By By ADAM FISHER / Niles Daily Star
DOWAGIAC - It's beginning to become routine. Another district tournament, another Niles championship.
With Friday's 58-30 drubbing of St. Joseph at Dowagiac, the Vikings won their eighth straight district title. Niles heads to Battle Creek Harper Creek Monday to begin regional play against the winner of the Marshall district at 6 p.m.
Though the winning the district is nothing new to head coach Jim Arnold, he recognizes magnitude of the Vikings' accomplishment.
Against the Bears Friday, Niles used its presence in the post to bully St. Joe inside and severely out-rebound the Bears, 39-22.
Niles center Melissa Olsen had her best game of the season, connecting on 6-of-7 shots for 12 points. She scored six points in each of the first and third quarters.
The Vikings also got a big-time effort from forward Sarah Dreher. She hit 9-of-14 shots to score 21 points. The last time Niles faced St. Joseph, Dreher scored 22 points. She also added 10 rebounds Friday night.
Arnold said his game plan all along was to work the ball inside to Dreher and Olsen, and it paid off.
Niles hit 50 percent of its field goals against St. Joseph, while holding the Bears to just 25 percent shooting. The Vikings struggled from the free throw line, however, hitting 8-of-17 from the stripe.
Niles………….58
St. Joseph…..30
St. Joseph (XX) - Michelle Bendewald 0 2-2 2, Megan Lund 0 0-0 0, Rebecca Ziebart 2 0-0 6, Rachel Young 1 0-1 2, Anna Schueneman 2 0-0 6, Kelly Krokker 0 0-0 0, Katie Ryan 1 0-0 2, Jordan Goslee 0 0-0 0, Megan Mejeur 3 1-4 7, Melissa Blake 0 3-6 3, Molly Emlong 0 1-2 1. Totals: 9 7-15 30.
Niles (XX) - Ashley Pingel 1 2-4 5, Amber Peters 3 3-4 9, Meghan Scameheorn 0 0-2 0, Leigh Tyler 0 0-0 0, Brandie Radde 2 0-0 5, Sarah Dreher 9 3-5 21, Stephanee Schrader 0 0-0 0, Jessica Shinsky 0 0-0 0, Kate Whittaker 3 0-0 6, Becca Teske 0 0-0 0, Melissa Olsen 6 0-0 12. Totals: 24 8-17 58.
SJ 4 18 24 31 - 31
NHS 15 36 45 56 - 56
3-pointers - St. Joseph 3 (Brown 2, Goodwin); Niles 5 (Radde 5). Rebounds - St. Joseph 41; Niles 44 (Dreher 10). Fouls (fouled out) - St. Joseph 19 (Ollie); Niles 9 (none). Records - St. Joseph 2-1; Niles 2-0.