DOWAGIAC — Two teams with totally different records have more in common than one would think.

The No. 13-ranked Dowagiac soccer team is 7-1 following its 8-0 victory over Brandywine Tuesday night. The Bobcats are 1-6.

So, what do they have in common?

Both teams are young and have been using these early-season soccer matches to build team unity and for coaches to mix and match lineups to see what they may have as non-league games turn into conference or division matches, and eventually begin to play in the postseason a month from now.

Dowagiac has been scoring at an incredible clip this season. The Chieftains have scored eight or more goals in their last four matches. Dowagiac has been able to do that because it can spread the ball around to any number of goal-scorers.

“We have a lot of offensive players that have the ability to score, which allows me to mix up the offense into different lineups,” said Dowagiac coach Mike Williams. “The last eight games allowed us to get the younger players comfortable in their different positions, and it allowed our veteran players a chance to get used to a new lineup. We still have plenty of work to do to be prepared for conference play.”

On Tuesday night against the Bobcats, Noah Green scored three goals, while Matt Mosier, Henry Weller, Cristian Wilson and Isaac Saavedra also found the back of the net.

Brandywine has been struggling to score goals this season, but coach Dan Perry, like Williams, is hoping his young team, which has just two seniors, will learn from these early matches.

“We played better against Dowagiac than last year, but needed to be more aggressive to ball and win position more confidence and commitment,” he said.

The Chieftains, who host their invitational on Saturday, outshot Brandywine 17-2.

Dowagiac will face Bangor in the opening round of the tournament at 9 a.m. The Chieftains will then take on Lawton at approximately 10:30 a.m. and Cassopolis at noon.

Brandywine was right back on the pitch Wednesday as it hosted Berrien Springs.