By Staff
The Michigan High School Athletic Association's Division 3 District Wrestling Tournament is just a fond memory now.
Dowagiac won its ninth championship in the past 10 years with very little drama.
Coming into the tournament the Chieftains were better than the other squads and every one knew it.
Living up to those expectations is sometimes tough.
Just ask the Decatur Raiders, who were upset by Cassopolis on Wednesday night.
Dowagiac fans have come to expect a certain level of excellence when it comes to wrestling.
The community has had a long-standing tradition of quality wrestling teams and this year's squad has met those expectations as far as I am concerned.
Now I am not sure that Dowagiac will get through the regional tournament next week at Vermontville-Maple Valley High School, but win or lose, this season has been a success for many reasons.
Dowagiac has just three seniors on its 2003-04 squad.
And those seniors have come through time and time again for first-year coach John Green.
Heavyweight Mike Johnson is a perfect 44-0 heading into Saturday's individual district tournament at Hamilton High School.
Darr Phillips, who continues to add to his school record for victories with every single win is now 44-1.
Jim Kehrer, who is out for wrestling for the first time since junior high school is 33-7.
That leaves a lot of underclassmen to help carry on the Dowagiac tradition.
And those freshmen, sophomores and juniors have improved each and every week and leave me to believe that the tradition of excellence will continue well past this season.
Sure the Chieftains are going to miss those three seniors, but every team has to lose wrestlers and still carry on.
There are still plenty of big things ahead of the Dowagiac wrestling team with the individual tournament beginning on Saturday and the regional tournament next week.
Get out and support the Chieftains in their efforts to continue Dowagiac's tradition of excellence.
Good luck Chieftain grapplers in the state tourney.