By SCOTT NOVAK
Dowagiac Daily News

More than once Friday night the Dowagiac girls’ basketball team had a chance to break open a close game and didn’t get the job done.

Missed shots, missed free throws, turnovers and an interesting lineup to start the second quarter all played a part in the Chieftains’ 50-45 Wolverine Conference loss to visiting Vicksburg.

The loss was the fifth straight for Dowagiac, which opened up the season 2-0.

The win lifted the Lady Bulldogs to 4-5 on the season and 3-4 in conference action.

Dowagiac played well in the opening quarter and looked to be in command heading into the second period with a 14-8 lead.

But Chieftains coach Dick O’Day put leading scorer Torie Lowe and starters Britnee Allerton and Marcie Ennesser on the bench to open the second quarter.

Vicksburg quickly erased the six-point deficit and the rest of the game was a battle.
Dowagiac and the Lady Bulldogs ended up knotted at 21 heading to the locker rooms at the break.

In the second half, the Chieftains managed to grab a one-point lead heading into the final stanza (33-32), but were outscored by Vicksburg 18-12.

Dowagiac missed some easy shots in the second half that didn’t help its situation, turned the ball over a couple of times in crucial situations and committed just enough fouls to allow the Lady Bulldogs to go 6-of-8 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter to hold on for the victory.

Kristen Kuhlman scored half of her 10 points in that pivotal final period, while Kelly Duke also had five points in the frame to aid in the comeback effort.

Kuhlman and Kelsey Sandahl each had 10 points for Vicksburg, while Duke and Meg McGuire each finished with nine.
Dowagiac senior Torie Lowe led all scorers with 23 points. The Chieftains also had Correshia Rodgers with eight points, Kaisha Martin with six and Allerton with five.
Free throws were also a key in the contest as Dowagiac went 10-of-21 from the line, while Vicksburg was 8-of-13.

VICKSBURG 50
Kelly Duke 3 2-3 9; Tara Gloystein 3 2-6 8; Kelsey Sandahl 4 2-2 10; Mia Mutch 2 0-0 4; Kristen Kuhlman 3 2-2 10; Sam Perrin 0 0-0 0; Meg McGuire 4 0-0 9; Jessie Van Perrin 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 19 8-13 50
DOWAGIAC 45
Cierra Mattix Perrin 0 0-0 0; Correshia Rodgers 2 4-8 8; Marcie Ennesser 1 0-0 2; Torie Lowe 8 4-5 23; Kaisha Martin 3 0-4 6; Andrea Bradshaw Perrin 0 0-0 0; Britnee Allerton 2 1-2 5; Breneesha Jones 0 1-2 1; Bobbie Payne Perrin 0 0-0 0; Cassie Stone Perrin 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 16 10-21 45

Vicksburg 8 21 32 50
Dowagiac 14 21 33 45
3-point baskets: Vicksburg 4 (Kuhlman 2, McGuire, Duke), Dowagiac 3 (Lowe 3). Total fouls: Dowagiac 17, Vicksburg 14. Fouled out: None. Varsity records: Vicksburg 4-5, 3-4 Wolverine; Dowagiac 2-5, 2-5 Wolverine

Dowagiac…39
Niles…48
NILES – Through the first three quarters of play Saturday night, the host Niles girls’ basketball team was in charge of its non-conference game against Dowagiac.

But in the fourth quarter, when both teams emptied their benches, something unusual happened.

The Chieftains (2-6) were able to score 21 points and forced the Vikings to put their starters back into the game.

With both starting units back on the floor, Niles was able to hold off Dowagiac 48-39.
“It’s a funny thing,” Niles coach Patrick Touhey related following the game. “Their coach came down and said he was going to empty his bench. I told him I would do the same.”

Up until the final quarter, the Vikings (7-3) were able to control the game.

Niles led 12-8 after one quarter and 24-13 at the intermission.

But despite the 11-point advantage, the Vikings were struggling shooting the basketball and Dowagiac still felt like it was in the game.

But after being outscored 9-5 in the third quarter, the Chieftains found themselves down 33-18.

Then the rally started.

Dowagiac chipped away at the Niles advantage. The Vikings were able to get to the free throw line, but shooting 15-of-27 from the stripe for the game didn’t allow them to seal the deal.

The Chieftains closed the gap slowly but surely and got it down to nine points in the closing moments.

But Dowagiac was unable to get any closer despite the shooting woes of the Vikings.
Jenna Grannell was able to overpower the Chieftains inside and finished with a game-high 13 points and eight rebounds.

Niles also got 12 points and eighth rebounds from Nichole Sly and nine points and eight rebounds off the bench from Gabby Ezell.

The Vikings also limited Dowagiac’s leading scorer Torie Lowe to 10 points.

Kaisha Martin added eight and both Correshia Rodgers and Marcie Ennesser finished with seven.

DOWAGIAC 39
Cierra Mattix 1 0-0 3; Correshia Rodgers 2 3-7 7; Marcie Ennesser 2 3-3 7; Torie Lowe 3 2-2 10; Kaisha Martin 3 2-4 8; Andrea Bradshaw 0 0-0 0; Krista Green 0 0-0 0; Britnee Allerton 2 0-0 4; Breneeshia Jones 2 0-0 4; Cassie Stones 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 13 10-20 39
NILES 48
Savanna Wolnik 1 0-2 2; Alex McIntee 0 0-0 0; Brittany Buti 0 0-0 0; Gabby Ezell 3 3-6 9; Maureen Craig 1 3-5 6; Nichole Sly 4 4-6 12; Whitney Ellis 0 0-0 0; Taylor Glick 2 0-0 6; Jenna Grannell 4 5-8 13. TOTALS: 15 15-27 48

Dowagiac 8 13 18 39
Niles 12 24 33 48
3-point goals: Dowagiac 3 (Lowe 2, Mattix), Niles 3 (Craig, Glick 2). Total fouls: Niles 19, Dowagiac 22. Fouled out: Sly (N). Varsity records: Dowagiac 2-6, Niles 7-3