By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
The Dowagiac Middle School seventh grade football teams split a pair of games with Benton Harbor Hull and Fairplain on Wednesday.
The Orange team defeated Benton Harbor Hull 7-6, while the Black team dropped an 8-0 decision to Fairplain.
Zac Hyatt scored Dowagiac's only touchdown on an end run. Cody Carnell kicked the game-winning extra point for the Orange squad.
Benton Harbor scored late on a punt return against the Black team, which had a game-tying touchdown called back by a penalty.
Playing well for the seventh grade, which ended its season at 3-3, were Hyatt, Austin Adams, Armapal Sarao, Tyler Mihm and Oliver Montes.
Rocket football
The Dowagiac Major II Rocket Football team improved to 6-0 on the year with a 40-6 victory over Covert.
Marcus Smith scored on a 20-yard run to open the scoring for Dowagiac, which also got a two-point conversion from Austin Henry.
Dontel Highsmith returned a kickoff for a touchdown, while Smith scored the two-point conversion.
Highsmith also scored on a 50-yard punt return with Lucas Wolff scoring the conversion. Sam Courtney scored on a 35-yard pass from Smith, while Highsmith completed the scoring with a 30-yard end sweep. Smith and Eric Charles scored the two-point conversions.
The Dowagiac Minor Division 3 team improved to 4-1 on the year with a 33-6 win over St. Joseph.
Dylan Payne rushed for 130 yards on five carries, including an 80-yard touchdown run.
Kyle Frese added 102 yards on six totes and a touchdown, while Taylor Panczak rushed for 65 yards on four carries and a touchdown.
Panczak also had a 70-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Dowagiac was led defensively by Sawyer Brown, A.J. Smith, Katie Brooks, Tyler Wesendorf, J.J. Weber, Devon Chapman, Daquan Brooks, Trenton Lesniak, Andrew Wild, Darren Murray and Aaron Adams.