Soccer loses, coach resigns

After four years, Chris Barker calls it quits

The past week marked a fitting ending for the Oberlin men's soccer team, as well as the end of an era. Days after the Yeomen relinquished a disappointing 1-0 loss to Denison on Saturday, ending their season with seven straight defeats, coach Chris Barker announced his resignation after four years on the job. A replacement has not yet been named.

Thursday night's announcement of Coach Barker's resignation was not a surprise. Rumors had abounded for weeks prior. Barker's reasons for leaving were characterized as personal by those who attended the meeting. Also, the team's performance over the last few years could also be sighted as a potential reason, most notably the total of three conference wins in the last three years. Barker said he will be taking a high school coaching position near his home in West Virginia.

The change was met with sadness from some players. Said junior Zach Fine, who had spent three years playing under Coach Barker, "I'm sad. I guess it just wasn't a good fit. It's too bad we couldn't make it work." Perhaps the most interesting element to come through from all of this is the expectation the soccer team has. With a squad which will return all but one or two players next year, perhaps the time was right for a change, and a run at some success in the conference.

Sweeper senior Russell Menyhart will be gone, and Jabali Sawicki, also a NCAC honorable mention, may not return. Regardless, the majority of players are looking forward to brighter days. "I am excited for next year," Fine said. "Maybe one or two freshmen, with what we have, we'll have a real tight squad. We could really win some games." Other players shared similiar sentiments.

In an email addressed to the team and others Barker said, "I did not come to this decision easily, and I will miss working here. However, I feel it is best for my family that I go back to teaching and coaching at the high school level, where the hours are a little more regular, allowing for a more stable family life. After all, my family is more important than my career."

So begins a new era for Oberlin men's soccer.

The loss to Denison was emblematic of the Yeomen's season: disappointing, by most accounts. The Yeomen had a strong showing from their fans, thanks to Parents' Weekend, and the team responded well to the crowd, one of the few traits it was able to rely upon this season. However, the Oberlin supporters were slow to cheer, perhaps a result of the cold, crisp weather, and were it not for a handful of zealous standouts, vocal fan support might have been non-existent.

What the team had in determination it lacked in organization, particularly in the front, where the Yeomen failed to coordinate much of a scoring threat much of the day. This, of course, was not for want of a finisher up front, where forward Jon Wilson, given an honorable mention in the NCAC conference votiong, took his NCAC third best 13 goals into the final game of the season.

The Yeomen didn't look particularly outmatched in any particular phase of the game, but had difficulties trying to move the ball from midfield to the front. Their two primary playmakers, junior Dave Lessinger and sophomore Sam Hopkins, had quiet games. Even Fine, who had found his form in the latter part of the season, was unable to capitalize. The difference in the end, however, was the defense, which had one lapse mar an otherwise strong performance. This capped off a frustrating pattern exhibited by the Yeomen defense this year.

Denison, which managed several attacks during the match, though nothing consistent, found its chance. A Denison forward found himself in the right side of the penalty area, moving with the ball from right to left about 15 yards from the goal. As was his tendency during the match, he fell completely untouched, and drew a call from the referee, who awarded Denison a penalty.

Andy Dwyer was chosen to take the kick, but didn't count on Oberlin supporters making it as hard as they did. The crowd erupted in a chant of "An-dy, An-dy," reminiscent of late 1980s heckling of then New York Met Darryl Strawberry. Dwyer could not keep himself from mental distraction, and cracked visibly when he turned and acknowledged cries of Oberlin's faithful with a sarcastic wave. He promptly missed his shot, wide left by inches.

It was two minutes later that the Yeomen defense chose to lose its concentration, when the same Denison player found himself free in almost an identical position to the one he been fouled, this time on a fast break, and put the ball on the ground beneath a diving Caleb Stokes.

Hope seemed bright for the Yeomen in the ensuing half hour, but one attack after another stalled, as the Yeoman went on to finish their season 5-12 overall, 1-6 in the NCAC.

Put one in the hopper: Scoring machine Jon Wilson looks to add to his staggering number of goals. (photo by Heidi Good)