By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
The Dowagiac girls' varsity soccer team will not have much experience when it opens its season on April 9.
The Chieftains will start only one senior and have just two listed on the 2007 roster.
"We are a young, but improving team," Dowagiac coach Mike Williams said. "We start only one senior and feel that this year will be a great year of growth for us. We have eight varsity players returning and feel that they will contribute to that growth."
Back for Williams, who is in his fifth year, are senior goalkeeper Amber Clark, juniors Kassie Leitz, Stephanie Barnas and Katie Kowalski. Also returning are sophomores Alex Dean, Jenna Mitchell, Emily Primley and Mara Lawrence.
Hoping to help the Chieftains this season are newcomers Becca Mattix, Heather O'Neil, Christy Stanton, Ami Sarao, Michelle Stelmasiak, Morgan Tanzillo and Karlee Rife.
Dowagiac was 4-12-1 last season and 1-3 in its final year in the Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference (Big 16).
The Chieftains join the Wolverine Conference this season. The league may be tougher than the Big 16, top to bottom, but Williams is ready to get started.
"We are excited about joining the Wolverine Conference and look forward to the tough competition," he said.
Dowagiac will host Brandywine in its season opener on April 9.
The Chieftains and Bobcats were originally supposed to play on Monday, but the match was moved to give the field more time to firm up.
The match is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. There will be no junior varsity match.
Dowagiac will open up Wolverine Conference play at South Haven on Wednesday, April 11. The JV will play at 5 p.m. and the varsity at 6:45.