By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
Competing won't be enough for the Dowagiac girls' varsity basketball team this season.
Under second year head coach Greg Blomgren, the goal is to win basketball games. The Chieftains, who were 7-15 last season, will switch from the Big 16 Conference to the Wolverine Conference this season.
"The conference changes our whole perspective," Blomgren said. "There were times last year, with both the boys and girls programs, that we were playing just to compete. Not that we weren't trying to win, but realistically, there where nights we were just happy to compete. The Wolverine Conference gives us a chance to go into games thinking that we can win. That is going to be true across the board in all sports."
One of the reasons for the shift in focus is that the Chieftains return a host of talented players, including all of its leading scorers.
Back for the Chieftains are senior Holly Lowe and juniors Katy Stuppy and Christy Cooper.
Stuppy led the team in scoring at 19.8 points per game. She also set numerous school records for a single season and earned All-State status.
Also back is Lowe, who averaged 10.6 points per game and is Dowagiac's all-time leading three-point shooter, Lowe has made 112 treys in her three-year varsity career.
Last year she canned 60 three-pointers, five behind Stuppy.
Cooper averaged 6.5 points per game in 2005.
Also returning are seniors Sarah Ausra, Katie Roach and Amber Clark. Juniors Beth Williams and Sada Nealey also saw time on the varsity level, as well as playing for the junior varsity.
Freshman Torie Lowe and juniors Lindsey Truitt and Jaskarin Kaur complete the roster.
Dowagiac will have to count on its quickness and the play of its guards to help overcome a lack of height.
"We are as fast or quicker than any team we will play this year," Blomgren said. "That is definitely one of our strengths. We are a solid perimeter shooting team. We will be able to get up and down the floor and play pressure defense."
A lack of height will make it a challenge for the Chieftains to play post defense and rebound the ball at the defensive end of the floor. Offensive rebounds will not be a problem since Dowagiac shoots the ball a lot from the perimeter and can use its quickness on long rebounds.
"Size will definitely be a factor for us," he said.
Gull Lake is the defending league champion. Gull Lake went 14-0 in conference play and was 24-2 overall. Comstock finished second in the league with an 11-3 record. The Lady Colts were 16-6 on the year.
Rounding out the order of finish were Otsego (10-4), Three Rivers (8-6), Plainwell (5-9), South Haven (4-10), Vicksburg (4-10) and Allegan (0-14).
Three Rivers returns the most players this season and is considered among the league favorites, along with Gull Lake and Otsego.
Dowagiac kicks off its season against an old foe on Tuesday night when it hosts Niles in a tripleheader beginning at 4:15 p.m. with the freshman contest.
The junior varsity game is slated to begin at 5:30, with the varsity game scheduled for 7:15 p.m.