By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
COLDWATER - There have been five Big 16 Conference wrestling tournaments since its inception.
There has only been one champion - Lakeshore.
The Lancers captured their fifth straight league championship on Saturday as they easily outdistanced runner-up Niles.
Lakeshore had three individual champions and a runner up as it amassed 186 points.
Niles, which won just one match in either the championship or consolation finals, finished second with 157.5 points.
Kalamazoo Central finished a distant third with 138 points, while host Coldwater was fourth, Portage Northern fifth, St. Joseph sixth and Dowagiac seventh.
The difference between fourth and seventh was a mere seven points.
Coldwater scored 107 points, while Dowagiac finished seventh place with 100 points.
Battle Creek Lakeview was eighth (95.5), Portage Central ninth (86.5) and Battle Creek Central 10th (81).
Kalamazoo Loy Norrix was 11th (78.5), Sturgis 12th (76), Battle Creek Harper Creek 13th (76), Mattawan 14th (55), Marshall 15th (54) and Benton Harbor 16th (14).
Winning championships for the Lancers were Kyle Hammermeister (125), Tim Newman (135) and Josh Jackson (140).
In those three matches, the Lancers won head-to-head battles with Niles.
Finishing second for the Vikings were Andrew Karsten (125), Mason Stephenson (130) and Todd Scansen (140).
In the most anticipated match of the night, Kalamazoo Central's Craig Wimbley defeated Lakeshore's Matt Wittmann in the 171-pound finals, 5-3.
Dowagiac, which wrestled in its final Big 16 Conference tournament, had a tremendous final round as it won five out of six matches.
The Chieftains won five of its sixth matches for fifth place.
Finishing fifth for the Chieftains were Nate Long (130), Terry Prowoznik (135), Deshaun Baylock (145) and Drew Staley (189). Nathan Cottrell finished sixth (112).
Prowoznik, Baylock and Staley are all sophomores. Cottrell and Long are both juniors.
In the consolation finals, the Chieftains were 1-for-1 as senior Elijah Caldwell lost to Coldwater's Ricky Cole at 171-pounds, while senior Tony Stewart pinned Lakeshore's Kyle Burke in 1:47 at 275-pounds.
Taking third for Niles was Ben Brandstatter, who decisioned Dan Bills of Portage Northern, 8-6. Finishing fourth for the Vikings was Nate Allison (103).
Taking fifth were Bryce Flannnery (119) and Chad Nichols (275). Taking sixth were John Wregglesworth (145) and Jake Groves (160).
With the conference tournament behind them, Dowagiac and Niles will now set their sites on this week's district team and individual wrestling tournaments.
The Chieftains will meet Edwardsburg in the semifinals of the Division 3 district tournament on Wednesday at Buchanan.
The Vikings will wrestle on Thursday against Benton Harbor in the opening round.
Both matches begin at 6 p.m.
On Saturday, Dowagiac will travel to Coloma for the individual district tournament. Niles will travel to Vicksburg.
Big 16 Wrestling
at Coldwater
Team results
Lakeshore 186, Niles 157.5, Kalamazoo Central 138, Coldwater 107, Portage Northern 106, St. Joseph 105, Dowagiac 100, B.C. Lakeview 95.5, Portage Central 86.5, B.C. Central 81, Loy Norrix 78.5, Sturgis 76, B.C. Harper Creek 72.5, Mattawan 55, Marshall 54, Benton Harbor 14
Championship Finals
103: Branav Shah (SJ) p. Sam Stivers (KC) 3:53
112: Mark Harris (BL) d. Jake Glueckert (Ni) 9-5
119: Max Smith (St) d. Tim Palmer (LN) 7-2
125: Kyle Hammermeister (LS) p. Andrew Karsten (Ni) 1:25
130: Thomas Renner (C) d. Lawrence Calbert (LN) 14-9
135: Tim Newman (LS) d. Mason Stephenson (Ni) 3-2
140: Josh Jackson (LS) d. Todd Scansen (Ni) 4-3
145: Jared Nabors (KC) p. Mike Vogel (PC) 3:40
152: Reuben Morales (PC) d. Andrew Barlond (BC) 5-3
160: Blake Birmingham (BL) p. Adam McCormack (Mar) 1:24
171: Craig Wimbley (KC) d. Matt Wittmann (LS) 5-3
189: Mark Lockwood (SJ) d. Bo Arbanas (PC) 6-4
215: Collen Salada (BL) p. Devin Mills (LN) 5:27
275: John Barnett (C) p. Josh Drpooers (PN) 0:45
Consolation Finals
103: Erich Stuedemann (Mat) d. Nate Allison (Ni) 9-6
112: Sean Tomac (Mat) d. Sean Schmitt (LN) 6-3
119: Adam Wilson d. Elliot Lamson (Mat)
125: Zach Shehabi (HC) d. Revi Stave (PC) 6-3
130: Alex Bolt (LS) p. Aaron Brew (St) 4:20
135: Dave Loza (PN) d. Bryan Ammeson (SJ) 5-2
140: David Hanson (HC) d. Travis Everitt (KC) 8-7
145: Aaurice Ansley (Mar) de Eric Shirley (LS) 3-1
152: Ben Brandstatter (Ni) d. Dan Bills (PN) 8-6
160: Tyler Peebles (PN) p. Eric Gregorie (BC) 0:32
171: Ricky Cole (C) p. Elijah Caldwell (D) 1:31
189: Rey Cole (BC) d. Jake Rebone (St) 7-5
215: Logan Klug (SJ) won by default over Monteeze Johnson (BH)
275: Tony Steward (D) p. Kyle Burke (LS) 1:47