By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
BERRIEN SPRINGS – Unlike the first meeting between Dowagiac and No. 4 ranked South Haven earlier this season, the Chieftain varsity soccer team gave the Rams everything they had in the Division 3 District championship match on Saturday.
Dowagiac came out on the short end of a 4-2 score, but the Chieftains made South Haven earn its sixth straight district championship.
Dowagiac (11-8) scored first, led twice in the match and trailed just 3-2 until the closing minutes of the match at Berrien Springs High School.
The Chieftains grabbed an early 1-0 lead as Clay Hewitt scored just five minutes into the title match.
South Haven would tie the score at 1-1 when Tyler Hamlin scored a goal that bounced off a Dowagiac defender and past diving goalkeeper Art Springsteen.
The ball bounced the right way for the Chieftains eight minutes later as Ben Soto scored from approximately 45-yards out on a free kick after a South Haven foul.
The Rams' goalkeeper, Nick Thon, couldn't get to the ball while it was still in the air and which bounced over his head and into the goal to give the Chieftains a 2-1 lead.
Dowagiac appeared to be heading into halftime with a one-goal lead when a penalty kick was called for after a South Haven player was taken down in the box.
Larry Garcia blasted the ball past Springsteen to knot the match at 2-2 with just over five minutes remaining in the first half.
South Haven wasted little time taking the lead in the second half.
The Rams got a goal from Doug Raak just 8:40 into the second half to put South Haven ahead to stay, 3-2.
The match remained at a one-goal difference nearly the entire second half until Brendan Barnes scored on a corner kick with 1:50 remaining.
Playing against the wind in the second half, Dowagiac had a hard time pushing the ball up field against South Haven. The Chieftains also played most of the second half without Josh Deuel, who picked up his second yellow card of the contest and was sent to the sidelines permanently.
The Chieftains had just one real scoring opportunity in the final 40 minutes as Soto took a kick from Hewitt and put a shot on goal.
Thon was able to turn that shot away and the Chieftains' chances of an upset.
In what turned out to be a defensive struggle, due partly to high winds, which limited the teams each half, South Haven held a 7-4 advantage in shots on goal.
Thon made four stops, while Springsteen was credited with seven saves.
"It was a hard fought game," Dowagiac coach Mike Williams said. "We were able to go on top twice. We had two unlucky goals against us, one off a penalty kick and another off one our own players. We definitely gave South Haven a wakeup call. It hurt us when Deuel was give two yellow cards and only played half the game.
"The boys have improved throughout the year and have a lot to be proud of. The four seniors (Hewitt, Deuel, Nate Long and Matt Joanis) showed great leadership all the way to the end. I am very proud of our team and look forward to next season, we have a lot of boys coming back," Williams added.
South Haven (17-5-1) advances to the Otsego regional where it will face Grand Rapids South Christian. Regional play begins on Tuesday.
Due to the fact that the Rams could be playing in the regional championship match on Friday, the South Haven and Dowagiac football game will be played on Saturday night at 7 p.m. (see related story this page).
Dowagiac…2
South Haven…4
Halftime Score
South Haven 2, Dowagiac 2
First Half
D – Clay Hewitt 5th minute
SH – Tyler Hamlin 10th minute
D – Ben Soto 16th minute
SH – Larry Garcia (penalty kick) 34th minute
Second Half
SH – Doug Raak 47th minute
SH – Brendan Barnes 78th minute
Shots on Goal
South Haven 17, Dowagiac 9
Saves
South Haven 4 (Nick Thon)
Dowagiac 7 (Art Springsteen)
Records
South Haven 17-5-1, Dowagiac 11-8.