In a dominant performance that showcased both offensive firepower and defensive discipline, the Suttons Bay Norsemen captured the Traverse City Bulldog Invitational championship on Saturday, August 23, with a 5-1 victory over the Kalamazoo Home School soccer program. Suttons Bay, came out firing on all cylinders. The Norsemen set the tone early, taking a 3-0 lead into halftime behind two goals from Joao Pedro and a breakout goal from Rex Bunnek—his first high school goal. Bunnek’s milestone strike added to the momentum as the Norsemen attacked with precision and purpose. Sophomore Jorge Gomez played a pivotal role in the buildup, assisting on two of the first-half goals. Senior Midfielder Juan Garcia added a third assist, orchestrating the tempo and distributing the ball with creativity and vision. On the defensive end, Suttons Bay was nearly impenetrable. The back line—anchored by Isaac Martin, Julian Calderon, Josh Bunnek, Cole Anderson, and Ty Brenner—stifled Kalamazoo’s attack, holding them without a single shot on goal in the first half. The second half saw more of the same. Joao Pedro completed his hat trick, finishing with three goals on the day, while Jorge Gomez added the fifth goal for the Norsemen, creatively putting home a Garcia corner kick to put the match well out of reach. Kalamazoo managed to break through midway through the second half with their lone goal, but it proved to be their only shot on net all game, as Suttons Bay’s defense quickly regrouped to shut the door. In total, the Norsemen unleashed 26 shots—testament to their relentless pressure and cohesive team play. With the win, Suttons Bay not only lifted the championship trophy but also made a headway building upon the two prior games they have played. "It's a team effort and this group are beginning to put the pieces together" Suttons Bay will face a big test against St. Francis's, a strong division two program in Northern Michigan. "Tuesday game will test our metal. St. Francis is a physical team and we need as much exposure to physicality as we can get. We have a few young players that are strong technically but have yet to face an aggressive team like St.Francis. I am looking forward to seeing what shakes loose."