Dowagiac’s Troy Butcher (3) looks for running room against Vicksburg on Friday night. (The Daily News/Ron Harner)

From staff reports

VICKSBURG — Missed opportunities came back to haunt the Dowagiac football team Friday night as host Vicksburg pulled out a 21-20 victory in the closing minute of the Wolverine Conference showdown.

Dowagiac (2-1, 2-1 Wolverine) outgained the Bulldogs (3-0, 3-0 Wolverine) 345-296, but turned the ball over three times, including a couple in the red zone.

“We didn’t capitalize on offense when we had the opportunities,” Dowagiac coach Mike Stanger said. “They opening drive of the third quarter we fumble. We let them back in the game. So it was frustrating from that standpoint.”

Vicksburg struck first on Friday night as Aaron McGuire scored on a 30-yard run, but after the kick failed, the Bulldogs led just 6-0.

Dowagiac was able to take a 7-6 lead before the opening quarter ended when Cody Carnell scampered in from 21-yards out and when Brett Scanlon connected on his extra point kick, the Chieftains held a one-point advantage.

Dowagiac would score 10 more points in the second quarter to open up a 17-6 lead, but Stanger felt the Chieftains should have had a 21-6 lead instead.

Austin Adams scored on a 45-yard run to make it 14-6 and when a drive bogged down in the later stages of the first half, Scanlon hit a 37-yard field goal to make it an 11-point advantage for Dowagiac.

“The effort was there, we just didn’t put them away,” Stanger said. “We have to get a little bit more consistent offensively.”

The Bulldogs were able to cut the lead to 17-12 just before halftime when Connor McCormick scored on a 5-yard run. Vicksburg’s attempted two-point conversion pass was incomplete and the half ended with the Bulldogs down just five.

After the Chieftains turned the ball open to start the third quarter, Vicksburg continued to build its momentum and Jesse Boulnemour’s 37-yard field goal made it a 17-15 game heading to the final quarter.

Scanlon picked up his second 37-yard field goal of the game to increase the lead to 20-15.

Dowagiac’s defense was called upon to hold the Bulldogs out of the end zone, but with a minute left in the contest, McCormick, the backup quarterback, found a streaking Kris Chesser for a 69-yard touchdown pass to put Vicksburg ahead 21-20.

The Bulldogs again went for two, but the pass failed.

“Defensively we didn’t want to give up any big plays and we gave up a couple,” Stanger said. “But we created a couple of turnovers and we forced some punts, but again it was a lack of consistency.”

Dowagiac was unable to muster a last-minute scoring drive and wound up on the wrong end of a one-point decision.

The Chieftains, who entertain Allegan on Friday night at Chris Taylor-Alumni field, finished with 209 yards on the ground and another 136 yards in passing as Mike Pranschke was 6-of-16 with two interceptions.

Austin Adams led Dowagiac with 119 yards and the touchdown. Troy Butcher finished with 61 yards on 14 carries and three receptions for 89 yards.

The Bulldogs finished with 172 yards rushing and 124 yards passing.

McCormick did most of the damage as he rushed for 119 yards and a score on 16 carries, while he was 4-of-6 passing for another 93 yards and a touchdown.

The game was a costly one as far as injuries go for the Chieftains, who have lost both Butcher and Grant Hatch for an undetermined amount of time. Both had to go to the hospital on Friday night.

“It was a good football game, but I don’t think we played nearly up to our potential,” Stanger said. “If we would have done some things to put them away early, I think it would have been a different outcome. It’s not like we have to fix a ton of things. We just need to protect the football better and we need to be more consistent on both sides of the ball.”

Dowagiac 7 10 0 3 – 20

Vicksburg 6 6 3 6 – 21

V – Aaron McGuire 30 run (kick failed)

D – Cody Carnell 21 run (Brett Scanlon kick)

D – Austin Adams 45 run (Scanlon kick)

D – Scanlon 37 field goal.

V – Conner McCormick 5 run (pass failed)

V – Jesse Boulnemour 37 field goal

D – Scanlon 37 field goal

V – Kris Chesser 69 pass from McCormick (pass failed)