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PARCHMENT — For the first time since 2019, the Dowagiac football team has won three consecutive games.

The Chieftains improved to 3-1 on the year as they rallied from a first-quarter deficit to defeat the No. 6-ranked and previously undefeated Panthers 39-14.

Since dropping its season-opener to South Haven, in which it lost a fourth-quarter lead, Dowagiac has rolled off three consecutive victories, outscoring its opponents 127-40. Since Week six of the 2022 season, the Chieftains are 5-3.

Parchment (3-1) broke off a big play in the opening quarter to take am 8-0 lead on the Chieftains. The play covered 60 yards.

Dowagiac cut the Panthers’ lead to 8-6 on an 11-yard Kaleb Smith touchdown run. The extra point attempt failed.

In the second quarter, the Chieftains scored a pair of touchdowns to open up a 20-8 halftime advantage.

Lamone Moore Jr. scored both touchdowns on runs of 2- and 23-yards. Dowagiac was 1-of-1 on the 2-point conversions.

Moore Jr. would score three times in the second half to end the night with four touchdowns and 216 yards rushing on 15 carries. He also caught a pair of passes for an additional 16 yards.

Moore Jr. scored on a 79-yard run in the third quarter and a 5-yard run in the fourth quarter. Jacob Rial connected on both extra point kicks.

In between, Parchment scored on a 3-yard run to cut the Dowagiac lead to 27-14. The Chieftains took a 33-14 lead into the final 12 minutes of the contest.

Dowagiac quarterback Isaiah Fitchett capped the scoring with an 18-yard pass to Joshua Winchester-Jones. The 2-point conversion attempt failed. Fitchett was 3-of-4 for 56 yards through the air.

The Chieftains finished the night with three running backs eclipsing the 100-yard mark. Smith ran for 119 yards on nine carries and Justin Bannow added 112 yards on 18 totes.

Dowagiac returns to Chris Taylor-Alumni Field Friday night when it hosts Benton Harbor for its homecoming game. The Tigers are 2-2 after a 34-27 Lakeland Conference victory over Buchanan.