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Oxford Area High School Sports Wall of Fame 2016
Pictured from left are 2016 Sports Wall of Fame inductees Jack Melrath, Karen A. Doss Barlow, Elroy Hess representing his family, Erin Arrowood Fidler and Dana E. Dreibelbis.
Jack Melrath, Class of 1955
Jack Melrath accepts induction into the Oxford Area High School Sports Wall of Fame from ceremony hosts Ken Howett, left, and Ken Woodward.
Jack played on the soccer and basketball teams, serving as captain of both squads in his junior and senior years. He was offered a soccer scholarship to West Chester State College, now West Chester University.
For many years Jack has been very active in community sports, including the Oxford Little League, and was a charter member of the Oxford Athletic Association. He played in several softball and soccer leagues and is a member of the Mason-Dixon Modified Softball Hall of Fame. He was named Oxford Citizen of the Year for 2000.
Susan Burke Mast, Class of 1959
Susan played basketball and field hockey, which were the only sports available for female athletes at that time, during her four years at Oxford. She still has a small silver basketball memento from her high school years.
Susan says playing sports was a joy and that the friendships she made through athletics last to this day.
Dana E. Dreibelbis, Class of 1974
Dana earned 10 varsity letters at Oxford: four for track, two for basketball and four for soccer. He served as captain of the track, basketball and soccer teams.
At the time of his graduation, Dana held school records in 440-yard and 880-yard runs and competed on the 880-yard run team that went to state competition. In 1972-73 he won the Philadelphia Bulletin Scholar-Athlete Award. At Princeton University, Dana played Division 1 soccer until a knee injury ended his career.
Karen A. Doss Barlow, Class of 1982
Karen played four years of varsity softball and was All-State Honorable Mention her senior year. She played three years on the basketball team and three years of field hockey, earning varsity letters each year.
Karen continued to play softball until recently and now enjoys swimming and biking. She has competed in four spring triathlons, winning her age bracket on of those competitions.
Erin Arrowood Fidler, Class of 2002
Erin participated in varsity field hockey for four years and varsity swimming for three years. In hockey, Erin was twice named Second Team All-State, First Team All-Area and First Team All-Southern Chester County League, and was a Gene Davis Award nominee.
Erin played in the Keystone Games and for the Oxford Indoor Field Hockey Team. She also qualified for Districts in swimming.
Erin played Division 1 hockey at West Chester University, where she earned a scholar-athlete award. She was a coach at Garnet Valley High School and currently plays on the Philadelphia Adult Field Hockey Team.
The Hess Family
The Hess family has been actively involved in supporting Oxford athletics for the past 50 years. Children and grandchildren have been involved in varsity sports during this time.
Even when family members were not playing sports, the Hess family has continued to be involved in helping in so many ways to make the community and high school sports programs benefit the young people of Oxford.
