By By SCOTT NOVAK / Vigilant/Argus
Dowagiac Diamonds United advanced to the championship match of the Blossomland Soccer League with an upset of the top-seeded St. Joe Kickers Sunday afternoon in Arden.
Diamonds United edged the Kickers 3-2 to move on to the Cup Championship game scheduled for 4 p.m. at the St. Joe Kickers Club in Arden on Sunday.
The United (6-3) got a hat trick (three goals) from Octavio Hernandez to pull off the upset.
The Kickers (7-1-1) got their goals from Josh Saleeby and Nick Sherrill.
Also on Sunday, Whirlpool United advanced to the championship match with a 1-0 victory over P&R FC at Rockey Weed Field in Stevensville.
Mike Dalton scored the lone goal for Whirlpool United (7-1-1), which will face Dowagiac Diamonds United in the title match. P&R FC is now 5-4.
The Kickers will face P&R FC in the third and fourth place match on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Kicker's Club.
Athletic Jaier FC blanked the Mariners 6-0 at Lake Township Park in Bridgman.
Jaier (6-3) got a hat trick from Troy Sink, as well as goals by Mike Arnold and Nevin Schaller.
Athletic Jaier will face the Dowagiac Chiefs on Sunday at noon in the game for fifth and sixth place at the Kickers Club.
The Mariners (0-8-1) will take on the Tornadoes on Thursday at the Kickers Club in the seventh and eighth place match set to begin at 6:30 p.m.
On Saturday the Dowagiac Chiefs defeated the Tornadoes 8-4 at Ballard Elementary in Niles.
Brian Edgerly and Tony Black both had a hat trick to lead the Chiefs, who also got a pair of goals from Adam Hess.
Andy Low had a hat trick for the Tornadoes. Steve Cowling completed the scoring.
The Chiefs are 5-5, while the Tornadoes drop to 1-8-1.