By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
There will be a lot on the table Friday night when Dowagiac takes on arch rival Lakeshore.
Not only will the Chieftains be playing for a state playoff berth, Dowagiac will also be looking to win its first Big-16 Conference West Division championship.
A victory over Lakeshore would give the Chieftains a sweep of the division and the championship. A loss would give Lakeshore the championship.
Niles and Dowagiac, despite being 3-1 as well, would have to settle for second place.
First-year Dowagiac coach Mike Stanger isn't getting much sleep these past few nights as he tries to prepare his team for the challenge that lies ahead.
He doesn't want his team to get too worked up about this game even though he knows that emotions will be running high.
Stanger said he wants his squad to "cage" its intensity. He wants them to play with great emotion, but he wants them to control that emotion so that they do not use it up in the first few minutes of the contest.
Stanger is concerned about the Lakeshore offense.
Dowagiac has seen plenty of passing teams this year, but they have not seen a team with the ability to pass the ball as well as run the football effectively.
Stanger noted that in the two tapes the Chieftains have seen on the Lancers, Lakeshore had 23 different offensive formations.
Despite the concerns, Stanger feels that the Chieftain coaching staff has scouted the Lancers well and that they have found certain "tendencies" which should help the Chieftains on defense.
Lakeshore defensively will run a 4-3 and Stanger expects them to blitz early and often.
Special teams, which lifted Dowagiac to a 31-28 victory over Niles last Friday night, could come into play again this week.
Lakeshore has been solid on special teams and defeated Benton Harbor thanks to three special teams plays.
Dowagiac is returning home after four weeks on the road. Stanger said it will be nice to get back to the friendly confines of Chris Taylor-Alumni Field.
Dowagiac and Lakeshore will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. The game can be heard live on Q92-FM (92.1).