VICKSBURG — When the Wolverine Conference decided to split into a pair of divisions for girls golf this season, Dowagiac coach Bob Turner and his team were waiting for a chance to be the first champion.

The Chieftains locked up that championship by winning the Vicksburg jamboree at the States Golf Course Tuesday afternoon.

Dowagiac shot 175 to finish 17 strokes better than runner-up Sturgis, which finished with a 192. The Trojans finished three points behind Dowagiac in the final division standings.

Turner said that splitting the league into divisions helped the Chieftains win the title, but it was more than that.

“Well, part of the difference is that we only have five teams per jamboree, but we were only under 200 once or twice last year,” he said. “This year, everyone has brought their scores down. Our girls are more confident, they know they can shoot well instead of just hoping they shoot well.”

That confidence paid off with four players earning all-division honors.

The Chieftains’ Rebecca Franklin captured the South Division medalist title as she shot 40 on Tuesday to take the jamboree medalist and to finish one stroke ahead of Sturgis’ Carli Sanford for the overall medalist crown.

Also earning first-team all-division were Chieftains Greta Whitaker and Calley Ruff. The two-shot 43 and 42 respectively on Tuesday. Ruff topped her personal best by six strokes.

Lynsie Stolpe earned honorable mention all-division.

Three Rivers finished third, Edwardsburg fourth and Vicksburg fifth. The Eddies, in their first season of girls golf, had finished fifth in the previous jamborees.

Sarah Casey, of Edwardsburg, cracked the individual top 10 as she finished with a 51.

Dowagiac now sets its sights on winning the Wolverine Conference championship at the league tournament, which was hosted by Allegan Wednesday at Cheshire Hills.

“Like I said earlier, our focus now is getting ready for the conference championship and then regionals,” Turner said.

Dowagiac has made a few adjustments to its schedule. The Chieftains will host Edwardsburg in a non-conference match at Indian Lake Hills Golf Course on Monday before traveling to Benton Harbor to take on Michigan Lutheran at Blossom Trails on Sept. 26.

The Point O’Woods Invitational that the Chieftains were scheduled to play in on Sept. 30 has been canceled.