MWPA Girls Quarterfinal Preview | Grand Blanc vs. Grandville

The Grand Battle! The Grand Blanc Bobcats have already made their history, making their first ever state tournament and first ever District title, and now they're looking for more. The Grandville Bulldogs have steadily become one of the state's higher end teams over the last five years, and are back after their highest finish in program history in search of their first ever solo visit to a state championship game.

Meet the East Region Runner Up Bobcats

Record: 16-7-1

Prior Match-Ups: This is their first meeting this season

This Year: District 3 Champions, East Regional Runners Up

Head Coach: Emily Overmyer

Award Winners

Sarah Hartwell - East Region First Team, East Regional Tournament First Team

Lydia Ferguson - East Region Second Team, East Regional Tournament First Team

Autumn Woollcott - East Regional Tournament Second Team

Olivia George - East Regional Tournament Honorable Mention

Let's start with this - the MWPA needs more Emily Overmyers. A lot more. Why? She STARTED THIS PROGRAM. Not recently. 25 YEARS AGO. AS AN EIGHTH GRADER. Emily Overmyer is the definition of how to make our great sport grow. And finally in her ninth year at the helm, she's been rewarded with her first trip to the state tournament. Wherever you are, please stand up and applaud her for her fortitude and getting this program from non-existent to here. We're sure they'd like to have been here sooner, but they're here. And we need more kids, more coaches helping us grow like she did.

Now for her impressive 16-7-1 team. Sarah Hartwell is second in the state in goals with 122, trailing only the East Region MVP's 128. Hartwell has scored more than five a game, a purely insane number. And the cast around her has been impressive as well. The versatile Lydia Ferguson has been a defensive stopper for the Bobcats for a few years now. More fun for Grand Blanc? A TON of scheduled returners on the state roster. This may just be the beginning for the Bobcats.

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Meet the West Region Third Place Bulldogs

Record: 21-10

Prior Match-Ups: This is their first meeting this season

This Year: District 1 Runners Up

Head Coach: Aubrie Scott & Chloe Graverson

Award Winners

Isabelle Bargenquast - West Region First Team, West Regional Tournament Second Team

Alyssa Light - West Region Second Team, West Regional Tournament First Team

Leah Green - West Region Second Team, West Regional Tournament Second Team

Annabelle Brazee - West Regional Tournament Second Team

Maddie Light - West Regional Tournament Honorable Mention

Aubrie Scott and Chloe Graverson are both under the age of 22, and are first time (co) Head Coaches. They got their team to the state tournament, after an up and down start. They won key games, played well in key spots, and the two of them deserve a whole lot of credit for having Grandville back in this position as they attempt to improve on their 2021 third place finish. Especially when you consider they won the West Region's third most top ten games (11) and second most in a district including the four-time reigning champions.

It's a team deep with senior talent. Isabelle Bargenquast has been one of the West side's top offensive players, while Alyssa Light has patrolled both ends of the pool at a high level. Leah Green was an All-American a year ago and has a big arm in goal, while any of their deep cast of seniors is liable to go off for a big game at any time. The Bulldogs have high end ability, but their challenge in a hungry Bobcat team is anything but easy.