Madison girls soccer celebrating milestones, prepping for playoffs

Madison girls soccer coach Marc Dovico earned his 200th career victory as Madison defeated Kinnelon, 7-1, on the road on Oct. 26. The Dodgers celebrated senior goalkeeper Antonia Waddington’s 300th save, as well as Dovico’s milestone, at practice on Oct. 27.

Madison earned its fourth straight division title this fall, with the NJSIAA Tournament set to begin on Nov. 3. The team is aiming at its third straight North 2 Group 2 title.

Dovico coached the Whippany Park girls for 10 seasons, earning two conference titles and two sectional titles, then shifted to Madison.

“I’ve been surrounded by coaches who have won lots of games,” said Dovico, who is also president of the Morris County Girls Soccer Coaches’ Association.

“It’s not something I strive for, but I see the longevity and the time they put in. … It’s good to have people around you who have had success.”

Dovico grew up in Bloomfield, where he played left back “and a little center back” and basketball. Current Madison volleyball coach Stephen Fenton was one of his phys ed teachers. Though Bloomfield didn’t qualify for the NJSIAA Tournament in Dovico’s senior season, he “realized coaching was something I’d be interested in doing” during high school.

Dovico graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in history. His first high school coaching job was as an assistant to Whippany Park legend Tom Wilson with the boys soccer team.

“I don’t remember him applying for the job. I don’t remember an interview process. I just remember being pretty fortunate,” Wilson said. “He’s a student of the game. He puts in more time by far than the average person. By the time you get to the end of the season, he’s probably seen every single possible opponent play. He figures out who he’s going to see in the state tournament run, every Morris County team, so when he does play them, he can adjust every game plan he typically plays with for who he’s going to play. He can make specific moves that will increase his team’s chances for success.”

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While Dovico kept the milestone pretty quiet, he was excited to share it with some of his former players via a group chat. He has also begun sprouting his own coaching tree. West Morris junior varsity coach John McCormack, an English teacher, was on his first team at Whippany Park 21 years ago. New Villa Walsh soccer coaches Marc DiFalco and Mark Prosicki also played for the Wildcats. Whippany Park alumna Savanna Marcantonio is the freshman girls coach at Mendham.

“I wouldn’t be doing it as long as I did if I didn’t enjoy it,” said Dovico, who is also an assistant coach with Madison’s girls basketball program. “Every season’s different. I love the routine of it. I love the atmosphere of high school athletics. I still believe in high school athletics and what it offers kids.”

This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Madison girls soccer celebrating milestones, prepping for playoffs