After a one-year hiatus from the MHSAA state playoffs the Cassopolis Rangers’ will return to the big dance for the first time under the helm of second-year coach Dan Purlee.

The Rangers (6-3) have essentially been playing playoff football for a month as a 22-21 loss to Bridgman on Oct 4 forced Cass to have to run the table (which included a huge win over the previously unbeaten Brandywine Bobcats) to claim eligibility for the tournament.

“It’s been a roller-coaster type of season. We started out the season 1-2 and really got behind the 8-ball there early on. After that tough loss against Bridgman, things weren’t looking too good,” Purlee said. “So, to go through all of that and still achieve our number one goal of attaining a playoff berth is something pretty special.”

With Cass’ strength of schedule and the layout of its district division in general, the Rangers were able to secure their bracket’s top seeding and will host the 7-2 Lake Michigan Catholic Lakers on Friday night.

The Lakers didn’t quite have the up-and-down season that their opponents did; but they did have a tumultuous stretch at the end of the season where they went 1-2 over the course of their final three games. Both of LMC’s losses (Brandywine and New Buffalo) came to opponents whom Cass defeated soundly.

Though his team is going into Friday night’s game with all the pressure and expectations of being a top-seed, as well as having to deal with all the hoopla that comes with qualifying for the playoffs, Purlee said that he does not expect his team’s composure to waiver at any point.

“We’ve got a group of low-key guys who have worked very hard to get where they are; I wouldn’t think that much of anything would distract them from achieving the goals they’ve set for themselves. We respect LMC, they run the ball really well and they have the ability to do things in the passing game too; but we aren’t going to change anything about our team. We are going to do what we always do.”