The fourth and final round of the wrestling saga between Niles and Lakeshore could be written tonight.

That is if the Lancers can get past Wolverine Conference champion Edwardsburg, and Niles can defeat St. Joseph in the semifinals at 5:30 p.m. today.

“The Lancers and Eddies both will come down to match ups and bonus points,” Niles coach Todd Hesson said. “We gave up four pins in our last dual. We cannot have that. We have talked the last two weeks about doing your job, which in some cases their job is to stay off their back.”

Niles, the SMAC championship for the fourth straight season, have an easier road to the Division 2 team district championship match at Edwardsburg High School.

The Vikings are facing an undermanned Bears squad that it defeated 70-9 last month.

Lakeshore, on the other hand, will have to contend with an Eddies team that is bound and determined to upset the apple cart and stake their own claim on a team championship.

The Eddies and Lancers have only met at a pair of individual tournaments — The Southwest Michigan Classic in Allegan back in December and the Greater Berrien County Invitational just three weeks ago.

Lakeshore won the county meet, while Niles was second and Edwardsburg third.

In head-to-head matches, Edwardsburg went 2-3 against the Vikings and Lancers.

“To beat Lakeshore we will have to do a good job of minimizing their bonus points in the spots they are strong and maximize the bonus points where we are strong,” said Jesse Becraft, who was named Wolverine Conference Coach of the Year. “There are swing matches that I feel that we need to win through the middle of the lineups where the kids seem to be pretty evenly matched.

“If we get by them then it will be another tough task with Niles. It will take the same things against them as it will against the Landers. Bonus points are huge for all the teams Wednesday. I would say we are the underdogs but if we wrestle how we are capable we have a good shot to advance.”

The Vikings are 2-1 against the Lancers this season as they won their SMAC West dual 32-30 last Wednesday and won the league tournament over Lakeshore on Saturday.

Lakeshore’s lone win came at the county meet where it snapped Niles’ four-year reign.

“Edwardsburg is every bit as good as we our and they match up well with Lakeshore,” Hesson said. “It will be an interesting dual. We will wrestle our starters against St Joe. I think getting a match in before finals is important. It gives kids a chance to shake off the on site weigh in and gets them going for the finals.”

 

Division 4 at Eau Claire

Brandywine and Cassopolis will meet in the semifinals of the Division 4 team district tournament at Eau Claire High School tonight. Wrestling is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.

Eau Claire and River Valley will compete in the other semifinal.

The championship match is scheduled for 10 minutes after the completion of the last semifinal.

Admission is $5 per person and no passes will be accepted.