By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
For one quarter Friday night, the Dowagiac girls' varsity basketball team appeared to be ready to avenge an early season loss.
Then visiting Three Rivers seized control of the contest and went on to a 44-30 Wolverine Conference victory over the Chieftains.
Dowagiac grabbed a 10-7 lead after eight minutes of play, but was outscored 33-20 over the final three quarters.
The Chieftains (3-9, 3-7 Wolverine) were never really out of the game, but they couldn't keep up with the Lady Wildcats, who improved to 9-3 overall and 7-3 in conference play.
The pivotal quarter for Dowagiac was the second when it was held to just two points by Three Rivers, which tossed in 13 points to take a 20-12 halftime lead.
Dowagiac managed 11 points in the third quarter, but the Lady Wildcats scored 13 and the lead increased to 10 points, 33-23, heading into the final period.
Three Rivers' Kimmie VanShoick opened the quarter with a 3-pointer to make it 36-23.
Torie Lowe scored 16 seconds later to cut the lead to 11, but that would be as close as the Chieftains would get.
With 2:48 remaining in the contest and Dowagiac down 14, first-year coach Dick O'Day emptied his bench.
"I thought we played very hard last night and gave a great effort," O'Day said. "Three Rivers is a team averaging over 55 points per game and we held them to 44 points. We just couldn't seem to get our offensive effort on track."
Lowe finished with 12 points to lead the Chieftains, who also got five points from Britnee Allerton.
"Torie Lowe had a hard night. I thought she got fouled quite a bit in the act of shooting but the refs saw it differently and they were 'no calls.'" O'Day said. "I thought Three Rivers played great defense on us overall. Their help-side defense covered our cuts to the basket along with stepping up on all pick and rolls and they challenged most of our shots that just wouldn't drop for us."
VanSchoick and Carly Cottingham both scored 17 points for the Lady Wildscats, while Perri Weiderman added six.
Dowagiac will hit the road on Thursday night as it travels to Vicksburg for another Wolverine Conference clash.
The Dowagiac freshmen girls' basketball team slipped past Three Rivers on Friday night, 31-23.
Jacoya Brookins poured in a game-high 20 points to lead the Chieftains.
Dowagiac also got six points from Regina Kennedy and five points form Carly Polomcak.
The Dowagiac junior varsity squad was not as fortunate as the Lady Wildcats posted a 51-26 win.
Correshia Rodgers had 11 points, while Keslie Primley and Roberta Payne both finished with five points.
THREE RIVERS 44
Carley Cottingham 8 1-2 17; Kimmie VanSchoick 5 4-5 17; Perri Weiderman 2 2-5 6; Amy Newell 2 0-0 4; Holly Stuut 0 0-0 0; Rachel Plankenhorn 0 0-0 0; Karle Bre 0 0-0 0; Bryanna Kutz 0 0-0 0. Totals: 17 7-13 44
DOWAGIAC 30
Torie Lowe 5 2-2 12; Kaisha Martin 4 1-1 9; Britnee Allerton 2 1-1 5; Kayleigh Hutchings 1 0-0 2; Marcie Ennesser 1 0-0 2; Tasia Diaz 0 0-0 0; Katie Wood 0 0-0 0; Cierra Mattix 0 0-0 0; Andrea Bradshaw 0 0-0 0; Brittany Gantz 0 0-0 0; Tori Shank 0 0-0 0; Leana Allen 0 0-0 0; Cassie Stone 0 0-0 0; Joanna Pickar 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13 4-7 30
Three Rivers 7 20 33 44
Dowagiac 10 12 23 30
3-point goals: Three Rivers 3 (VanSchoick 3). Total fouls (fouled out): Three Rivers 10, Dowagiac 17. Varsity records: Three Rivers 9-3, 7-3 Wolverine; Dowagiac 3-9, 3-7 Wolverine