Princeton’s Payne Miller, Noah LaPorte, Casey Etheridge leave no doubts

There may have been some people outside of the Princeton camp this year overlooking the Tigers with the graduation loss of Teegan Davis, arguably the best all-around talent in school history, who departed for the University of Iowa.

There was sure more doubt cast when the Tigers lost to Class 1A Morrison, 22-21, in Week 2 of the 2023 season and some whispers the Tigers’ run of three straight quarterfinal appearances would run out.

And maybe some saw the Week 5 season-ending injury to senior standout Bennett Williams as the final blow to the Tigers’ postseason prospects.

The trio of senior Payne Miller, junior Noah LaPorte and sophomore Casey Etheridge didn’t want to hear anything about it.

“People doubted us, but I didn’t have any doubts. If we came together as a team, we could do anything for whatever we put our minds to,” Etheridge said.

“In a lot of people’s minds, Princeton had lost that gift in Teegan,” Miller said. “I understand Teegan is a once in a lifetime athlete. We came back and showed Princeton doesn’t need just one guy to be great. Unfortunately, we lost Bennett to a very strange and quick injury.

“People think what they think. We came out and played ball the way we were supposed to. Like we were practicing for as long as I can remember.”

Miller, LaPorte and Etheridge cast all doubts aside with their play on the field.

Miller and LaPorte were both named First-Team Class 3A IHSFCA All-State and joined Etheridge, a breakout star with a record-setting season, in garnering unanimous Three Rivers East All-Conference honors. They led the Tigers to a sixth straight Three Rivers East championship and fourth quarterfinal appearance in a row.

They are the 2023 co-BCR Players of the Year.

A real Payne

The best description about Miller was that he was a real pain for opposing linemen. He was a 6-1, 290-pound force that all offensive lines had to stop and one that opposing defenses tried to get around.

“I wouldn’t like him running at me. Glad he’s on my team,” LaPorte said.

Etheridge was also glad to have Miller on his side, especially blocking up front.

“He helps me so much. As a sophomore coming up, he taught me a lot of lessons and even during games, he would calm me down, because some times I would get a little rattled,” he said.

Miller said he learned a lot from the players who played before him and followed their lead in becoming a leader himself.

“I know watching the seniors above me definitely showed a precedent for me how I should act. That it was my turn,” he said. “I wanted to be a leader. As a person and a player, I grew as a leader, most of all. You always grow when you play.”

PHS coach Ryan Pearson said Miller proved to be a strong leader and had the skills to go with it.

“He’s got a very high motor when playing on the defensive side of the ball. He’s got the size and strength to be a very good lineman, but I think what separates him is his feet. He’s got great feet up front and he’s actually pretty fast for a kid his size,” he said.

“Think he runs a 4.9 40. When you have the size, speed and strength you have all the intangibles to be a great lineman and that’s certainly what he was for us the last three years.”

Sophomore sensation

The Tigers had a secret weapon on their hands in sophomore Etheridge, unleashing him in the season opener at Monmouth-Roseville, where he rushed for 234 yards and four touchdowns.

It was no surprise in the Tigers camp.

“Yeah, we were missing our top two running backs from the year before, but we knew we kind of had a diamond in the rough that not a whole lot of people knew about,” Pearson said. “He’s a pretty awesome talent to have. He’s a very hard-working, humble young man that’s willing to do all the little things we need our kids to do to be successful. He’s not worried about personal accolades, he just wants to do whatever he can for the team to be successful.”

Miller was happy he got to play with Etheridge before he graduated.

“There are a few times in life you get to see people blossom,” he said. “I got to see Casey as a freshman and he’s just like his brother, a hard worker, great kids, and stepping away from football a second, their family are great, great people.

“So knowing that, Casey developed a lot from his freshman to sophomore year. He was obviously no slouch. He played hard and finished runs. Even in tough situations, lot of guys will get nervous. If he was, he sure didn’t show it. Couldn’t be more proud of him.”

“Oh, I was nervous. It may not have looked like it, but that first snap, was rough. After you get the first snap off, the first kickoff, it’s go time,” Etheridge said.

Etheridge finished the year rushing for what is a single-season school record 1,897 yards (8.5 ypc) along with 29 TDs.

LaPorte was not surprised by Etheridge’s breakout year.

“I think he should have been all-state this year. I knew he was a hard runner. There were glimpses of it freshman year when he ran the ball. Oh yeah. I knew it was going to happen,” he said.

Etheridge said he just wanted to carry on the Tigers’ tradition that others, like his brother, Carson, did before him.

“I thought it was real important for the younger guys to step up after the older guys left,” he said. “You can learn a lot from them. They’re amazing players and amazing leaders. They really helped us step up. They showed us how to control ourselves on the field. "

From his brother, he learned grit.

“(I learned) you can overcome anything. He had an ACL tear. From that first day back from practice, you could tell he was ready to go and had no worries,” he said.

LaPorte continues to shine

LaPorte had his own breakout season as a sophomore, in particularly a 206-yard, 4 touchdown game against Mendota. This year, he was a marked man with every opposing defenses always concentrating on the tall kid wearing No. 11.

Even still, he was the area’s top receiver with 34 catches for an area-best 517 yards and eight TDs and was also a menacing blocker.

“Noah was bracketed by many teams. Teams were taking two defenders to take away our one,” Pearson said. “The thing about Noah, he understands, if they’re going to be taking two guys and designate both of them to try to stop me, it’s going to open up other things in our offense, because you can’t take away everything.

“We had a great 1-2 punch with Casey and Noah. If you were going to single-cover Noah, we knew we had a matchup we can take advantage. ... Noah’s the typical blue-collar kid in our program. He doesn’t care about his personal stats. He just wants to win.”

Defensively, the unanimous all-conference DB had four interceptions, including a “pick six,” and 46 tackles.

Etheridge and Miller appreciated LaPorte’s talents.

“He’s amazing. I love having him around and throwing the ball to in tough situations,” Etheridge said.

“Everything he does, he goes 100 percent. He likes to smile and laugh, but when it comes to things, Noah will put himself to work,” Miller said. “He doesn’t need to be pushed real hard. Couldn’t ask more out of a player. Did what he was told. Caught the ball. Looked for somebody to hit. And when he did hit, he made sure it was something good.”

Looking ahead

Miller will move on to Western Illinois University, where the Leathernecks are navigating the hiring of a new head coach. He will turn the baton to LaPorte and Etheridge to try to take the Tigers to the next step and get past the quarterfinals hurdle.

“I think we need to make it to the semifinals and state. We have a lot of talented backs, lot of talented linemen and very talented coaches and I think we can make it far for what we have,” Etheridge said.