GAINESVILLE, Fla. – One of Norwich High School's most dedicated football and basketball fans has some reason of her own to celebrate  these days.

Barbara Shirdon's granddaughter, Emily Dowd, has recently started her career at the University of Tennessee this summer on a soccer scholarship.

Emily finished her high school career as Alachua County, Florida's all-time leading goal scorer with 163 goals for Gainesville High's Lady Canes. That achievement, along with many other successes on the club soccer level, earned Dowd a soccer scholarship to play for the Lady Vols.

Following Dowd during her career in Florida proved to be just another hurdle for Shirdon to overcome. Just like following Norwich High's Purple Tornadoes around New York State through the years, Shirdon did a lot of car riding following her grandaughter and the Gainesville High Purple Hurricanes around Florida. Shirdon was especially happy that one of her grandkids got to wear the purple and white colors. It may be a little more than coincidence that Emily was a Purple Hurricane and Barb and her own children were Purple Tornadoes of Norwich.