Brown TD puts Cass in playoffs

Published 8:31 pm Thursday, October 27, 2011

Evan Brown, seen here in action from earlier this year, scored a late touchdown Friday night to lift the Rangers to a 14-12 victory. (Cassopolis Vigilant photo/File)

WHITE PIGEON — Reaching the post season for the sixth straight year did not appear to be in the cards late in Friday night’s road game against White Pigeon for the Cassopolis football team.

But Evan Brown’s score in the closing moments of the contest rallied the Rangers to a 14-12 victory over the Chiefs and a spot in the playoffs.

Cassopolis (6-3) led 7-0 on a Jaylin Lawson 1-yard touchdown run in the opening quarter.

The score remained that way until the fourth when White Pigeon scored a pair of touchdowns to take a 12-7 lead.

Chas Rathburn cut the lead to 7-6 with a 15-yard scoring jaunt, but the Chiefs still trailed by a point following a failed 2-point conversion run.

White Pigeon (2-7) then took a 12-7 lead on a 4-yard run by Zach Gropp. Again the Chiefs went for two, but the pass failed and Cassopolis was a touchdown away from taking the lead.

As the time was ticking off the clock, Brown capped the winning touchdown drive with a 1-yard run. Blaise Suseland added his second extra point of the night and the Rangers were post season bound once again.

Cassopolis 7 0 0 7 – 14

White Pigeon 0 0 0 12 – 12

C  – Jaylin Lawson 1 run (Blaise Suseland kick)

WP – Chas Rathburn 15 run (run failed)

WP – Zach Gropp 4 run  (pass failed)

C – Evan Brown 1 run (Suseland kick)