It's No Longer a Joke

Two years ago, the Harvard men's soccer team finished sixth in the Ivy League.

A year ago, the squad finished third.

So if you follow that progression, Harvard Coach Jape Shattuck jokes, this year the Crimson ought to finish first.

And considering who finished first a year ago, that's a pretty funny joke.

Because last year, Columbia steamrolled not only to its sixth straight Ivy League crown but also to a second-place national finish. And this year the 1-0 Lions are already ranked second in the country behind Indiana, last year's national champs.

Now, Shattuck was only joking when he made his prediction--the likable Harvard coach openly admits that "Columbia will probably be the dominant team"--but Lion Coach Dieter Ficken isn't joking when he says "Harvard is the team that should be the leading contender [to win the title]."

Beg your pardon, coach?

"I'm serious," Ficken says. "I really believe they've got some great players, and besides, they had a very fine recruiting year."

It might very well be psychological warfare on both sides, but the truth about who's the favorite probably lies somewhere in between.

Columbia, despite losing five starters to graduation and another to injury, will certainly struggle through one of its most challenging campaigns in years. But the Lions will still be the strongest team in the league--they've got depth and a bevy of talent.

Harvard, with only three players lost to graduation, will enjoy, its strongest season in years. And with experience and several outstanding players, the Crimson could come close to winning its first league crown since 1970.

But first, the Cantabs--who must still be considered a notch below the Lions--must derail a Columbia program that until about seven years ago was one of the doormats of the league.

And that'll be no easy task.

The squads open the Ivy season against one another Saturday at New York's Baker Field.

And though the game's on Columbia's home turf, the fact that it's so early in the season could favor Harvard.

"They might be shocked to see how well we're playing," Shattuck says optimistically.

Harvard Captain Lane Kenworthy agrees, saying, "They might not expect much from us, and that'll be a mistake."

It could be a big mistake, Shattuck adds, because his squad is already playing as well as it did midway through last year.

But from what Ficken, who has amassed a 66-12-9 record at Columbia, says, his squad is well aware of the power the Crimson will tote into the Lions' den.

Foremost, they're aware of Kenworthy, a forward on the United States Junior National Team and the person Ficken calls the "unsung hero of the Ivy League."

The Lions and the rest of the league are also well aware of junior John Catliff, a member of the Canadian Olympic team and probably the most versatile of the Harvard players.

Catliff will line up at either forward or midfield, while sophomore Paul Nicholas will definitely be a midfielder.

Meanwhile, the Crimson returns center back lan Hardington, who Shattuck considers one of the best center defenders in New England.

Those four will be the keys for the Crimson on the field, while junior Matt Ginsburg will tickle the pressure in goal.

Glisburg takes over for the graduated Phil Coogan, one of only three players the Crimson lost to commencement.

As for those losses, Shattuck says, "Losing three people is what I would hope to lose each year and try to replace with three each year."

The biggest addition night just be freshman goalie Piott Makula, who is sure to keep Ginsburg on his toes.

As a team, Harvard will also be on its toes for Brown, which next to Columbia will be the biggest stumbling block to the league crown.

But unlike last year, when the Cantabs were extremely happy to finish third in the league, the goal has gotten bigger.

And that means there's so more joking around.