By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
St. Joseph locked up the West Division championship Monday afternoon as it captured the fourth and final jamboree.
The Bears hosted the final event and shot 162 to defeat Dowagiac by six strokes. Dowagiac finished with its best score of the four jamborees as it shot 168.
Lakeshore was third with 170 and Niles fourth with 171. Benton Harbor finished fifth with a total of 243.
Niles and St. Joseph entered the final event tied for the division lead, however, the Bears by virtue of their victory finished with 44 points to win the division title. Niles finished second with 38 points, while Lakeshore was third with 34 points and Dowagiac fourth with 24 points. Benton Harbor finished with 10 points.
Dowagiac's David Maxey turned in the best round of the season as he shot a two-under par 34 to earn medalist honors.
Scott Wilkinson shot 44 for the Chieftains, who also got a pair of 45s from Kyle Owen and Ken Scott. Ken Frantz shot 47 and Craig Schuur shot 48 to round out the Chieftains' scoring.
Ben Landgraf and Josh Flock both finished with 42 for the Vikings. Matt Molnar finished with a 43, while Andy Hoyt and Darren Martin both shot 50.
Landgraf finished as the division medalist as he averaged 37.75 for the four jamborees. Also joining Landgraf on the first team were St. Joseph's Nate Saunders (40.0), Maxey (40.5), Niles' Flock (40.75), St. Joseph's Justin Fulmer (40.75) and Justin Pisarski (42.5) and Lakeshore's Brad May (43.25) and Kevin Vandermolan (43.25).
Dowagiac's Wilkinson earned honorable mention status, as did Niles' Molnar and Andy Hoyt.
The second half of the SMAC Tournament will be played Monday at Thornapple Valley in Kalamazoo.