By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
The memories of a 49-15 loss at the hands of Paw Paw in the opening round of the Michigan High School Association playoffs were erased on Friday night at Chris Taylor-Alumni Field.
Dowagiac rolled up 43 points in the first half and settled for a 43-12 win over Paw Paw in the regular season finale for both schools.
"I thought the kids played their best first half of the year," Dowagiac coach Mike Stanger said. "It was encouraging to see that. We actually thought Paw Paw was going to give us a little different look defensively. But our kids executed really well. They were fired up. They were ready to play and it showed."
The Chieftains (7-2) advanced to the MHSAA playoffs, while Paw Paw (5-4) misses qualifying for the post season by one game.
Dowagiac let it all hang out in the first half, but pulled in the reigns in the second half and played mainly backups.
Junior running back Jamie Simpson eclipsed the 1,000 yard rushing mark with 90 stripes on just six carries. Simpson scored three touchdowns, including a 44-yard scamper in the second quarter.
The Chieftains finished with 227 yards rushing, including 118 in the opening quarter when they scored three times.
Senior Mike Laylin got the Chieftains on the scoreboard first after the Dowagiac defense stuffed the Redskins' first possession.
Laylin scored on a 28-yard run and Kyle Prak added the first of five extra points.
Simpson made it 13-0 after a Paw Paw turnover on a 6-yard run.
Simpson continued the offensive onslaught with a 26-yard touchdown run that capped the first quarter scoring for the Chieftains with 2:55 still to play in the period.
Senior Jake Shelton got into the act just seven seconds into the second quarter as he capped another short Dowagiac drive with a 1-yard run.
Dowagiac's defense continued to shut down the Redskins, who came into the game averaging more than 16 points per game.
Paw Paw was forced to punt deep in its own end with just over nine minutes to play. The snap sailed on Redskins punter Matt Frownfelter, who gathered it up and ran out of the back of the end zone for a Chieftain safety.
Leading 29-0, senior quarterback Nick File, who intercepted three passes on the night, called his own number with 4:28 to play in the first half and scored from 1-yard out.
Dowagiac then completed the scoring with a 44-yard Simpson touchdown run with 2:30 to go in the opening half.
The Chieftain defense gave up just two yards rushing in the first half on 19 Paw Paw attempts.
Dowagiac did not move the ball very well in the second half, managing just 57 yards in total offense. The Chieftains also turned the ball over once, which led to Paw Paw's first touchdown. Dowagiac fumbled the ball three more times in the second half, but was able to recover all three.
Following the Chieftains' only turnover of the contest, Paw Paw's Alex Buskirk hauled in a 5-yard pass from Frownfelter for a touchdown. Chad Williams also caught a touchdown pass from Frownfelter, this one from 19-yards out.
Dowagiac blocked both extra point kicks.
Besides Simpson's total, Dowagiac got 53 yards on three carries from Laylin and 32 yards on six carries from senior Tim Bartee. Shelton finished with 21 yards on five carries.
File was 2-for-4 in the passing department for 41 yards.
Files' three interceptions, which ties the school record, raised his career total to a school best 18.
"The defense really flew around," Stanger said. "They set the tempo for us early on. They chose to take the ball after winning the coin toss, which I thought was interesting. I guess they felt they could move the ball on us. We told the guys they were trying to send a message that they could move the ball on us. But we forced a three and out and that really set the tone."
Dowagiac will travel to Three Rivers on Friday night for the opening round of the playoffs (see related story above).
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Paw Paw 0 0 6 6 – 12
Dowagiac 20 23 0 0 – 43
D – Mike Laylin 28 run (Kyle Prak kick)
D – Jamie Simpson 6 run (kick failed)
D – Simpson 26 run (Prak kick)
D – Jake Shelton 1 run (Prak kick)
D – safety bad snap
D – Nick File 4 run (Prak kick)
D – Simpson 44 run (Prak kick)
PP – Alex Buskirk 5 pass from Matt Frownfelter (kick blocked)
PP – Chad Williams 19 pass from Frownfelter (kick blocked)