By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
The kings of the Wolverine Conference welcomed Dowagiac's varsity wrestling team to the league Wednesday night.
The Chieftains were defeated soundly by No. 5 (Division 3) South Haven, 48-24, and by No. 1 (Division 2) Allegan, 55-12.
Allegan and South Haven were the top two teams in the league last year and according to veteran Dowagiac coach John Green, that isn't going to change this season.
Picking up victories for the Chieftains against South Haven were Andrew Roden (103), Nathan Cottrell (112), Richie Hutchinson (135), Drew Staley (215) and Robert Wescott (285).
Roden and Staley both earned pins for the Chieftains, while Cottrell won by forfeit.
Hutchinson and Wescott were winners by decision.
"The score with South Haven concerns me because we could see them in the regional," Green said. "If we can get people to the right weights, we can negate a couple of those pins. But we have to figure out a way to get into their strength. We have to wrestle them tougher."
South Haven recorded seven pins against the Chieftains.
In the Allegan match, Cottrell won by decision, while Hutchinson picked up a pin for his sixth straight victory.
Dowagiac's other victory came at 140-pounds where Nate Long won by decision.
"I looks like we took a beating," Green said of the outcome. "I told the kids this was all about character."
In junior varsity action, Mike McNeil and Sinjin Ownby were the lone winners for the Chieftains.