Athletics 

Any ladies interested in playing girls golf this fall sign up in final forms now so you can be notified of any summer practices we might have.  Tryouts start August 10.  Contact Jbreuker@gpsbulldogs.org if you have any questions. 

The Dawgs Varsity Soccer team ended their season in memorable fashion on Wednesday, playing their best game of the year in the district semi-final by going the distance against the defending Div. 1 champion and No. 1 ranked Byron Center Bulldogs before losing on penalty kicks. Rather than put more players back in the box to stem the powerful Byron attack, Grandville went with its standard, aggressive high line defense. The plan worked to perfection, as the Dawgs forced 7 offsides calls, Ellie Kleinheksel and Cadence Drelles showed great hustle getting back, Kendall Gray and Lexi Hendrixson stopped too many through balls to count, and keeper Lane Taylor used her full skill set in making 14 saves and booming goal kicks and free kicks to shut out Byron in regulation. Byron took the lead halfway through the first 10-minute overtime session on a shot from close range off of a deflected ball, seemingly winning the game. But there was No Quit in these Dawgs. Grandville tied the game with 30 seconds remaining in the first overtime on a fantastic glancing header from Brynnly Mann off of a towering Addy Holzwarth corner kick, just the third goal conceded by Byron this season. Despite the 85-degree heat, the Dawgs continued to press and played a strong second overtime session, which ended in a 1-1 deadlock. Unfortunately, Byron’s powerful penalty kicks were too much for the Dawgs to overcome. However, this Grandville team can take great pride in the fact that they hung in there with the best the state has to offer and came ever so close to ending Byron’s 40-game unbeaten streak. Go Dawgs!