By By ERIKA PICKLES / NIles Daily Star
NILES - Niles and Buchanan both open up their soccer season this weekend at Dowagiac Union High School's Early Bird Tournament.
Last year the Chieftains claimed the tourney win over Edwardsburg.
Vikings coach Denise Peters and Buchanan coach Jo Schau feel pretty confident about their teams this year.
Both teams have only been practicing one week and the coaches aren't real sure how they will do overall as a team, but all signs are showing both teams should be pretty competivitve this year.
Peters said her team looks pretty strong this year.
"This is the best preseason conditioning I have seen so far. The team looks very strong. We haven't been able to get outside because the weather has been horrible so we haven't really been able to play a lot together, but I think we will do pretty good," Peters added.
Schau said her team hopes to build on last year's winning attitude and put together another successful season.
Niles and Buchanan face off in the first round of the Early Bird Tournament Saturday at 10 a.m. at Southwestern Michigan College.
Dowagiac and Edwardsburg will also play at 10 a.m .at Dowagiac Union High School.
The first round winners will play at noon at Dowagiac Union High School and the first round losers will play at noon at Southwestern Michigan College.
Niles will start its regular season play on Monday at Vicksburg at 6 p.m.
Buchanan travels to Parchment on Wednesday. Game time is set for 5 p.m.