By SCOTT NOVAK

Niles Daily Star

For both Niles and visiting Dowagiac, Monday afternoon was a chance to get back on the golf course after a week off due to spring break.

The Vikings were able to protect their home turf with a 162-166 win over the Chieftains at Orchard Hills Country Club.

“It was close all the way,” Niles coach Greg Gunder said. “It wasn’t pretty at times.
“It all comes down to course management and club selection. We just have to get the kids to play smarter.”

Niles’ Brett Phillips and Dowagiac’s Kyle Ward tied for medalist honors with identical rounds of 38.

The showdown between a pair of conference and division medalists never really materialized.

Dowagiac’s Chris Craft was the Wolverine Conference medalist last year, while Niles’ Chris Noble led the Big 16 Conference’s West Division in 2009.

On Monday, Noble finished with a 39 and Craft shot 42.

Niles also got a 41 from John Schrader out of the No. 5 slot, while Jared Langmeyer shot 44, Christian Ezell 46 and Cole Hensel 49.

“John played pretty decent,” Gunder said. “I was impressed with that.”

The Chieftains had Max Howe with a 39, Cody Fairleigh and Jordan Juday with 47s, as well as a 49 from Joey Gajewski.

“Kyle and Max played really solid golf,” Dowagiac coach Van Johnson said.  “Both Chris and Cody played about six shots over their average in practice. So we’ve got some work to do.”

“I am very pleased that we won,” Gunder said. “I knew Dowagiac was going to be tough. We know the kids can do well, but we also know that we left plenty of strokes out there.”
Dowagiac was defeated by Niles in junior varsity action as well, 194-202.

Sam Clark led the Vikings with a 46. Aaron Carroll shot 47 and Dominick Wyland 49.
Marc Tyrakowski and Gage Grant both shot 50 for the Chieftains, who also got a pair of 51s from John Robinson and Andrew Cripe.

Dowagiac is headed into Wolverine Conference action on Wednesday at Vicksburg, while Niles heads into Big 16 West Division play at Berrien Hills.

At Orchard Hills
Dowagiac…166
Chris Craft 42, Max Howe 39, Kyle Ward 38, Cody Fairleigh 47, Jordan Juday 47, Joey Gajewski 49
Niles…162
Chris Noble 39, Brett Phillips 38, Cole Hensel 49, Christian Ezell 46, John Schrader 41, Jared Langmeyer 44

Dowagiac JV…202
John Robinson 51, Andrew Cripe 51, Ryan Juroff 62, Gage Grant 50, Marc Tyrakowski 50, Brad Hornburg 53
Niles JV…194
Sam Clark 46, Dominick Wyland 49, Ryan Clutter 52, Jesse Jordan 55, Joshua Bell 62, Aaron Carroll 47