DOWAGIAC — The Dowagiac cross country team has been struggling with numbers again this season.

The Chieftains did manage to pull together five runners when it hosted Sturgis in a Wolverine Conference dual meet at the Dowagiac Middle School on Tuesday.

While the team has lacked numbers, top runner Shawn Little, now a junior, has been enjoying another successful season.

Little easily bested the field on Tuesday as he posted a time of 16:53.

The Trojans defeated the Chieftains 20-43.

David Napier was 13th for the Chieftains with a time of 23:04, while Billy Leonard finished 16th with a time of 23:52.

The Dowagiac girls team had just two runners and were unable to post a score.

Riley Wimberly finished ninth with a time of 28:43.

Earlier this year, Little placed second behind Edwardsburg’s Jack Leman at the Paw Paw Harvest Festival Invitational.

Little ran a time of 17:38.

Little won the Shamrock Invitational in Berrien Springs with a time of 16:46 as well as winning the Fennville Invitational with a time of 16:48.

Dowagiac coach Dan VandenHeede is trying to get Little into some more invitationals to prepare him for the Wolverine Conference Championships and the MHSAA Division 2 regional later this season.

Little was hoping to get into the Michigan State Spartan Invitational today.