Madison Girls Soccer: Dodgers Look to Build Off of Trailblazing Season

MADISON, NJ – The 2023 season was one of most successful in recent memory for the Madison girls soccer program. The team matched the school record for wins with 16, won the first conference title in over a decade and advanced to a sectional final for the first time since 2011.

Despite the heartbreaking nature of Madison’s penalty shootout loss in the sectional final to Hanover Park, head coach Marc Dovico has high expectations once again for his squad and with good reason too. The Dodgers return a solid group of players who has underclassmen gained big game experience in 2023.

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“In returning a good core of players from last year’s conference championship and sectional finalist team, the players recognize the hard work and dedication it takes to repeat that success,” Dovico told TAPinto Madison .

Dovico, who is entering his third year at the helm in Madison, said the team has not been resting on their laurels in the first few weeks of practice and is eager to get back on the field for 2024.

“Workouts in the summer have reflected the drive and determination that will be a catalyst to our continued high level of expectations,” Dovico noted. “An extended postseason run is always the expectation, but our mix of veterans and talented young players realize progress throughout the season is what leads to postseason success.”

Amidst all the optimism from Dovico, Madison does have some questions that need to be answered due to some key departures from last year’s squad. Leading goal scorer Ellison Errington, who tallied 17 goals in 2023, graduated from the program as did winger Laurene Creteau, defender Ashely Driscoll and goalkeeper Riley Holland. The players who graduated will be missed and the production will need to be replaced but with a talented collection of players set to return the confidence remains throughout the Madison program.

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“Replacing a highly successful class such as last year’s is always a challenge,” Dovico noted. “We think we have an excellent mix of returning players and a strong group of young players that will be ready to contribute.”

Among the highly regarded returning players are All-County selections Kate Reigle, Gabby Mariani and Anna Gominiak as well as All-Conference player Maddie Aromando. Madison is also returning Alana Flynn, Leah Fass, Avery Visich and Emma Gundlach who have been key parts of the Dodgers’ recent success. Elizabeth Green, Giada Oppermann, Antonia Waddington and Camryn Visich are the underclassmen with varsity experience who Dovico projects to be in the squad rotation.

Ahead of the team’s opener on September 4 ^th , Dovico knows that the schedule is a gauntlet right out of the gate and Madison will need to be ready they are going to repeat as conference champions and make deep runs in the county and state tournaments, as is the expectation.

“Our conference, like the past couple years, is an absolute grind with no breaks playing Mountain Lakes, Hanover Park, Pequannock, Parsippany, Morris Tech, and Whippany Park,” Dovico said. “We will be challenged extensively playing these teams twice each.”

“The state and county tournament success will be predicated on how much we develop and gel as the season progresses,” the Madison head coach continued. “We have the right pieces to replicate that success but know it will take a monumental effort and focus to achieve such success.”

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