By By SCOTT NOVAK / Vigilant/Argus
The Hartford Indians and Coloma Comets are looking for their first ever playoff victories against Cassopolis and Edwardsburg Friday night.
Coloma (9-0) has never won a playoff game in three appearances, while the Hartford Indians (7-2) lost to Cassopolis in their only playoff meeting in 1992, 27-6.
Edwardsburg (7-2) is in the playoffs for the second straight year and the third time overall. The Eddies are 1-2 in the post season.
Cassopolis (5-4) was last in the playoffs in 1999, when it lost to perennial powerhouse Schoolcraft, 26-15.
The Rangers are 1-4 in playoff appearances.
The Eddies and Rangers took much different roads to the post season.
Edwardsburg won its final six games, qualifying one week before the end of the season with a 41-0 win over Bridgman.
The Rangers were upset by Buchanan Friday night, 42-14 and had to wait until Sunday night to learn they were one of 14 teams with 5-4 records to make it into the playoffs.
Regardless of how each team got there, both schools are preparing for a long run in the post season.
Both teams are looking to build upon the success they had in the regular season.
Neither team is looking past its first round opponent.
Hartford went 7-2 this season and outscored its opponents 246-137.
The Rangers were outscored in the regular season, 152-170, but don't let that fool you according to Ranger coach Pete Anderson.
Hartford is 7-9 in the post season, including a state championship in 1993 when it defeated Onsted, 43-14.
The Rangers are coming off a stunning loss to Buchanan Friday night, a loss that nearly ended its playoff aspirations.
Anderson knows that Hartford will be a challenge for his squad.
One of the best ways to stop that according to the Ranger coach is to keep the Indians' offense on the sidelines.
Cassopolis' defense has better than 10 interceptions this season and have returned several of those for touchdowns.
Edwardsburg has outscored its opponents 295-128 this season. The Eddies were defeated by Coloma earlier in the season, 46-32. The two teams combined for nearly 800 yards in total offense.
The Eddies defeated Napoleon last year 18-14 and the lost to Constantine, 42-14. Coloma lost 42-0 to Three Rivers in last year's playoffs.
Edwardsburg coach Kevin Bartz was unavailable for comment at press time.