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NILES — The Niles boys soccer team was on a mission Saturday.

The Vikings beat Buchanan 3-1 to win their second straight VanDenBerg Invitational championship at Niles High School. Niles blanked Cassopolis 8-0 to advance to the title game while Buchanan edged rival Brandywine 2-1 in a 4-3 shootout. Niles has won 12 of the last 13 VanDenBerg Invitational titles.

Niles led the championship game 2-0 at halftime with goals from Gavyn Luke and Owen Podlin. The Bucks got on the scoreboard with a Mason Frontczak goal before Podlin found the back of the net again for Niles.

Charley Cowart made three saves in net for Buchanan.

“The boys have done an outstanding job buying into the changes we have made in the first week of the season,” Ryan Hayes said. “With seven players returning (two seniors) from last year and eight freshmen, we have an excellent opportunity to build a foundation for the future. I am thrilled with how we played today, even though we fell short in the championship.”

Mason Frontczak scored Buchanan’s lone regulation goal in the semifinal with Josue Segundo scoring for Brandywine. In Niles’ win over Cassopolis, Josh McIntyre, Bradyn Maples and Podlin scored two goals apiece while Beau Kirkdoll and Juan Campos each added one goal. Michael Matlock added two assists.

“I was very happy with the way we started out,” said Niles head coach Scott Riggenbach after the Cassopolis win. “We’re moving the ball. Cassopolis was really pushing and I liked the way we were moving the ball. We started the season thinking we want to get out early, get things going and we did exactly that. I was satisfied with the way the boys played.”