The Nutley girls’ soccer team looks solid once again this season, already
posting three victories on the young season. Front row, from l., are Lauren
Holden, Melissa Alvarez, Jaela Small, Natalie Muzzicato and Marcella Lampon.
Back row, from l., are Cassie Angelo, Angeli Bossbaly, Sarah Roselli, Alessandra
Santoriello, Darby Fischer, Erin Neri and head coach Mike DiPiano.
Mike DiPiano began his fourth season as the head girls’ soccer coach at Nutley High School two weeks ago and has already built the Maroon Raiders’ program into a respected program throughout New Jersey.
“I didn’t think it would take place this quickly,” said DiPiano, who came over from St. Benedict’s Prep and turned the Maroon Raiders into a local powerhouse, winning 55 games and losing just 16 during those four years. “Something I brought from St. Benedict’s is success breeds success. Now, we have success and everyone wants it. So we have to breed it. We want to keep it going.”
The Maroon Raiders were 17-6 last year, reaching the semifinals of the Essex County Tournament and advancing to the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group III championship game.
“That’s what we want,” DiPiano said. “We want to be in the county finals. We want to be in the sectional finals. And we want to win one of these days. Our goal every year is to play one more game than we did last year. Well, if we won the state sectional, then that’s what would have happened.”
DiPiano believes that the Maroon Raiders can achieve that level of play this season.
“I think it’s an attainable goal,” DiPiano said. “We want to get back to the state finals and give a better showing this time (the Maroon Raiders lost to Roxbury in the championship game last year). We want to be able to finally win one (a state title). If we play one more day like the goal, then we’ll do it.”
DiPiano knows that the road to the possible state title won’t be easy.
“Our schedule is very tough,” DiPiano said. “But because of our schedule, we’ll be prepared.”
Not only are the Maroon Raiders playing in the Super Essex Conference-American Division, one of the toughest league pairings in the state, but they will also play some of the top teams in the state in independent games.
“It’s all getting us prepared for the state tournament,” DiPiano said. “We can’t look past anyone. Our schedule will prepare us.”
The Maroon Raiders own a 3-2 record in the early going, having lost to Glen Ridge and Millburn (both matches by a single goal), and having wins against Belleville, Union and Caldwell thus far.
The Maroon Raiders did lose Victoria Kealy to graduation. The school’s all-time leading goal scorer, Kealy took her 79 career goals and headed off to play NCAA Division I soccer at Rider University.
“It’s extremely difficult to try to replace that,” DiPiano said of Kealy.
But the Maroon Raiders have a standout goal scorer returning in junior forward Zoe Steck, who had 17 goals and 13 assists last season. When her career is over next year, Steck will rewrite all of the Nutley scoring records. She has also already committed to a scholarship to play at the University of Connecticut.
“Having someone like Steck back makes losing Kealy a little easier,” DiPiano said. “She can score with both feet from anywhere on the field.”
Senior Sarah Roselli returns as the starting goalkeeper for the Maroon Raiders. Roselli took over the position last year and just made the nets her own.
“She had a great year for us with several shutouts,” DiPiano said. “It helps when you have a goalie with that much experience. She kept us in games last year by making big save after big save. It’s good to have her back there.”
The sweeper is sophomore Lauren Holden, the younger sister of softball pitching ace Emily.
“She started every game for us last year as a freshman,” DiPiano said. “She’s solid back there.”
The stopper is junior Darby Fischer, who also started at the same spot last year.
And then there are the returning defenders in sophomore Jaela Small, junior Angeli Bossbaly and senior Melissa Alvarez.
“We have all top five of our defenders back,” DiPiano said. “It makes it easier as a coach. In order to win, you want to defend people well. We don’t need to teach them what we want. It’s more of a retooling. It’s a huge help to have them, because we’re going to have to defend.”
The center midfielder is junior Jenny Callaghan, who had a brilliant sophomore year, scoring five goals and adding an astounding 16 assists. Callaghan has already collected four assists in five games this season.
“If we go anywhere this season, it’s because of Jenny,” DiPiano said. “If we have a symphony orchestra, then Jenny is the conductor. She’s truly a special player. She plays soccer all year round and has a high soccer IQ. She knows where the ball should be. She’s like a point guard in basketball.”
The team’s other center midfielder is freshman Emily DeAngelo, who has fit in nicely, scoring two goals already.
“She’s a very talented freshman,” DiPiano said. “She also complements Jenny very well. She has a great touch to the ball. She also has a great motor, because she just keeps going. She’s a huge addition to our team.”
Sophomore Isabella Gonsiewski is another key midfielder. Gonsiewski scored two goals in the Maroon Raiders’ huge 3-2 win over Caldwell last week and has four goals on the season.
“We lost her midway through last season with a concussion, but she’s back this year and healthy,” DiPiano said. “She’s a dynamic player. We were a different team without her last year. Getting her back was a huge plus for us, getting an additional scorer.”
Senior Sam Chimento is also back. Chimento, a senior captain, scored six goals and had six assists last year.
“She’s a very smart player,” DiPiano said. “We count on her for her leadership.”
Steck is a major force up front.
“We need her on the field at all times,” DiPiano said. “She has a chance to break Kealy’s scoring record this year. She’s always a threat.”
Steck has tallied six goals in the first five games.
Sophomore Maisie Jelley – one of the best names of any athlete in the area – is the Maroon Raiders’ other forward.
“She was the first player off the bench last year,” DiPiano said. “She’s a key player for us, because she’s changing positions to forward from midfield. But she has a strong right foot and she complements Steck well up front. I see big things from her this season.”
And DiPiano sees big things from his team this year.
“I really do,” DiPiano said. “I think this team is headed in the right direction. And the program is also moving forward. We have a bunch of seventh and eighth grade girls who want to be like this team. That’s how you breed success. You keep it going and that’s what makes this all worthwhile.
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Jim Hague | Observer Sports Writer
Sports Writer Jim Hague was with The Observer for 20+ years — and his name is one of the most recognizable in all of sports journalism. The St. Peter’s Prep and Marquette alum kicked off his journalism career post Marquette at the Daily Record, where he remained until 1985. Following shorts stints at two other newspapers, in September 1986, he joined the now-closed Hudson Dispatch, where he remained until 1991, when its doors were finally shut.
It was during his tenure at The Dispatch that Hague’s name and reputation as one of country’s hardest-working sports reporters grew. He won several New Jersey Press Association and North Jersey Press Club Awards in that timeframe.
In 1991, he became a columnist for The Hudson Reporter chain of newspapers — and he remains with them to this day.
In addition to his work at The Observer and The Hudson Reporter, Hague is also an Associated Press stringer, where he covers Seton Hall University men’s basketball, New York Red Bulls soccer and occasionally, New Jersey Devils hockey.
He’s also doing work at The Morristown Daily Record, the very newspaper where his journalism career began.
During his career, he also worked for Dorf Feature Services, which provided material for the Star-Ledger. While there, he covered the New York Knicks and the New Jersey Nets.
Hague is also known for his announcing work — and he’s done PA work for Rutgers Newark and NJIT.
Hague is the author of the book “Braddock: The Rise of the Cinderella Man.”