OTSEGO — Rolly Lucio’s 2-yard run with 9:43 remaining Friday night lifted the Dowagiac football team to a 24-20 come-from-behind Wolverine Conference victory.

The win improved the Chieftains to 2-1 on the season.

Dowagiac scored first as quarterback Bryce Dodd found the end zone from 16-yards out for the only score of the opening quarter.

Otsego tied the score at 7-7 on a 7-yard run by Kyle Kanwischer, but the Chieftains responded and reclaimed the lead on a 2-yard run by Ronnie Payne.

With the momentum shifting back and forth in the quarter, Otsego reclaimed the lead on a 10-yard pass from Maxx Jirgens to A.J. Atwater as the Bulldogs tied the game at 14-14 with three minutes remaining in the first half.

Dowagiac took the ensuing kickoff and drove down the field and attempted its first field goal attempt of the season with 43 second left in the half.

Jorge Ruiz, who is a member of the Dowagiac soccer team, connected on his first career attempt, this one from 23 yards to give the Chieftains a 17-14 halftime advantage.

Neither team was able to find the end one in the third quarter, but just five seconds into the fourth, Atwater scored again, this time on a 3-yard run to give the lead back to Otsego, 20-17.

Dowagiac took the kickoff and drove down the field on what turned out to be the winning touchdown drive.

Rolly Lucio capped the scoring drive with a 2-yard run with 9:43 left in the game.

Dodd was 5-of-11 for 144 yards, while he added 34 yards on seven carries with the one touchdown.

Payne finished the night with 130 yards on 13 carries and one catch for 49 yards. Lucio had 46 yards on nine carries.

Jirgens was 13-of-21 for 114 yards to lead the Bulldogs offensively.

 

Dowagiac        7          10       0          7 — 24

Otsego             0          14       0          6 — 20

D – Bryce Dodd 16 run (Jorge Ruiz)

O – Kyle Kanwischer 7 run (kick good)

D – Ronnie Payne 2 run (Ruiz kick)

O – A.J. Atwater 10 pass from Maxx Jirgens (kick good)

D – Ruiz 23 field goal

O – Atwater 3 run (kick blocked)

D – Rolly Lucio 2 run (Ruiz kick)