By By SCOTT NOVAK / Vigilant/Argus
SCHOOLCRAFT - The Cassopolis Rangers ran out of gas in the fourth quarter Friday night against perennial powerhouse Schoolcraft in a 36-21 season-opening loss.
The Rangers, (0-1) led 14-12 in the third quarter of the non-conference contest before the Eagles (1-0) seized control.
After the Rangers had taken the lead, Schoolcraft scored three consecutive touchdowns to make it 28-12.
The Rangers came back in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 28-21 on a Justin Lee one-yard run and a Ashton Danzy point-after-touchdown (PAT).
Schoolcraft salted the game away with a 16-yard pass to Spencer Kennedy from Jake Manning. Kennedy and Manning then hooked up on the two-point conversion to complete the scoring.
The Eagles opened the scoring in the first quarter with a Tom Anderson one-yard run.
The PAT kick failed, however, and Schoolcraft had to settle for a 6-0 lead.
Cassopolis tied the score at 6-6 in the first quarter on a 75-yard E.J. Harris run. The Rangers also failed on the PAT attempt.
Cassopolis grabbed a 14-6 lead on an 81-yard Harris run. This time Ashton Danzy carried for the two-point conversion.
Schoolcraft cut the Rangers' advantage to two-points as Anderson scored on a three-yard run.
Once again the PAT attempt failed.
The Eagles took a 20-14 lead late in the third quarter as Heath Leach scored on a five-yard run and then scored the two-point conversion.
Casey Young extended Schoolcraft's lead to 28-14 when he hauled in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Manning.
Jon Penhorwood caught the two-point conversion pass to give the Eagles a 16-point advantage.
The Rangers drove down the field on their next possession and cut the lead tonight points on Lee's quarterback keeper.
The Rangers face another stiff challenge this week as they host Gobles tonight at 7:30.
The Tigers eliminated the Rangers from the playoffs last season after losing to Cassopolis in the second game of the 2003 season.
Cassopolis 6 8 0 7 - 21
Schoolcraft 6 6 8 16 - 36
S – Tom Anderson 1-yard run
C – E.J. Harris 75-yard run
C – Harris 81-yard run (Ashton Danzy run)
S – Anderson 3-yard run
S – Heath Leach 5-yard run (Leach run)
C – Justin Lee 1-yard run (Danzy kick)
S – Spencer Kennedy 14-yard pass from Jake Manning (Kennedy pass from Manning)
Edwardsburg vs.
Constantine
CONSTANTINE - Derek Eden scored a pair of touchdowns for the Eddies Friday night but it wasn't enough in a 61-14 loss to powerhouse Constantine in the season opener for both schools.
Constantine rolled up 572 yards rushing against the Eddies, who were limited to 92 yards rushing and 92 yards passing.
Constantine scored 21 points in the first and third quarters and 13 points in the second quarter.
Jim Schragg opened the scoring for the Falcons with a 42-yard run. Rusty Linton added the PAT to make it 7-0.
Edwardsburg (0-1) stormed right back, scoring on a 13-yard run by Eden. David Daniels added the PAT to tie the score at 7-7.
It was all Constantine (1-0) from there as the Falcons scored four straight touchdowns to break open the contest.
Jim Schragg scored on a 77-yard run, while Mike Schragg added a two-yard run.
After the kick failed on the Jim Schragg touchdown, Aaron Baker hit Sean Wolf with the two-point conversion pass to make it a 21-7 contest.
Baker added a four-yard run before Brad Smagala scored on a one-yard run to extend the Falcons' lead to 34-7 as Linton hit one of two PATs.
Edwardsburg completed its scoring in the third quarter when Eden scored on a 87-yard kickoff return. Daniels added the extra point to make it 34-14.
Any thoughts of a comeback were quickly squashed as Mike Schragg scored on an eight-yard run and Smagala scored from three-yards out.
Jim Schragg tallied again, this time from 32-yards out before Travis Denman completed the scoring with a 36-yard run.
Linton kicked PATs after the first three touchdowns. There was no attempt following the fourth Constantine touchdown.
Jim Schragg rushed for 216 yards to lead the Falcons, while Mike Schragg added 174 yards rushing.
Eden led Edwardsburg with 47 yards rushing on nine carries. He left the game in the third quarter after taking a helmet to the knee that was surgically repaired over the summer.
He did not return to the game.
Edwardsburg hopes to get into the win column on Friday night as it hosts Parchment at 7:30.
Edwardsburg 7 0 7 0 - 14
Constantine 21 13 21 6 - 61
C – Jim Schragg 42-yard run (Rusty Linton kick)
E – Derek Eden 13-yard run (David Daniels kick)
C – Jim Schragg 77-yard run
C – Mike Schragg 2-yard run (Aaron Baker pass to Sean Wolf)
C – Baker 4-yard run
C – Brad Smagala 1-yard run (Linton kick)
E – Eden 87-yard kickoff return (Daniels kick)
C – Mike Schragg 8-yard run (Linton kick)
C – Smagala 3-yard run (Linton kick)
C – Jim Schragg 32-yard run (Linton kick)
C – Travis Denman 36-yard run (no kick attempted)