By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
The Dowagiac varsity golf team finished ninth out of 21 schools at the Bearcat Invitational on Thursday in Battle Creek at Marywood Golf Course.
Battle Creek Lakeview won the tournament, which was hosted by Battle Creek Central, with a team total of 283.
Kalamazoo Central and Portage Northern tied for second with identical team totals of 300. Portage Central was third with a 304, while Holland West Ottawa and Lansing Waverly tied for fourth with identical scores of 306.
Charlotte was fifth with a score of 307, while Kalamazoo Loy Norrix was sixth with a 314, Lakeshore and Holland tied for seventh with a 317 and Niles was eighth with a 321.
Dowagiac finished with a 321, while Zeeland West was 10th with a score of 327.
The format on Thursday was different from the previous three tournaments Dowagiac competed in.
Adam Carlson and Richie Hutchinson made up the scramble team for the Chieftains. Nick Krizinski played from the white tees with Jarod Schinske playing from the gold tees and Kevin Proshwitz playing from the red tees.
Carlson and Hutchinson shot 78. Krizinski shot 82 with Schinske shooting 82 and Proshwitz shooting 81.
After playing four matches in four days, Dowagiac coach Van Johnson was pleased with the way the team has performed, but knows there is still more work to do.
The Chieftains and Vikings return to action on Monday when Lakeshore hosts the first Big 16 Conference West Division jamboree. The match, which will be held at The Oaks in St. Joseph, is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.