Delbarton soccer exceeded its own expectations
To senior Rory Madigan, building a unique Delbarton team started with a preseason two-mile run. The players had returned home from a 10-day training trip to England and Scotland the night before, yet they all woke up early and arrived on campus ready for the fitness test.
Shared experience was at the heart of the Green Wave's success this fall, whether it was the song they played after victories – "All The Way Turnt Up" by Roscoe Dash – the joy of toppling out-of-state rival DeMatha Catholic, or the collective disappointment after their lone loss to Morristown on Oct. 13.
Delbarton, the 2015 All Daily Record Boys Soccer Team of the Year, became the first team to win four straight NJSIAA Non-Public A titles. The Green Wave also won their third consecutive Morris County Tournament crown, and won the NJAC-United again, their 12th straight conference award.
"There is an expectation for excellence," said Delbarton senior defender Jack Kielty, the Morris County coaches' Player of the Year.
"Every day, we have to strive for perfection, so you can achieve excellence. You can never settle for mediocrity."
Though there are plenty of NJSIAA championship photos decorating Delbarton's locker room, this is the first team to earn a grand slam: the NJAC-United, MCT and state titles, plus the Green Wave Tournament. Those were the bullet points on Delbarton's list of goals this season, though the team also accomplished many smaller goals along the way, like winning 75 percent of 50-50 balls every match, a successful cross every five minutes, holding opponents to fewer than five shots per game and none on goal – and shutouts.
Guided by a veteran back line of Madigan, Kielty and Brian Finn – plus goalkeeper Santiago Robertson-Lavalle – the Green Wave finished with 18 shutouts in 24 matches while allowing just seven goals. Those defenders were the only three senior starters all season, providing what David Donovan called "the best leadership I've ever had of any team I've coached" in his 22 seasons at Delbarton.
"The focus and expectation the kids put on each other is very easy for the coaches," Donovan said. "Those leaders know what it takes to win a state title."
Nineteen different Green Wave players had at least one point, led by junior Steven Hadley with 11 goals and 10 assists and senior Bobby Fabricant's 12 goals and five assists. Even backs-turned-strikers like Will Stroud and Mark Forbes contributed to Delbarton's offense. Stroud and Finn both scored as the Green Wave defeated Mendham in a MCT semifinal, the third meeting between Morris County's two eventual Group champs.
"I couldn't believe how well we blended together," Madigan said. "In other years, it took us a while to find a starting lineup and find our chemistry. I thought we found it right away with this team. … Everyone bought into our team message. Everyone was working for the team this year."
Staff Writer Jane Havsy: 973-428-6682; jhavsy@gannettnj.com; www.dailyrecord.com/writerjane/