp of the target they wear.
“I think our kids understand that after playing that tough Parkersburg South team, you know those guys came in ready to give us all that we wanted and all that we could handle,” Princeton head coach Keith Taylor said. “That’s what we’ve been used to. We’ve known that everybody that we play is gonna give us their best shot, but you know that was the same thing last year but I think the different thing about this year even though we’re No. 1 there’s a lot of people that  still don’t think we’re that great so you know they’re wanting to see us knocked off they don’t think we deserve that No. 1 rating. It just gives us something to play for and I think these guys are trying to hold onto that with all this. I think if our guys just stay focused – they’re gonna have to remain focused because everybody wants to knock off that top seed.”
While the bye that came as a result of multiple injunctions was unexpected, it was welcome and much needed for an ailing Princeton team that saw stars Kalum Kiser and Marquel Lowe suffer injuries in the regular season finale against Parkersburg South.
“We wanna play and we want to get after it but with us being kind of banged up and injured going into the playoffs, it really has helped us tremendously,” Taylor said. “It’s given us time to work on some things that we typically don’t get to work on but it’s given Kalum (Kiser) a lot of time to get back and rehab. It’s given Kaulm another couple weeks to kind of rest his ankle so we actually are in a fortunate position with the way things worked out so we try to take it day by day and then do what we need to do, but allowing us to have an extra by week to kinda let these guys rest has been really, really good for us.”
While the targets are on their backs, the Tigers at least have experience on their side. Last season’s run served as an icebreaker for a program that hadn’t won a playoff game in 20 years.
This group was a core part of last year’s run and won in multiples ways with a defensive masterpiece, a fourth-quarter comeback and a historic shootout highlighting the run.
“It kind of gives us a sense of relief and kind of just gives us a chance to take a deep breath,” Taylor said. “Princeton historically had never been out of the quarterfinal round so it kinda got that proverbial monkey off our back having to go against history and all that kind of stuff last year. We only graduated about six guys last year so those guys playing in those big-time games in front of big-time crowds whether it was with house money or not, those guys are experienced playoff players so they know what it takes.
“They know what it’s like they know it’s a different atmosphere and you know we’re now a team that’s not just satisfied with making it to the playoffs – we’ve been doing that the last couple years – but we wanted to make sure we win some games but that run last year really has set us up in a good spot. It gives us some confidence going into these games that before it was kinda uncharted territory. I think last year, that run is gonna do nothing but help us to be more prepared to make another run this year.”
The Tigers have no shortage of talent with a pair of talented pass-rushing defensive ends in Kiser and Daniel Jennings. They’re explosive on offense as well with a 2,000-yard and 30-touchdown passer in Chance Barker, a 1,000 yard receiver in Brad Mossor and a pair of backs with 1,000 yards from scrimmage in Marquel Lowe and Jennings.
That group helped the Tigers secure the No. 1 seed and avoid the side of the bracket that feature powers such as Fairmont Senior, Bridgeport and Spring Valley. That said, nothing is a guarantee in the playoffs and the Week 11 near upset against Parkersburg South was proof of that.
“That’s just a constant thing that we’ve talked about since Day 1 – you can never overlook opponent,” Taylor said. “There’s been many times that we’ve come to football games highly favored and then snuck out with a win or it took us two or three or four quarters to get started. What people have to realize, especially our kids, is that now you’re in the playoffs you’re playing the top 16 teams in the state of West Virginia. Those guys have to understand that any team can beat you on any given day but that’s something we’ve been preaching since we got here.
“There were a couple games last year that I thought we could handle pretty well, but our kids weren’t mentally focused and they weren’t disciplined. This year we’ve pretty much been locked in on every game but one, but here’s the deal you’re playing in a tournament like this and if you lose one you’re out.”
Princeton opens postseason play Saturday when it hosts Hampshire at 4 p.m.
