Rangers step closer to playoffs
Published 10:44 pm Thursday, October 20, 2011
The Cassopolis football team put itself in position to make the MHSAA playoffs Saturday by beating the Coloma Comets 28-6.
The game may have been delayed due to lightning Friday night, but the weather Saturday was perfect for football. However, there was still a storm brewing and in the second quarter it erupted.
The Rangers scored all of their 28 points in the second and held Coloma scoreless after their touchdown in the first quarter to procure the win (their third in a row) and ensured themselves a chance to play White Pigeon for a playoff berth next week.
The Cassopolis defense turned in a thunderous performance holding Coloma to just 20 yards rushing as well as giving up only 127 yards passing. They also forced two turnovers along the way.
While the defense provided the thunder for the Rangers’ perfect storm, offensively it was tailback Evan Brown who supplied the lightning.
Brown scored three of his teams four touchdowns and rushed for 150 yards on 23 carries. He scored on a pair of 5-yard runs and then took a punt 65 yards to the house to put his team up 21-6. The Rangers’ air attack showed that it could create sparks of its own when quarterback Dwayne Morgan connected with his younger brother Vashaun Morgan from 15 yards out. In all, the Cassopolis offense ran for 308 yards and passed for another 42.
Coloma was led by quarteback Andrew Steinhoff who completed 18 passes on 29 attempts for 127 yards and a touchdown. Saxton Gagliardo caught seven Steinhoff passes for 67 yards and a touchdown.
The Rangers will wrap up their regular season next week when they travel to take on White Pigeon in their finale. The game will start at 7 p.m.
Cassopolis 0 28 0 0 – 28
Coloma 6 0 0 0 – 6
CO – Andrew Steinhoff 6 yd pass to Saxton Gagliardo (kick failed)
C – Evan Brown 5 yd run (Kevin Hatcher kick)
C – Brown 5 yd run (Hatcher kick)
C – Brown 65 yd punt return (Hatcher Kick)
C – Dwayne Morgan 15 yd pass to VaShaun Morgan (Hatcher kick)