A big play proved to be the difference in Three Rivers’ 22-19 Wolverine Conference win over host Dowagiac Friday night.

Bailey Miholer-Wortinger’s 63-yard fourth quarter touchdown reception from Zak Zagon gave the Wildcats the come-from-behind victory.

In what turned out to be a classic high school football game, Miholer-Wortinger caught Zagon’s pass about 10 yards down field and then weaved his way through the Dowagiac defense for what turned out to be the winning touchdown.

Dowagiac has taken a 19-14 lead earlier in the quarter when Brandon Hatch capped a lengthy drive with a 3-yard run.

The two fourth quarter touchdowns were the only points scored in the second half as defense dominated play throughout.

In a more offensive opening half, Dowagiac took the early 3-0 lead on Jorge Ruiz’s 30-yard field goal.

Three Rivers (2-2) took the ensuing kickoff and marched down the field, capping the drive with a Miholer-Wortinger 2-yard run.

The Chieftains (2-2) would reclaim the lead in the second quarter when Bryce Dodd scored from 10 yards out and gave Dowagiac the 10-7 advantage.

In the back-and-forth action, the Wildcats would use the feet of Zagon to find the end zone and take back the lead.

Zagon, who rushed for 79 yards on seven attempts, scored from 28-yards out to make it a 14-10 contest.

Not to be outdone, Dodd and fullback Rolly Lucio got Dowagiac back into scoring position on its final possession of the opening half.

The Chieftains would work their way down the field. Unfortunately the drive would stall and Dowagiac settled for a 23-yard Ruiz field goal, his third in two games.

“We have to trade the threes for sevens,” Dowagiac coach Mike Stanger said. “I thought we moved the ball between the 20s, but then we would sputter inside the 20. Don’t get me wrong, having Jorge is a huge weapon, but we settled for two threes instead of sevens and that was the difference.”

The closeness of the final score was a reflection of the statistics.

Although Dowagiac ran 22 more offensive plays (58-36), it only held a 244-209 advantage in total yards.

The Chieftains rushed for 155 yards and threw for 89 as Dodd was 6-of-12 and Hatch 1-for-1.

The Wildcats on the other hand, threw for 132 yards as Zagon was 7-of-14 with an interception.

Three Rivers ran for just 77 yards.

Dowagiac forced the game’s only turnover — a Devin Chapman interception.

The Chieftains will regroup before traveling to South Haven Friday night to open up their West Division schedule.

 

Three Rivers             7          7          0          8 — 22

Dowagiac                    3          10       0          6 — 19

D – Jorge Ruiz 30 field goal

TR – Bailey Miholer-Wortinger 2 run (Riley Siefert kick)

D – Bryce Dodd 10 run (Ruiz kick)

TR – Zak Zagon 28 run (Siefert kick)

D – Ruiz 23 field goal

D – Brandon Hatch 3 run (conversion failed)

TR – Miholer-Wortinger 63 pass from Zagon (2-point conversion)