By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
VICKSBURG - Champions again.
The Dowagiac varsity wrestling team, despite a key injury Saturday, sucessfully defended its Vicksburg Invitational championship by going 5-0 on the day.
Brandywine went 1-4 at the tournament. The Bobcats defeated the host Bulldogs 48-33. They then lost to Mattawan 56-24, Otsego 43-32, Three Rivers 68-12 and Dowagiac 56-24.
The Chieftains, who dropped a pair of matches on Thursday in its season opener, rebounded to defeat Mattawan, Brandywine, Otsego, Vicksburg and Three Rivers.
The Otsego victory was especially sweet since it had upset Dowagiac in its season-opening match last Thursday in Constantine.
Dowagiac, ranked No. 9 in the first coaches poll, opened the tournament with a 45-21 victory over Mattawan.
The Chieftains squared their season mark at 2-2 with a 56-24 win over Brandywine in the second round.
Dowagiac then gained a measure of revenge in the third round as it toppled Otsego, 40-31.
In the fourth round Dowagiac made sure it returned to the championship match as it improved to 4-0 on the day with a 51-27 win over host Vicksburg.
Three Rivers was once again waiting for Dowagiac in the final round as the Wildcats were also undefeated at 4-0.
Dowagiac posted an impressive 46-27 victory over the Wildcats to claim the title once again.
The five wins were made more impressive by the fact that senior co-captain Kyle Bennett was lost for the day in the first match due to an injury.
Bennett sat out the final four matches, however, the Chieftains made shifts in in their line up and continued to win.
Going undefeated on the day were Mike Kasper at 140-pounds, Jeromy Northrop at 145-pounds and Austin Lawrence at 145-pounds.
Northrop also wrestled at 152-pounds, while Lawrence wrestled just two matches at 145.
Posting 4-1 marks on the day were Terry Prowoznik at 135, Rob Duszynski at 171, Matt Behnke at 215 and Tony Stewart at heavyweight.
Justin Desjardin was 3-1 at 152.
Also wrestling on Saturday were Justin Richter at 103 (1-4), Nathan Cottrell at 112 (3-2), Richie Hutchinson at 119 (2-2), Taylor Phillips at 125 (1-4), Ryan Dutoi at 130 (3-2), Elijah Caldwell at 160 (3-2) and Kyle Bennett (0-1).
Dowagiac (5-2) will have the entire week off before wrestling on Saturday at the Sturgis Invitational.
Sturgis runs an individual tournament format. Wrestling is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.