Dryden’s Emma Lobdell, Logan Brunner commit to TC3 soccer

For a majority of those graduating this year, they will be venturing far away from home to continue their education. That’s not the case at all for a pair of local soccer players.

This fall, Dryden’s Emma Lobdell and Logan Brunner will be taking their talents to Tompkins Cortland Community College, a mere 1.1 miles from the high school. For Lobdell, it was inevitable that she would be attending school incredibly close by. Joining the women’s soccer team was the icing on the cake.

“I had always kind of planned on going to TC3 because in high school, I earned a lot of college credits,” Lobdell said. “I have a lot built up so I can go to TC3 for just a year, and then I’ll get my associates degree, so I’d always kind of known I wanted to go there. I actually went to school with [head coach Mick] McDaniels’ son, so I had always kind of known of him and who he was. I always knew he was a good guy, so I figured playing for him would obviously be a fun experience for the year.”

Like Lobdell, Brunner’s close connections to the school were a big factor in suiting up for the men’s soccer team.

“I liked the idea of being local and my mother works at TC3,” Brunner said. “I already have some strings attached there and I’d like to continue there… I felt really welcomed with the coaching. At Dryden, I always had [TC3 assistant coach] Neal McDowell pushing me to play at TC3. I just feel very supported and feel comfortable being there.”

Lobdell joins a program looking to turn things around. The Panthers went winless last season while failing to score a single goal. One thing’s for sure: Lobdell will bring the firepower in attack, as evidenced by her 22 goals last fall for the Lions to help her be named the IAC North Large Division MVP.

“A lot of my high school career I played center back—which I enjoyed—but I’m hoping I’ll play more central/forward,” Lobell said. “I’m hoping with me and the other girls, we can at least rack up some goals this year working through the midfield and everything.”

Believe it or not, this past season was the first time she had been an attacker with the Lions. She started out as a defender, but a midseason injury forced her to play up top and moved Nicole Morrow to the back line. As it turned out, the lineup change worked on both ends, as the Lions became more of a scoring threat while improving defensively.

That change especially came in clutch during the Section IV Class B quarterfinals against Waverly. Tied up at 1-1 with 50 seconds gone by in overtime, Lobdell unleashed a rocket from 30 yards out into the top left corner to send the Lions to the semifinals. It goes without saying that was one of her favorite memories at Dryden.

“I heard [assistant] coach [Bill] Stanbro screaming, ‘Yes, yes, yes!’ as I kicked the ball,” Lobdell said. “I just knew this was going in and I’m taking our team to the second round of sectionals for the first time in a very long time. And then I had my team swarm [me] and it was just a very heartwarming feeling.”

Brunner has also played multiple positions while at Dryden, especially this past season. That resulted in a strong campaign where he was an IAC Second Team All-Star selection.

“Through my soccer career, I’ve always played defensively no matter what,” Brunner said. “But I was looking to break outside my comfort zone because I felt I would have success further up on the field, as well as being in the back. Because of that I played everywhere this season. I played in the middle, played up top. I played on both sides in the back. And it just all seemed to work out no matter where I was, and I like being able to be versatile like that.”

Lobdell and Brunner credited the long-time head coaches at Dryden—Janine Bennett and Laszlo Engel, respectively—for helping them develop into the stellar soccer student-athletes they are today.

“I’ve always been a very strong-headed individual, and she’s learned to really work with me and teach me how to get another person’s opinion on something,” Lobdell said. “She’s really taught me how to open my mind to other people’s opinions and listen to people. Her and I have gotten along for so many years, and she’s just been a very crucial part of my success and everything I’ve done throughout the past couple of years.”

“Coach Engel has supported me through everything for soccer,” Brunner said. “Through all my numerous concussions I’ve had, he’s always been there. Especially this year, he let me move up and play out of my position to be able to fit in somewhere else on the lineup, and I really appreciate that.”