There is a fine line between being 2-2 and 3-1.

The Dowagiac football team found out that line is about six yards wide.

Berrien Springs was six yards away from sending the Chieftains to their second straight defeat when a defensive play by Zach Williams kept the game within striking distance at 15-12.

Dowagiac’s offense then struck with a 94-yard touchdown pass that lifted the Chieftains to an 18-12 victory in their first Wolverine Conference West Division game of the season.

That left Dowagiac with all of its goals for this season still intact.

“We can still win the division and we can still make the playoffs,” Dowagiac coach Mike Stanger said following the game. “We still can reach all of our goals. But we have a lot of work to do yet.”

Most of that work is on the offensive side of the football and on special teams.

Despite ending up with 309 yards in total offense, the Chieftains have struggled to move the football, especially on the ground.

Friday night against the Shamrocks, Dowagiac was able to throw for 188 yards as quarterback Austin Broda had his best game of the season going 7-of-16 with a touchdown.

The ground attack managed just 121 yards with Chase Camp being the leading rusher with only 51 yards on four carries.

The kicking game continues to be a concern. Dowagiac did not connect on a single extra point, either by kicking or the 2-point conversion.

If they are going to contend for a third consecutive championship, the Chieftains must find a way to play better on special teams.

Coloma comes to Chris Taylor-Alumni Field on homecoming night with a 1-3 record.

The Comets’ lone victory of the season so far was a 21-10 victory over winless Allegan in Week 2.

Coloma has allowed more than 40 points in all three losses, including a 45-0 defeat at the hands of Plainwell the opening week of the season.

The Comets lost to Three Rivers last week, 49-6.

Friday night’s game with Coloma and the following week’s road game against winless South Haven are key to setting up the Chieftains’ drive for another championship.

After the Comets and Rams, Dowagiac will face Three Rivers, Edwardsburg and Otsego in the final three weeks of the regular season.

Kickoff for Friday night’s game is set for 7 p.m. The homecoming parade will begin at the high school at 5:30 p.m.