By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
Solid numbers for both the boy's and girl's track teams has veteran coach Ken Jordan excited about the upcoming season.
Dowagiac has 26 boys listed on this year's roster and 21 girls. He is most excited about the fact that 16 of those 21 girls are freshmen and sophomores.
The Chieftain boy's team returns nine letterwinners.
Back are seniors Justin Bennett, Travis Myrkle, Aaron Ruiz, Brandon Watkins and J.J. White. Also back are juniors Aaron Jackson and Devon Jackson. Returning sophomores are Kyle Bennett and Sam Preston.
Dowagiac will run much of the season without standout Ruiz, who suffered a severely broken ankle in football last fall. Ruiz recently under went a second surgery to remove scar tissue.
Dowagiac's key loss from last season is Chris Cosey.
Jordan said that Lakeshore will be the team to beat once again in the West Division of the Big-16 Conference.
Dowagiac finished 10th in the Big-16 last year and fifth at the regional meet.
Dowagiac returns six letterwinners on the girl's side of the track.
Returning are senior Arianne Baker, juniors Alysse Cuthbert and Sabrina Demerly, and sophmores Leah Dohm, Ashley Urbanski and Amanda VanHusan.
Dowagiac must find a way to replace the points lost to graduation in the form of Angela Saxton.
Jordan feels that Benton Harbor is the team to beat in the West Division.
Dowagiac was 14th in both the conference and regional meets.
The Chieftains have a pair of new assistant coaches this season.
Jordan has added former Chieftain standout Edgar Wilson and Matt Alward to his staff. Andy Crawley returns for his fifth season with the track program.