By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
For the first time since 2000, the Dowagiac varsity football team will compete in the post season.
The Chieftains capped off the regular season with a less than perfect 24-21 win over St. Joseph Friday night at Chris Taylor-Alumni Field.
Dowagiac, which won its first three games of the season, then lost its next three games before winning its final three games to become an automatic qualifier with a 6-3 record.
The Chieftains, who have now won more games this season than the previous two years combined, will face undefeated Paw Paw in the opening round of the Division 4 tournament (see related story this page).
Dowagiac used a combination of offense and defense which led them to two victories in their first three games - score late and let the defense come up with a big play.
St. Joseph, which had its first winless season since 1917, scored in the third quarter on a 20-yard Elliot Heiney run to take a 21-17 lead on the Chieftains.
Dowagiac (6-3, 3-1 Big 16 West Division) reclaimed the lead late in the third quarter on a seven-yard Jake Shelton run and then had to hold off the upset-minded Bears in the closing minutes of the game.
St. Joseph fumbled the ball while driving toward the Chieftains' goal line with less than two minutes to play.
The fumble was recovered by Nick File to secure the victory and a spot in the playoffs.
Dowagiac opened the scoring on a one-yard Shelton run and a Tony Black extra point kick.
Dowagiac appeared to be driving toward a second touchdown in the opening quarter when the Bears picked off a David Stuppy pass.
The Bears drove the ball to the tying score as Heiney scored on a 16-yard run to knot the game at 7-7 following Brett Virgil's extra point.
Jamie Simpson gave Dowagiac a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter as he scored on a 13-yard run and Black added the extra point.
The Chieftains upped their lead to 17-7 when Black connected on a 35-yard field goal in the second quarter.
St. Joseph showed that it was out to snap its winless streak late in the first half when Brad Pluto scored on a 15-yard run and Virgil hit the extra point to make it a 17-14 contest.
The third quarter went back and forth with both teams scoring and both teams committing mistakes which led to points.
In the fourth quarter neither team controlled the ball particularly well until St. Joseph went on its final march, only to be turned away again from victory by its own mistake.
The defense played well again for the Chieftains as it has much of this season.
File picked off a pair of passes for the second straight week and now has eight for the season.
Dowagiac finished the night with 305 yards in total offense led by Shelton who rushed for 125 yards on 23 carries.
Simpson added 97 yards on 13 totes.
St. Joseph (0-9, 0-4) finished with 251 yards in total offense led by Heiney who rushed for 176 yards on 23 carries.
St. Joseph 7 7 7 0 - 21
Dowagiac 14 3 7 0 - 24
D – Jake Shelton 1 run (Tony Black kick)
SJ – Elliot Heiney 16 run (Brett Virgil kick)
D – Jamie Simpson 13 run (Black kick)
D – Black 35 field goal
SJ – Brad Pluto 15 run (Virgil kick)
SJ – Heiney 20 run (Virgil kick)
D – Shelton 7 run (Black kick)
Record: Dowagiac 6-3, 3-1