State of the Program: Dover football aiming at Ivy title under new head coach
Don't cue up Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days" for new Dover head football coach Bill Goble.
Yes, he played for Morris Hills in the 2007 NJSIAA North 2, Group 2 final, losing to West Essex. A former three-sport athlete in football, wrestling and baseball, he and some high school friends helped rejuvenate the Junior Knights youth football program.
But Goble is fully focused on his new job and his Dover ties are strong. After all, he and former Tigers head coach Justin Hartman were teammates at Dover Middle School. His grandfather and mother are Dover High School alumni.
And, Goble pointed out, the 130-plus Junior Knights will grow up to play for both Morris Hills and Dover. So he's been helping to build up the Tigers' football program for years.
"I know how much (football) meant to me, and how much it helped me growing up," said Goble, who owns contracting and landscaping businesses and is a real-estate agent.
"I always wanted to be a head coach. I love the Xs and Os of the game, the chess match that goes into it."
Not much has changed at Dover following a landmark 2022 season. The Tigers went 7-3 in the Ivy Red, only their third season over .500 in a decade. They toppled Pingry, 31-7, to win their first season opener in 19 years, and ended the fall on a five-game winning streak.
Quarterback Anthony Trongone, running backs Brandon Flynn and Chris Carranza, and receivers Anderson Daza and Emilio Mendez lead eight returning starters. There will be about 50 players on the roster, including freshmen.
"Things are similar, but we're running different nuances in the offense," Goble said. "I have my own flavor to it."
Tradition
Dover has appeared in eight sectional finals, winning North 2, Group 2 in 1984, 1992 and 1996.
The Tigers snapped a 16-game losing streak by capturing their last two games of the 2019 season. They finished above .500 in 2013, 2014 and last fall, and right at .500 in 2012.
Challenges
Dover is in the Super Football Conference's Ivy Division, giving up a chance at the NJSIAA playoffs in exchange for facing similarly skilled opponents. The Tigers open Sept. 8 against Bergen Tech, trying to win back-to-back season openers for the first time in more than 20 years.
Expectations
The Tigers have both short- and long-term goals this fall. They want to avenge a 9-7 loss to Bergen Tech on Sept. 8, and use that as a springboard to claim the Ivy Red title. Dover also hopes to go undefeated for the first time in 50 years.
Moving from the Ivy to a regular SFC division is also on the table, since this is the second half of the school's two-year commitment. That's a required step toward winning another NJSIAA championship.
"Any time you win seven, eight, nine, 10 football games in a season, that's an accomplishment. I don't care who you're playing," Goble said. "I'm a Morris Hills guy, but I don't think there's a better place on Friday night than Hamilton Field."
State of the Program: Inside look at HS football teams in Bergen, Passaic, Morris, Sussex
2023 schedule
Sept. 8: vs. Bergen Tech
Sept. 15: at Hopatcong
Sept. 22: vs. Teaneck
Sept. 29: at Pascack Hills
Oct. 6: vs. Indian Hills
Oct. 14: at Fair Lawn
Oct. 20: at Dwight Morrow
This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: NJ football 2023 preview: Dover aiming at Ivy title under new coach
