STARKVILLE — Starkville High School senior Connor Dunne is still thinking about what career path to choose for a living.
However, he is happy soccer will continue to be a part of his life as he decides his next step.
A standout defender for coach Brian Bennett and the Yellow Jackets, Dunne signed Tuesday to play soccer at Millsaps College in Jackson.
“Millsaps is a good choice for me,” Dunne said. “The soccer is good. They are one of the best in their conference (Southern Athletic Association), (and) the academics are great, which was a huge play for me. I plan to major in history and perhaps go to law school after that. This will be a good start.”
Bennett knows what a loss his team is suffering.
“Connor is one of the best defenders that has ever come through Starkville High,” Bennett said. “If I had to sum him up, I would say tenacious. He has quick, quick feet. He is smart. He can figure out where the offensive player needs to go before the offensive player can figure it out. He is also an engine who goes 80 minutes full speed the whole time.”
Dunne began playing soccer at an early age. The ability to play on travel teams and to compete regionally at a high level made him love soccer even more.
“I have been playing since I was 5 years old,” Dunne said. “It was something I did on the side as a kid. Around 11 or 12, I joined the challenge travel team, and with the competition, the great people and teammates, it became a big part of my life.”
The growth of Dunne’s game continued as he became a mainstay on the back line for the Yellow Jackets.
“Playing for Starkville High was great,” Dunne said. “I had been playing for a while, but to play for your school, to have that support behind you made a difference and made it unique. In the last couple of years, my growth on the field has been really great. I am better at seeing the field, knowing what to do when I get the ball. Also my leadership skills have grown.”
Bennett also has seen Dunne’s presence on the field grow.
“He is just a leader,” Bennett said. “It is fun to watch him because he truly enjoys playing the game. Watching guys who enjoy the game like he does are just fun to watch. Probably the biggest thing with that entire group of defenders is winning balls out of the air and them being able to judge and step up.
“Conner is a big part of that. He didn’t do that as often this year because we moved him to the outside, but he was still a major contributor to everything we did on defense.”
While Dunne feels like he and the Yellow Jackets made strides in the past few years, the opportunity to grow even more is there.
“(I need to improve) my overall game,” Dunne said. “I know college is going to be twice as fast, twice as big, twice as hard, so I have to improve everything. As far as school goes, there are some great people here at Starkville High. I hope I can find that kind of stuff at college.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.