MADISON DODGERS
Head coach: Joe Cecala, fifth season (30-43-2 career record)
Division: MCSSIHL-Halvorsen
Last year: Madison went 1-5 to start the year before stabilizing a bit, going 7-8 the rest of the way to finish 8-13. It lost in the Halvorsen Cup semifinals to eventual champion KJS United. It also picked up a win in the play-in round of the NJSIAA North, Public state tournament, when it defeated Mahwah, 5-2, before ultimately seeing its season end with a loss to Chatham in the first round.
Key losses: Madison will have to replace a pair of important players lost due to graduation in forward Kyle Piechnik (9 g., 13 a.) and goalie Bryan Worthington (.877 save percentage in 20 games). It also lost its top scorer in Sam Gero (32 g., 16 a.), who was due to be a senior this year, as he transferred to Millbrook Prep in New York.
Forwards: Sophomore Lucas Gero is the team’s top returning scorer after putting together a breakout freshman season last year with 11 goals and 23 assists. His 34 points were second most on the team. Seniors Jonathan Erickson (5 g., 11 a.), Chris Palawasta (7 g., 1 a.), and Will Bagley (1 g., 2 a.) will all be central parts of the team’s forward group. Freshmen Ryan McSherry and Owen Chandler both will also be counted on to step in and produce this year.
Defense: This is one area of this team that figures to be much improved this year. Juniors Patrick Layng (9 a.) and Jacob Thompson (1 g., 1 a.) have each garnered experience over the past two seasons and figure to be the leaders of this group. Sophomores Claes Machacz and Will Finkle both saw time in their freshmen campaigns, while freshmen Luke Cumming and Will DeLuca should step in this year as well.
Goaltending: Bryan Worthington was a workhorse for the Dodgers between the pipes over the past two seasons, and will leave a big void to be filled. Fortunately for Madison, there’s another Worthington waiting in the wings as junior Nicky Worthington, a transfer from Pingry, will step in this year. Junior Modi Shi also figures to see some more time after limited time over his first two seasons.
Outlook: Madison has struggled in recent years, as it has had a losing season in each of the last three years dating back to its Halvorsen Cup title during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. It has not had a stretch of losing seasons like this since back-to-back losing campaigns in 2010-11 and 2011-12.
This year’s team figures to be young, but promising. There will only be three seniors on the roster, so the bulk of the production in all areas of the ice will come from underclassmen. Gero, Worthington, and Piechnik will certainly be hard players to replace, but the younger Gero (Lucas) should build off of an impressive freshman campaign, while Nick Worthington posted solid numbers in limited action in goal for Pingry last winter. That, combined with a strong defense core that figures to continue to improve, puts Madison in position to make a big jump this winter as it looks to re-establish itself as a division title-contending program. This will be a team to keep a close eye on in the new-look Halvorsen Division.
E-mail Mike Gurnis at michaelgurnis@gmail.com
Morris-Sussex Hockey Report 