By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
MARSHALL - Michigan's No. 3-ranked team, the Marshall Redhawks, preyed on Dowagiac Friday night, handing the previously unbeaten 3-0 Chieftains their first loss, 37-0.
Senior Zack Norris, who gained 81 yards on 13 carries, set the tone the opening play, scampering 14 yards for a first down before David Sayre dragged him down.
Marshall drew first blood with 8:10 left in the first quarter on a five-yard run by senior Isaac Loughridge. The point-after failed, putting Marshall up 6-0 over No. 10 Dowagiac (3-1).
The Chieftain defense, led by Kyle Bailey with 19 tackles on the night and Brandon Simmons with 17, closed out the quarter with that margin, however.
With 6:57 remaining in the second quarter, Marshall notched a 36-yard touchdown on a reverse, with junior Ryan Sharpley connecting on the throw, then catching the two-point conversion to stake the Redhawks to a 14-0 lead.
David Boehmer booted a 37-yard field goal with 49 seconds to go in the half, sending Marshall to the lockerroom up by 17 at the midway point.
Junior quarterback Alec Hakes, who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 185 pounds, completed 10 of 19 passes for 129 aerial yards.
Senior Dan Nielsen caught two passes for 68 yards, including a TD.
Junior Kevin Pickleman also gathered in a touchdown toss with his five receptions for 55 yards in the Redhawks' balanced attack.
Marshall also has a formidable defense, and the Chieftains aren't the only team that knows it.
The Redhawks (4-0), who take on the Trojans in Sturgis Friday, blanked Loy Norrix by an almost identical score of 36-0, pummeled Mattawan 42-7 and dropped Battle Creek Central 35-14.
A fumbled punt return by Dowagiac's Jordan Eby led to Marshall padding its lead to 23-0. Gannon Switzer recovered the ball on Marshall's 22. Loughridge was stacked up by Anthony Stewart, bringing up second and eight from the 20. The pass was complete, but fumbled, except Marshall fell on the pigskin in the end zone. Another point-after kick failed with 3:02 left in the third quarter.
When the Redhawks kicked off to Dowagiac, Russell Sizemore returned the ball 11 yards to the 29. Chieftain Quarterback David Stuppy passed wide of Sayre, bringing up second and 10.
Stuppy was knocked down as he threw to Christopher Primley and called for intentional grounding and a loss of down, which drew a chorus of boos from the orange side.
Marshall led 23-0 after three quarters, but with third and goal, Norris found the end zone again on the first play of the final quarter and Boehmer's kick was good, making it Marshall 30-0.
Marshall wasn't through yet, however, picking off a pass Stuppy intended for Primley to get the ball back on the Dowagiac 47. Hakes connected with Nielsen on a 35-yard reception down to the 12.
Junior Jake Crull cut to the right. On third and five, Simmons dropped Hakes for a five-yard loss with 8:39 to play. On fourth down, Marshall's field goal try failed, but a personal foul called on the Chieftains gave the Redhawks first and 10 on the six - half the distance to the goal.
Hakes' first pass, intended for senior Jordan Dryer, fell incomplete.
On Marshall's second play, a pitch wide to the left, another flag flew, but this time it was holding on the home team, setting up second and 16, a time out and the clock showing 7:50.
A short pass to Crull missed, but on third down the quarterback found Chad Kalkowski. Marshall went for it on fourth and six and scored its final touchdown. The PAT was good, reaching the final score with seven minutes remaining.
Dowagiac took over on its last possession from its own 25 with 6:08 showing. Sizemore gave the Chieftains a first down on second-and-12. Primley hauled in a pass for another first down.
After a pause for the injured Luke Glaser to leave the field, Stuppy was driven out of bounds. Porous pass protection kept the senior quarterback and punter scrambling all night.
Early in the first quarter he was sacked for losses of 11 and seven.
Dowagiac will entertain arch rival Lakeshore for the final time on Friday night.
Friday is also homecoming for the Chieftains. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.