SOUTH HAVEN — Austin Adams, who switched from quarterback to running back, made quite a debut for the Dowagiac Chieftains Friday night.

Adams rushed for 182 yards on just five carries and scored three touchdowns in the Chieftains’ 70-8 Wolverine Conference and season opener.

“Kids played very good football,” Dowagiac coach Mike Stanger said. “The ball bounced our way and we took advantage of it.”

Dowagiac left no doubt who the best team was Friday night as it scored 28 first quarter points and rolled to a 49-0 halftime advantage.

With a running clock in place for the entire second half, Dowagiac tacked on 21 points in the final two quarters, while the host Rams managed to avert the shutout with a score in the third quarter.

The Chieftains (1-0, 1-0 Wolverine) scored its first four touchdowns on running plays. It also added a defensive score and threw for a touchdown in the first half.

Anthony Nelson, who finished with 62 yards on six carries and two touchdowns, got Dowagiac on the board first with a 30-yard run.

Sophomore place kicker Brett Scanlon connected on the first of his 10 extra points and the Chieftains were off and running.

“I thought we played good football in all three phases of the game,” Stanger said. “Offensively we did a nice job and the defense played well. I thought we played really well on special teams.”

Also in the first quarter, Adams scored on runs of 75- and 26-yards, which sandwiched Nelson’s second touchdown jaunt of 4-yards.

Dontrell Tucker opened up the second quarter scoring with a 9-yard fumble recovery and return.

Mike Pranschke, who was 4-of-4 for 67 yards, connected with Troy Butcher for an 18-yard touchdown to make the score 42-0.

Pranschke’s 1-yard run completed the first half scoring.

In the third quarter, South Haven was able to finally crack the scoreboard as Josh Carter, who finished with 106 yards on 19 carries, scored from 5-yards out.

Adams added a 45-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and Steven Baylock scored from 23-yards out to make it 63-8.

Cody Carnell completed the scoring with a 10-yard run.

The Chieftains finished with 336 yards rushing and 403 in total offense.

On the defensive side of the football, Dowagiac picked off three passes as Troy Butcher, Ryne Lindsey and Grant Hatch all had interceptions.

Nelson led the team with 10 tackles. Hatch and Carnell both had nine tackles, while D.J. Hunt and Scanlon finished with eight and six tackles respectively.

“Defensively I thought we did a good job of controlling them and flying to the football,” Stanger said. “I thought our linebackers made the reads and did their thing.”

South Haven had 62 yards rushing and 44 yards through the air.

Scanlon also placed eight of his 10 kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks.

Dowagiac will open up the home portion of its 2010 season Thursday night by hosting defending Wolverine Conference champion Three Rivers at Chris Taylor-Alumni Field.

“Now we have to get better,” Stanger said. “We are going to have to improve and get better each week. We are only going to look at one game at a time. We want to be 1-0 every week.”

Dowagiac 28 21 14 7 – 70

South Haven 0 0 8 0 – 8

D – Anthony Nelson 30 run (Brett Scanlon kick)

D – Austin Adams 75 run (Scanlon kick)

D – Nelson 4 run (Scanlon kick)

D – Adams 26 run (Scanlon kick)

D – Dontrell Tucker 9 fumble return (Scanlon kick)

D – Troy Butcher 18 pass from Mike Pranschke (Scanlon kick)

D – Pranschke 1 run (Scanlon kick)

SH – Josh Carter 5 run (Lamont Dick pass from Willis Dotson)

D – Adams 45 run (Scanlon kick)

D – Steven Blaylock 22 run (Scanlon kick)

D – Cody Carnell 10 yard run (Scanlon kick)