By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
As if coming off the school's first ever district soccer championship wasn't a daunting enough task.
Veteran Dowagiac coach Mike Williams must replace 11 seniors, including seven starters, from last year's squad.
The Dowagiac girls' varsity soccer team returns just seven players from its 2004 Division 3 District championship squad.
Gone are the likes of all-stater Ashley Brewer and all-district players Ashley Caldwell, Maria Hernandez and Jami Lutz.
Fortunately for Williams he does return all-stater Hillary Bisnett and all-district performer Jackie Sayre.
Also back for the Chieftains are Kyleigh Mott, Jordan Markham, Danielle Stanton, Jill Billingham and Caroline Stanton.
Bisnett returns for her fourth and final season, while Mott, Danielle Stanton and Sayre are all back for their third and final seasons.
Markham, also a senior, is a two-year letter winner. Billingham and Caroline Stanton are both juniors, who are back for their second seasons.
The Chieftains (12-7-2) finished third in the Big 16 Conference West Division behind Lakeshore and St. Joseph.
Dowagiac won four out of five matches at the end of the season to capture its first district title.
Heading into the final week before the tournament, Dowagiac picked up a forfeit from Benton Harbor and then defeated Battle Creek Central 3-2 in a shootout.
In capturing the district championship, Dowagiac did not allow a single goal. The Chieftains blanked South Haven 1-0 and Three Rivers 5-0 before nipping Paw Paw in the title match, 1-0.
Dowagiac's tournament run ended in the regional semifinal when No. 2 ranked Plainwell defeated the Chieftains, 6-0.
Dowagiac will be looking to get off to another quick start as it hosts the Early Bird Invitational on Saturday.
Dowagiac defeated Buchanan (5-0) and Edwardsburg (1-0) to capture the tournament championship last season.
Dowagiac went undefeated in its first five matches in 2004 (4-0-1).
On Saturday, the Chieftains will face Edwardsburg at 10 a.m. at Dowagiac Union High School, while Buchanan will take on Niles, also at 10, out at Southwestern Michigan College. The winners will play at Union High School at approximately noon. The consolation match will be played at SMC also at noon.