Boys' Latin's Dudley primed for starting role at Cornell
Among the several holes Cornell must address prior to the upcoming seasons is the void created by the graduation of midfielder Chris Ritchie, who recorded 17 goals and eight assists last spring.
For now, that role appears to belong to senior midfielder Jack Dudley.
The Baltimore native and Boys’ Latin graduate will get the first crack at joining junior Roy Lang and senior David Lau on the first midfield line, and the opportunity caps a meandering journey that has taken him from short-stick defensive midfielder to offensive midfielder.
“Over the last two years, it’s kind of been a big transition for me because I’ve gone from D-middie to offensive midfield,” Dudley said Tuesday. “But last year, I found something that works for me, and that’s not worrying about the pressure around you. I’ve become a student of the game, and I just go out there and work as hard as I can to get better and get my teammates better.”
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Dudley posted four goals and three assists in 18 games last season, which also included two starts. What Dudley lacks in offensive polish, he said he will make up with his tenacity on the field.
“I’m not a guy who’s going to blow you away with speed, and I’m definitely not the most athletic guy on the field,” he said. “But I’m going to be the hardest worker.”
Big Red coach Ben DeLuca said he doesn’t expect Dudley to match Ritchie’s offensive production, and Dudley said his primary concern is working cohesively with Lang and Lau.
“To be honest, when it comes to offense, it doesn’t matter how many goals I’m scoring,” Dudley said. “I’m more concerned about where we are as a unit – Roy Lang, David Lau and I, how we’re doing in terms of goal production and how we’re doing in terms of goals given up, what plays are we making. I’m accustomed to the speed of the game, and I know how to play at the Division I level. From here on out, it’s going to come down to watching a lot of film and becoming a student of the game again and being a leader for the offense.”
