CONSTANTINE — Dowagiac went down scrapping in its final dual meet of the 2015-16 wrestling season.

The Chieftains (15-7) lost 42-33 to perennial powerhouse Constantine in the semifinals of the MHSAA Division 3 Constantine District Thursday.

“We still had two kids go out there and get pins. That’s important to still have that drive to win,” first-year Dowagiac coach Colin Burandt said. “They stayed in there and fought. “

In a match where competition began at 160 pounds, junior Michael Nuyen (pin at 160), freshman Jesse Edge (pin at 112), sophomore Gage Williams (decision at 119), junior Kaleb Detwiler (pin at 135), senior William Phillips (pin at 145) and senior Mason Hiler (pin at 152) were Dowagiac winners.

Hiler scrambled and earned a fall in the first minute of the final bout against the Falcons.

“Mason Hiler did an exceptional job tonight,” Burandt said. “He always keeps working. He never stops. He’s a machine out there. That’s the kind of work ethic I like to see in a wrestler.”

While he lost 10-4, Dowagiac 189-pound senior Seth Fear showed the kind of fight Burandt appreciates. He was down 8-0 when he scored a three-point near fall and it looked like he might even score the pin.

Constantine took eight matches, including four by pin.

“Clearly we got outwrestled. We had to stay off our back to win and that didn’t happen,” Burandt said. “I know (Constantine) is usually tough and they were tough today.”

Constantine went on to beat Coloma 60-24 for the district title and the right to compete Wednesday in the Coloma Team Regional.

The Chieftains will be back at Constantine Saturday for the individual district tournament.

 

Division 3 Team District

Semifinals

At Constantine

CONSTANTINE 42, DOWAGIAC 33

103: Devyn Begley (C) p. Kody Walker 1:40; 112: Jesse Edge (D) p. Kennedy Espinoza :12; 119: Gage Williams (D) d. Jack Jones 4-3; 125: Zach Harrison (C) d. Kris Wigent-Kenyan 8-1; 130: Corey Anthony (C) p. Patrick Sirk 1:20; 135: Kaleb Detwiler (D) p. Kamron Nusbaum 1:49; 140: Roy Solis (C) p. Nathan Tackitt 4:26; 145: William Phillips (D) p. Jon Carpenter 3:17; 152: Mason Hiler (D) p. Andrew Carper 1:01; 160: Michael Nuyen (D) p. Josh Waterman :49; 171: Daniel Waterman (C) p. Benjamin Herter 3:42; 189: Matt Morey (C) d. Seth Fear 10-4; 215: Caleb Bates (C) won by injury default over Caleb Murphy; 285: Tristian Butler (C) p. Derek Collett 1:11.