1974 PRINCETON BOYS XC TO BE HONORED IN H.O.F.
Updated: Oct 6
Published 9/28/2026
This article is the first in a series of previews leading up to the Mercer County Track and Field Hall of Fame's Class of 2027 induction which will be celebrated in May at Mercer Oaks.
In the fall of 1974, Princeton High School Boys Cross Country Team did something no Mercer County public school had done since 1945 -- they won a state cross country championship. For that memorable season, the PHS squad of '74 will be honored with induction into the Mercer County Track and Field Hall of Fame when the hall holds its 4th induction banquet next spring on May 16, 2027.
It had been 29 years since Trenton High School won a state crown in cross country. The drought for Mercer area schools ended in '74 when 7th year head coach Larry Ivan guided the Little Tigers to the Group II crown on November 16th of that year, in New Brunswick NJ.
The squad was led by junior runner Royce Flippin who finished 5th in the state meet. His time was 15:15. Flippin's performance came a week after he took the individual sectional XC crown.
According to The Trenton Times, in their state championship effort PHS's top 5 pack all crossed the finish within 1 min 12 seconds of each other.
For PHS, 1974 was an overall stellar year. Their state title was the third victory of a triple crown that season. They also won team titles at the '74 Mercer County Championships and the CJ Sectional Championships. Their state title was the 2nd in school history, with the first being 46 years previous--in 1928--when PHS won the inaugural Class B NJSIAA championship.
Flippin was PHS's most decorated individual harrier in '74. The squad was also led by co-captains Morgan Snyder and Tim Anderson,. Other high performers on the roster were Chuck Goehring, Mike Bolster, Bob Potrykus, and the late Rob Cobb.
The 1974 PHS team will be honored at the induction banquet which will convene at Mercer Oaks on May 16, 2027.
RSVP is required for attendance. To learn more see the 2027 banquet page HERE.
© 2026 Mercer County Track & Field Hall of Fame
