After earning all-state honors and helping Garden Plain reach the third round of the playoffs for the second consecutive season, Braylen Dold is focused on what comes next.
The Owls enter the 2026 season with several new faces stepping into key roles, creating both challenges and opportunities for a program that has become accustomed to postseason success.
“I am most excited for playing with the new team we have this season,” Dold said. “Last season we lost multiple key players and we have lots of new guys filling in those positions, and I am excited to see what kind of team we will be.”
Dold will be one of the team’s most experienced playmakers after a standout junior season on offense, defense and special teams. He accumulated 1,174 all-purpose yards while scoring nine touchdowns and earning recognition as one of the state’s top defensive backs.
Offensively, Dold rushed for 661 yards and five touchdowns on 74 carries, averaging 8.9 yards per carry. He also caught three passes for 77 yards and two touchdowns. His impact extended to special teams, where he returned nine kickoffs for 226 yards and a touchdown and added 210 punt return yards with another score.
On defense, Dold recorded 52 total tackles, four interceptions and one fumble recovery.
His performance earned an impressive list of accolades, including first-team all-state defensive back honors, first-team all-league defensive back and flex selections, League Special Teams MVP, first-team All-VYPE defensive back, third-team all-metro defensive back, and first-team all-district honors at both defensive back and flex positions.
Despite the success, Dold believes there is still room for improvement.
“The biggest area I want to improve on is my open-field tackling,” Dold said. “Last season I felt like my open-field tackling was holding me back at times, but this season I am hoping to change that by working on tackling drills at practice.”
The offseason work has helped Dold prepare for lofty individual goals entering the fall. He hopes to eclipse 1,700 all-purpose yards while increasing his impact defensively.
“My own personal goals are to have over 1,700 all-purpose yards this season and to have at least five interceptions,” Dold said.
While individual milestones are important, Dold’s primary focus remains on helping Garden Plain take the next step in the postseason.
The Owls have seen their seasons end in the third round of the playoffs in each of the last two years, a trend Dold and his teammates are determined to reverse.
“A goal I have for our team is to make it past the third round of playoffs this year,” Dold said. “The last two years we have lost in the third round and we are looking to make a deeper playoff run.”
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