By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
For the first time since 2003, the Cassopolis varsity football team has qualified for the Michigan High School Athletic Association playoffs.
The Rangers capped off their first undefeated season since 1977 with a 48-12 win over visiting River Valley on Friday night. The win assured the Rangers of a home playoff game in the opening round.
The Rangers (9-0) will play host to Eau Claire (7-2) on Friday night at 7:30 p.m.
In the other half of the bracket, Centreville (7-2) will travel to Decatur (8-1).
The winners will advance to the district finals the following weekend at the site of the highest seeded team.
"At the beginning of the year our first goal was to win seven games and qualify for the playoffs," second-year Cassopolis coach Andy Hubbard said. Then we wanted to be in the conference race at the end of the year. We wanted to be one of the top one or three teams in the conference. We wanted to be one of the teams playing for the conference championship.
"This has been a surprise to me," Hubbard continued. "I thought we would have a good team. The biggest surprise has been the offensive line. They really have stepped up and done the job. Overall, our defense has really done a lot better job. Last year we gave up close to 20 points per game. This year it is down to around 13 points, so we have gotten much better on defense."
Hubbard said that his staff doesn't know a lot about Eau Claire, but he has seen them on film against Lakeland Conference foe Bridgman.
"I met their head coach a couple of years ago when I was applying for this job," Hubbard recalled. "They struggled over there last year, but those kind of things happen when you put in an entirely new system. They really have done a nice job of picking up the offense. I got to see them early in the year when they played Bridgman. They like to load up the box and bring it at you. We will have to adjust to that because we haven't seen that much this year."
The Rangers will go into Friday night's contest having outscored its opponents 381-121. Cassopolis is averaging 42.3 points per game on offense.
Freshman DaShaun Curtis leads the Rangers offensively with 1,459 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns. Curtis is averaging 14.2 yards per carry.
Cassopolis has good balance in its running game. The Rangers add to Curtis' totals 698 yards and 12 touchdowns from Larry Harris and 557 yards and six touchdowns from A.J. Ballard.
Quarterback Paul Curtis finished with 483 yards rushing and eight touchdowns this season. Curtis has thrown for 276 yards and two touchdowns. His favorite target is Jonathon Foster, who has eight receptions for 184 yards and two touchdowns.
"We brought him up to just play defense and now he doesn't play defense at all," Hubbard said of DaShaun Curtis. "For the most part we have two main tailbacks with DaShaun and Larry. They are within three or four carries of each other. It's nice to have the ability to put in an A.J. Ballard or a Terrance Moore. They both have done a nice job for us."
Moore has rushed for 270 yards on just 34 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns.
Defensively for the Rangers, John McCoy leads the team with 87 tackles and six sacks. John Wirick has 74 tackles and four sacks, while Zach Flora has 58 stops and four sacks.
Ballard leads the team in interceptions with four. Paul Curtis and Drew Warren have the other two interceptions for the Rangers.
Cassopolis has allowed its opponents just 118 yards per game on the ground and 70 yards per game through the air.
Hubbard said that it was nice to get a home game to begin the playoffs, but he wouldn't have minded being out on the road.
"I actually think we play better on the road," he said. "Last year we were 4-0 on the road. This year I thought two of our worst performances came at home. For us it was important to get a home game because it is important to this community. Home field advantage is good for the community and the kids."
The Rangers would have home field advantage right up through the semifinals if they continue to win each week.
Hubbard said the Cassopolis football program is headed in the right direction. He was pleased that his junior varsity squad was 7-2 on the year.
"Those kids down there did a great job," he said. "Hopefully they will be able to come in here next year and fill some of the holes we will have. I hope people realize that this is no fluke. Things are going to get better from here."
The Rangers went 1-1 in their last playoff appearance in 2003. Cassopolis defeated Hartford 22-19 in the first round before losing to Gobles in the district finals, 26-12.
Before that, Cassopolis reached the playoffs in 1999, losing to Schoolcraft, 26-15.