By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
For only the third time in school history, the Cassopolis varsity football team is 9-0.
The Rangers (7-0 LAC) capped off a magical season with a 48-12 victory over visiting River Valley Friday night in the regular season finale.
Cassopolis, outright winners of the Lakeland Conference championship, will now host Eau Claire in the opening round of the Michigan High School Athletic Association playoffs.
Cassopolis last won an outright conference title in 1981. The Rangers shared the 1990 title with then conference foes Lakeshore and Dowagiac.
The last time the Rangers finished with an unblemished record was 1977. Members of that team were on hand for Friday night's contest.
The Rangers scored early and often against the Mustangs.
Cassopolis had four first quarter touchdowns as it grabbed a 28-6 lead after one period.
John McCoy, Terence Moore and Dashaun Curtis scored for the Rangers in the opening 12 minutes.
McCoy scored on a 1-yard run, while Moore found paydirt from 33-yards out.
Curtis scored on runs of 49- and 54-yards. Alex Olaffson connected on all four extra point kicks.
The Mustangs' touchdown was sandwiched between the four Cassopolis scores.
Josh Rothrock raced 70-yards to the end zone to cut the Rangers' lead to 14-6. Cassopolis blocked the extra point kick.
A pair of second quarter touchdowns gave Cassopolis a 42-6 lead at halftime.
Larry Harris and Mike DeGragg got into the act with touchdown runs of 36- and 4-yards respectively. Olaffson was good on both extra point kicks.
The Rangers completed their scoring in the third quarter when A.J. Ballard scored on a 59-yard run.
River Valley was able to score another touchdown in the final 12 minutes as Nate Swords scored on a 16-yard pass from Ryan Narregan. The Mustangs' extra point run failed.
Cassopolis finished with 511 yards rushing on 44 carries (11.6 yards per carry). The Rangers attempted just one pass in the contest.
Curtis finished with 119 yards on just three carries. Harris added 125 yards on seven carries, while Ballard finished with 124 yards on nine totes.
Curtis now has more than 1,400 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns.
The Ranger defense continued to play well, limiting the Mustangs to just 98 yards rushing and 70 yards passing. River Valley was 6-of-22 through the air.
River Valley 6 0 0 6 – 12
Cassopolis 28 14 6 0 – 48
C – John McCoy 1 run (Alex Olaffson kick)
C – Terence Moore 33 run (Olaffson kick)
RV – Josh Rothrock 70 run (kick blocked)
C – Dashaun Curtis 49 run (Olaffson kick)
C – D. Curtis 54 run (Olaffson kick)
C – Larry Harris 36 run (Olaffson kick)
C – Mike DeGraff 4 run (Olaffson kick)
C – A.J. Ballard 59 run (kick failed)
RV – Nate Swords 16 pass from Ryan Narregan (run failed)