The Madison High School wrestling team's first duel meet of the season ended in heartbreak as the Dodgers fell to Hopatcong High School, 37-36, in Hopatcong on Wednesday night.

Wins from Madison's Patsy Davis (119 pounds), John Costa (125) and Eamon Epstein (152) weren't enough to propel the squad to its first win of the season, and after the match the overwhelming attitude in the Dodger lockerroom was disappointment, not only because of the loss, but because of poor decisions that let the match slip away.

"As a whole, these kids have got to know what they have to do," Davis, a junior, said, speaking about Madison's less experienced wrestlers. "When coach says go out there and you can't get pinned, you can't get pinned. We have to be aware of what's going on in the match."

Head coach Steve Healey wasn't putting the blame solely on his teams' inexperience.

"It's obviously a tough loss," he said. "I can't fault my young guys, they were matched up on some of their best wrestlers. Some of our experienced guys need to know the situation in the matches and do a better job."

"The inexperience in our lineup is just that," Healey added. "Everybody has it and it's just a matter of getting those guys to mature and do what they can."

While Madison was able to secure wins at 119, 125 and 152 pounds—and receive forfeits at 145 , 160, 215 pounds and heavyweight—some of the Dodger losses came at too high of a price.

"We certainly didn't look like a team that made a sectional run tonight and we've got a lot of work to do if we're going to take a step up from there," Healey said. "There were a lot of points left out on the mat and a lot of situations that we didn't take advantage of."

Madison opened the match losing four of its first six matches before wins by Davis and Costa got the Dodgers even.

At 119 pounds, Davis faced off against Hopatcong's Giancarlo Cruz in a match featuring two state-caliber wrestlers.

Davis got the best of Cruz as a reversal in the second period secured a 2-1 win for Madison.

"I thought I wrestled real well," Davis said. "I was on the attack the whole time and I knew once I got the reversal that I was going to beat him, because he couldn't take me down."

Up next at 125 pounds, Costa would record a pin just 24 seconds into the third period in a match that he led 5-2 headed into the period, tying the score at 21-21.

"I think I wrestled good, but I'm going to have to get a little stronger," said Costa, who wrestled at 103 pounds last season. "We wrestled pretty good for our first match, but we've got to get better."

Madison would then lose its next three matches, including one major decision at 140 pounds, giving Hopatcong four points and widening the deficit to 37-21.

Despite a 3-1 overtime win at 152 pounds from Epstein and two more Hopatcong forfeits, the Dodgers would come up just short.

"Everyone always says wrestling is individual," Davis said. "Well, it is individual but it's also a team. You have to work as a team."

The Dodgers next compete at the Roselle Park Tournament on Dec. 28.