Princeton alumna setter Madisyn Robertson was named to the District 6-6A first team after she logged 422 assists during her senior season. Photo by Victor Tapia / C&S Media

By David Wolman

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This past school year saw change for Princeton.

Princeton recently completed their first season in Class 6A after moving up from 5A following bi-annual realignment by the University Interscholastic League.

Despite being placed in ultra-competitive District 6-6A, the Panthers held their own. Princeton’s girls’ basketball team qualify for the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season, rising senior Gabriella Trejo earned a spot in the regional cross country meet for the third year in a row and recent graduates Kingston Williams and Terrayah McCoy represented Princeton at the Class 6A state track and field meet.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the year that was for each sport. Fall sports will be reviewed this week, winter sports in the June 26 edition of the Princeton Herald and spring sports in the July 3 paper.

Aeriel passing attack sparks football team:

After starting the final three games of the 2023 season, rising senior quarterback Marcus Flowers sparked a Panther aerial attack that averaged 323.4 passing yards per game during the 2024 season.

Flowers was in sync with wide receivers Jordan Mosley (870 receiving yards, 11 touchdowns), Jakeylen Perkins (709 receiving yards, 9 receiving touchdowns), Abdullhi Mahdi, Dakota Lee, Mayan Washington, Collin Fannin-White, Mason Jones and tight end Vincent Aparicio. 

Incoming senior Nick Rodriguez was a two-way standout for Princeton as he contributed a team-high 86 tackles at middle linebacker and 243 total yards and three offensive touchdowns.

Princeton’s defense forced 11 turnovers, led by five interceptions from alum cornerback Nicholas Willis, but they struggled to keep opposing teams out of the end zone, allowing an average of 52.1 points per game. 

The Panthers finished with a 2-8 record, but they were competitive, having led in nine of the 10 games that they played. 

Princeton’s lone district win was a 35-28 win over Plano West on Oct. 25, 2024. Mosley caught the go-ahead, 51-yard touchdown pass from Flowers with 7:08 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Trejo earns 3^rd consecutive berth in regional cross country meet:

With Princeton in its first year as a Class 6A school, Trejo knew that she would run against some of the top cross country runners in the state, from schools such as Allen, Prosper and Plano West.

Trejo has faced just as good competition the previous two years when Princeton was competing in the same Class 5A district with state power Lovejoy, Melissa and McKinney North. And she’s fared quite well, having not only placed in the top 10 at the district meet in each of her first two seasons, but later ran in the state meet both times.

New classification, same result for Trejo.

Trejo ran to seventh place with a personal best time of 19:14 at the District 6-6A meet at Myers Park. At the Region I-6A meet, she finished in 49^th place with a 20:00.5.

Trejo was the lone Princeton runner to qualify for the Region I-6A meet.

Marian Valdez turned in the second-fastest time for the Lady Panthers at the district meet with a 20:21. Samantha Valdez (21:17), Izabel Mondragon (22:29), Evelyn Escamilla (22:33), Emma Dickerson (23:26) and Emma Degollado (23:51) also ran for Princeton. 

Anthony Ramirez-Millan posted the fastest time for the Panther boys, running a 17:41, good for 36^th overall. Eduardo Olade (17:59), Aaron Molina (18:04), Jose Sanchez (18:08), Sean McCarthy (18:11), Will Smith (18:52) and Ashton Long (18:58) also competed for Princeton. 

Volleyball team concludes Croley era:

Yolanda Beasley has taken over the reins of the Princeton volleyball team. She was hired as the next leader of the program on Feb. 26, taking over for Rachel Croley, who coached at her alma mater, Princeton, from 2021 to 2024. Beasley previously served as head coach at Sherman and Little Elm. 

Croley led the Lady Panthers into their ascent to Class 6A during her final season on the sideline. Princeton went 13-25 overall. The Lady Panthers began the season 13-12, with Princeton going 6-1 over their last seven preseason games. However, the strong competition that resides in the district proved too much for Princeton as it went 0-16 in 6-6A play.

Alumna setter Madisyn Robertson was named to the all-6-6A first team, alumna outside hitter Taylor Crawford landed on the second team and incoming senior outside hitter/ middle blocker Grace Vrba and alumna outside hitter Chastity Williams were honorable mention team honorees.