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CITY, N.D. (NewsDaktoa.com) With a playoff spot on the line for both teams, the Central Cass Squirrels rallied from a ten point deficit to knock off the Hi-liners 40-32 on Friday night at Hannah Field.

The loss prevents the Hi-Liners from earning a playoff berth, while the Squirrels will move on to play the top seed in the west in next weeks 2A quarterfinals.

The Hi-liners found the end zone first when Jared Lentz hit Ben Baasch on a 28 yard pass. However, the Hi-Liners fans would only be able to celebrate for 15 seconds. On the ensuing kick off, Central Cass’s Noah Knutson went 92 yards to pull the Squirrels to with in one. 

Valley would post the next score when Nate Rodriguez hustled into the end zone on a short run. After being stopped on the two yard line on their next possession, defensive lineman Jordan Magnuson tackled Knutson in the back field on a bubble screen giving the Hi-Liners two points on a safety.

Trailing by 10 the Squirrels fought their way back to with in two with just 34 seconds remaining in the first half when Grady Bresnahan found Jacob Roesler on a 29 yard touchdown pass.

After getting the ball to start the second half, the Squirrels would once again find their way into the end zone on a 3 yard run by Bresnahan.

The two teams continued to trade scores until the Hi-Liners failed to answer Knutson’s second kick return of the night. 

Trailing by eight with just over a minute to go, the Hi-Liners had once last chance to try and even up the score. However, their drive would end at the 50 yard line, when Valley City failed to convert on a fourth down conversion.

With the ball in their hands and just second remaining. The Squirrels knelled their way into the playoffs.

Scoring:

VCHS     14    2      8        8     32    

CCHS      6      6     14     14     40

1st:

VCHS: Lentz 28 yard pass to Baasch – EP (Harrison Hammel)

CCHS: Knutson 92 yard kick return – 2pt (no good)

VCHS: Rodriguez 4 yard run – EP (Hammel)

2nd:

VCHS: Safty (Magnuson)

CCHS: Bresnahan 29 yard pass to Jacob Roesler – 2pt (no good)

3rd:

CCHS: Bresnahan 3 yard run – 2pt Bresnahan pass to Adam Breske

VCHS: Eli Allen 4 yard run – 2pt (Allen)

CCHS: Knutson 9 yard run – 2pt (no good)

4th:

VCHS: Lentz 17 yard pass to Baasch – 2pt (Baasch)

CCHS: Knutson 85 yard kick return – 2pt (no good)

CCHS: Bresnahan 39 yard pass to Knutson – 2pt (Bresnahan pass to Roesler)