SHULLSBURG – The Cassville varsity football team may not have gotten off to a great start in last Saturday’s Six Rivers conference football game at Shullsburg, but the important thing is that they finished strong to pick up a 48-47 victory over the host Miners.

With the win, coach Doug Fure’s squad earned a spot in the WIAA playoffs, improving to 4-3 in conference play and 5-3 overall.

The Comets will travel to Benton this Friday night to close out the regular season, but regardless of the outcome will live to play again.

Last Saturday’s game at Shullsburg had the emotions and determination of a playoff game, as the Comets fell behind early, but came all the way back to snatch up a victory in the final seconds.

On their first four possessions in Saturday’s game, Cassville turned the ball over to the Miners, two times on fumbles, and two on interceptions.

Shullsburg was all too happy to take advantage of the Comet’s miscues, as they jumped out to a 27-0 lead midway through the second quarter.

Cassville then got things moving, and scored three straight touchdowns to end the first half, capitalizing on two Shullsburg turnovers.

Senior running back Codi Schwab scored two times in the second quarter on TD runs of one and 38 yards.

Fellow senior running back Cole Adams scored the team’s other touchdown in the second quarter, scoring on a nine-yard run and adding a pair of two-point conversion runs.

At the half, Shullsburg’s lead was a mere 27-22.

Cassville came out in the third quarter ant put together a three-play drive that covered 60 yards, ending on a 54-yard TD run by Adams.

The two-point conversion failed, but the Comets had already taken their first lead of the game at 28-27.

Cassville’s lead was short-lived though, as the ensuing kick to the Miners was then run back for a touchdown by Nate Houtakker, and the two-point run made it 35-28 in favor of the Miners.

After turning the ball over on downs, Cassville gave up a 65-yard passing score, which gave the Miners a 41-28 lead midway through the third quarter.

On the ensuing kick off though, Cassville’s Dallas Esser raced 82-yards for a touchdown, and Luca Floehr made the extra-point kick, getting the Comets back into the game at 41-35.

Before the third quarter came to an end, Cassville quarterback Hunter Nix scored on a 42-yard TD run, capping off a 3-play drive that covered 45 yards.

After three exciting quarters of action both teams were knotted at 41-41 going into the final 12 minutes of action.

Shullsburg struck first in the fourth quarter, capping off an eight-play, 56-yard scoring drive with an 18-yard TD pass from Brett Matye to Brock Knautz. Shullsburg’s two-point conversion run failed, leaving the score 47-41 in favor of the Miners.

On Cassville’s next possession, they turned the ball over on downs after a nine-play drive that covered 41 yards.

Shullsburg though was unable to do anything on their next possession, as they too turned the ball over on downs after running 11 plays that covered 40 yards.

Taking over at their own 34-yard line, Cassville put together a three-play scoring drive that included a 47-yard pass play from Nix to Dallas Esser.

With 1:26 to play in the game, Codi Schwab scored from 15-yards out, tying the game at 47-47. The extra-point kick by Floehr gave the Comets a 48-47 lead.

The game ended with an interception, as Nix picked off Matye with 40 seconds to play. Shullsburg had one timeout to use, while the Comets took a couple of knees to close out the game.

The Comets finished with a whopping 386 yards rushing on 52 attempts.

The duo rushing threat of Cole Adams and Cody Schwab accounted for 287 yards and five touchdowns, Adams rushing for 162 yards and two TDs on 20 carries, and Schwab for 125 yards and three TDs on 19 carries.

Through the air, Nix completed 3-of-8 passing attempts for 91 yards, and was picked off twice.

Dallas Esser was the team’s top receiver with one catch for 47 yards, while Dylan Ganahl-Johll had one grab for 25 yards, and James Haas one catch for 20 yards.

Defensively for the Comets, Caleb Dahse had a team-high 11 tackles, while James Haas and Cole Adams each had 10. Adams also had the team’s only sack.

Cassville 48, Shullsburg 47
(from Saturday, Oct. 12)
Cassville    0    22    19    7 - 48
Shullsburg    15    12    14    6 - 47
First quarter
S - Bradley Sigwarth, 8-yard run (Brock Knautz pass from Noah Wand)
S - Brett Matye, 1-yard run (Matye kick)
Second quarter
S - Brant Gille, 14-yard pass from Matye (kick failed)
S - Sigwarth, 79-yard interception return (run failed)
C - Codi Schwab, 1-yard run (Cole Adams run)
C - Schwab, 38-yard run (Cole Adams run)
C - Adams, 9-yard run (pass failed)
Third quarter
C - Adams, 54-yard run (run failed)
S - Nate Houtakker, 85-yard kick return (Sidwarth run)
S - Knautz, 65-yard pass from Matye (run failed)
C - Dallas Esser, 82-yard kick return (Luca Floehr kick)
C - Hunter Nix, 42-yard run (kick failed)
Fourth quarter
S - Knautz, 18-yard pass from Matye (run failed)
C - Schwab, 15-yard run (Floehr kick)
Team statistics
First downs - C 22, S 14. Rushing - C 52-386, S 40-179. Passing yards - C 91, S 179. Passes - C 3-8-2, S 10-18-2. Fumbles-lost - C 4-2, S 3-1. Penalties-yards - C , S .
Rushing leaders
C: Cole Adams 20-162, Codi Schwab 19-125. S: Ben Sigwarth 15-121.
Passing leaders
C: Hunter Nix 3-8-2, 91. S: Brett Matye 9-17-2, 179.
Receiving leaders
C: Dallas Esser 1-47, Dylan Ganahl-Johll 1-25, James Haas 1-20. S: Brock Knautz 7-162.