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Sophomore goalkeeper has big shoes to fill
by Casey Williams
Exchange Staff
New England Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Franklin Pierce sophomore goalkeeper Carl Contrascier all have one thing in common. Each is dealing with the pressures, expectations and, in some cases, glories of replacing a franchise player.
"Big shoes to fill," the 5'11" sophomore goalkeeper says directly, as if for the hundredth time, all too aware of the expectations. "I can't listen when people say I have to be the next James Thorpe. The only pressure is the pressure you put on yourself."
Last season, the Ravens Men's Soccer team finished as the best Division II team in the nation, winning its first National Championship. At the center of that championship run was the consistent standout play in goal of four-year starter James Thorpe - play that led him to be the fourth player in school history drafted by Major League Soccer.
So, how will the Ravens replace the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Adidas Division II Player of the Year, three-time All-American and four-time Northeast-10 Conference Goalkeeper of the Year? How will they make up for his 49 career shutouts and NCAA record 8,391 minutes, 11 seconds played? Enter Contrascier.
He made his first collegiate start August 28th in a 2-1 win over the University of Bridgeport, allowing a goal and making one save. Contrascier spent his freshman year on the sidelines, watching Thorpe.
"I can't break his records, I'm one season behind. So I focus on team goals, national championships. I have to match him that way," he says of Thorpe, who now holds almost every goalkeeping record at Franklin Pierce.
Thorpe was selected by four-time MLS Cup winner DC United in the fourth round of this year's MLS Supplemental Draft. As the second backup, he has yet to play for DC United this MLS season, but has seen action with the franchise's reserve team.
During the spring semester, Contrascier met with Thorpe regularly to workout, one keeper preparing for soccer at the next level, the other preparing to fill the void created.
"The most important thing I learned from James was the way he handled himself off the field with professors and other people," said Contrascier, who also earned an NCAA Institutional Sportsmanship Award. "Not too many people didn't like James. He had the respect of everyone."
Contrascier grew up in the small town of Hinkley, Ohio, not too far from where NBA star LeBron James went to high school. Oddly enough, Contrascier played football in high school, another thing he shares with Cassel and Rodgers. He served as his team's punter for three years, drawing interest from schools such as Notre Dame and Georgia Tech, while simultaneously playing four years of soccer and committing to a scholarship from Xavier University. But, when he tore his ACL during his senior year of football and lost that scholarship, Contrascier's plans drastically changed.
Upon visiting Franklin Pierce, Contrascier immediately identified with the campus and with Rindge. He enjoys country music and even shared his vocal skills with the freshmen on one bus trip. His favorite thing about the campus is the peacefulness.
"Fishing in the spring season, sitting out on the water looking at the mountain, you can tell what this campus is all about," he said. "There's a sense of self-fulfillment."
So what can this 2008 Ravens team accomplish in defense of its national title? Honestly, it looks to be a rebuilding year. Not only has it lost its star goalkeeper, but all three captains as well. Thirteen freshmen have come in and chemistry will prove to be the most critical team element.
"We're slowly learning to play together and patience and discipline are most important to us," Contrascier said. "The freshmen will play a vital roll. If we have a common goal, we can go far. We can be a Final Four caliber team, but we're not there yet."
After beginning the season with the #1 overall ranking in Division II, Franklin Pierce has slipped out of the top-25 with a 3-4 overall record, 2-0 in the NE-10 after a solid overtime win over Le Moyne and a 5-1 victory over The College of Saint Rose. The tough start has included out-of-conference losses to Dominican College, Dowling College, Lynn University and University of Tampa. Dominican was the only team in that group that did not reach the NCAA Tournament last season.
"I've never seen an early schedule this hard," admits Contrascier. "It definitely gets us ready for our conference schedule. I would love to play Dowling and Dominican again, and play Lynn for the National Championship."
Another championship?
"Yeah. I won't accept anything less."
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Photo: Casey Williams