The push for the postseason began in earnest for the Dowagiac football team at Chris Taylor-Alumni Field Friday night.

While it was not a perfect performance, the Chieftains’ 40-18 win over Sturgis squared their season record at 3-3.

A loss would have all but eliminated Dowagiac from a spot in the playoffs.

The Chieftains came out with a sense of urgency and jumped on top of the Trojans early, as they scored a pair of first-quarter touchdowns.

When Sturgis (2-4) cut the lead to 12-6, Dowagiac responded with 28 straight points to build up a 40-6 lead heading into the final quarter.

Jamin Hunt scored three touchdowns, including an 84-yard kickoff return, while Caleb Murphy scored twice for the Chieftains.

Murphy’s two-yard run opened the scoring, while Hunt added a 2-yard run in the first quarter, as Dowagiac opened up a 12-point lead after 12 minutes of play.

Hunt’s kickoff return made it 20-6.Murphy scored on a 15-yard run, and Chieftain quarterback Brenden Dudley capped the first half with a nine-yard run to make it 34-6.

Dowagiac’s only second-half score came on a Hunt 28-yard run.

Sturgis scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns on a 77-yard run by Maxwell Altimus and a 6-yard pass from Avery Cleveland to Brian Jordan.

Despite the lopsided score, the statistics for the two teams were nearly even.

Dowagiac held a slim 268 to 263 advantage in total yardage.

The Chieftains ran for 200 yards, led by Duan Simpson’s 67 yards on 15 carries, while Hunt finished with 52 yards on nine carries.

Dudley was 6 of 10 for 68 yards.

The Trojans were much more balanced, with 163 yards rushing and 100 yards passing.

Cleveland was 5 of 13 for 100 yards, while Altimus rushed for 107 yards on 11 carries.

The Chieftains head back on the road as they continue their quest for an automatic playoff bid at Otsego.

Dowagiac must win its remaining three games, beginning with the Bulldogs.

The final two contests are at South Haven Oct. 13 and home against Paw Paw Oct. 20.