Dowagiac celebrates its first district title since 2005 Wednesday night. (Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK)

It has been a decade since the Dowagiac wrestling team could call itself district champions.

But the Chieftains are just that after defeating Buchanan 54-21 in the Division 3 Team District title match Wednesday night.

Dowagiac reached the finals with a 44-31 win over Berrien Springs that was not as close as the final score indicates as the Chieftains forfeited the final two weight classes.

The Bucks, perennial district champions, rolled into the finals with a dominating 60-15 win over New Buffalo-Bridgman in the other semifinal.

Five years ago when Dowagiac coach Matt Alward took over the program, the Chieftains were coming off a dismal two-win season.

Although the building process has been a slow one, Alward believes the program is heading in the right direction and a district championship will keep the momentum rolling.

“We were down a little bit,” Alward recalled. “And we struggled in the beginning. That first year we had about nine kids who finished the season. One of my proudest accomplishments was getting these kids out. This year we have 25 kids who came out every single day and worked hard. We’ve built a nice little culture doing that. It’s attracted more kids.”

The turning point in Wednesday’s championship match came at 112-pounds when Gage Williams pinned Trevor Kline in 3:25. Jose Lopez backed that up with a pin of Caleb Kline in 3:38 to get the momentum solidly in Dowagiac’s favor.

“I was expecting a good match at 112,” Alward said. “Kline is not a bad wrestler. I was expecting it to go right down to the wire. For Gage to get a pin there was huge. You know as well as I do that once you get some momentum going … Jose has struggled at times for us. He’s a senior and a wonderful kid. I wish I had had him for four years. Once we had those two pins, I knew we were rolling and in pretty good shape.”

Veteran Buchanan coach Frank Mucha new his team had its hands full with the Chieftains.

“They were the better team tonight,” he said.

Dowagiac will not travel to the Otsego regional Wednesday were it will face Wolverine Conference foe and perennial state power Allegan in the semifinals.

The No. 8-ranked Tigers defeated Otsego 48-19.

Division 3 Team District

At Dowagiac

Championship Match

DOWAGIAC 54, BUCHANAN 21

103: Kody Walker (D) won by forfeit; 112: Gage Williams (D) p. Trevor Kline 3:25; 119: Jose Lopez (D) p. Caleb Kline 3:38; 125: Adam Eger (B) p. Kris Kenyan 3:59; 130: Shawn Sirk (D) p. Jarick Starnes :38; 135: Nate Ward (D) d. Hunter Kirk 11-8; 140: Nate Tackitt (D) p. Cam Griffin :46; 145: Aubrey Huston (D) p. Jordan Brown 4:56; 152: River Fox (B) p. Mason Hiler 3:05; 160: Scotty Hassle (D) p. Jacob Graham :41; 171: Tom Smith (D) d. Robert Becvar 3-2; 189: Wes Springer-Grounds (B) p. Troy Ring 5:12; 215: Eddie Washington (B) d. Rollie Lucio 7-2; 285: Tristan Howard (D) p. Max Carrigan 1:06

Semifinals

DOWAGIAC 44, BERRIEN SPRINGS 31

103: Justin Litaker (B) m.d. over Kody Walker 10-2; 112: Garret Cleveland (B) won by forfeit; 119: Gage Williams (D) p. Amos Leach :58; 125: Ramiro Williams (B) won by forfeit; 130: Shawn Sirk (D) t.f. over Juan Ibarra 15-0; 135: Terrence Crawford (B) won by forfeit; 140: Brian Engler (B) won by forfeit; 145: Kaleb Detwiler (D) won by forfeit; 152: Aubrey Huston (D) d. Alfred Banks 9-4; 160: Scotty Hassle (D) p. Daniel Huspen 2:30; 171: Johnie Boone (B) d. Tom Smith 8-2; 189: Troy King (D) p. Christian Merrow 1:28; 215: Rollie Lucio (D) p. Sebastian Warsop 2:27; 285: Tristan Howard (D) won by forfeit

BUCHANAN 60, NEW BUFFAL0-BRIDGMAN 15

103: double forfeit; 112: Rickie Williams (NB) p. Trevor Kline 5:53; 119: Caleb Kline (B) won by forfeit; 125: Adam Eger (B) p. Jonaton Goeta 1:55; 130: Jarick Starnes (B) won by forfeit; 135: Tom Sexton (NB) d. Hunter Kirk 13-9; 140: Dakota Gowan (B) p. Nick Scalf 3:35; 145: Jordan Brown (B) p. Pedro Hernandez 5:55; 152: Jacob Graham (B) p. Pat Butler 1:14; 160: River Fox (B) p. Jonah Bussa 1:53; 171: Robert Becvar (B) p. Jim Butler 5:43; 189: Wes Springer-Grounds (B) p. William Hatch 3:26; 215: Eddie Washington (B) won by forfeit; 285: James Morgan Thompson (NB) p. Max Carrigan :27