By Andrew Johnson
LocalSportsJournal
MUSKEGON TOWSHIP – The Reeths-Puffer football team had two very close games in the opening weeks of the season, so the Rockets were more than happy to post an easy 56-16 victory over Grand Rapids Union on Friday in O-K Black Conference action.
Reeths-Puffer has now started with a 2-1 record for the fourth straight season, and Rocket head coach Kyle Jewett is hopeful his team is finding
its stride.
“I think that we’re still finding our way a little,” said Jewett. “But we’re a team that has a high ceiling and still has to get there.”
The Reeths-Puffer offense was in full throttle against Union, jumping out to a 21-0 lead after one quarter. Running back Nate McCrary found the end zone twice from seven yards out, while quarterback Blake Ross hit a streaking Tylor Skinner with an 18-yard touchdown pass to cap the first quarter.
In the second quarter, running back Brennan Johnson scored on a 10-yard touchdown run to give Puffer a 28-0 lead with 7:30 remaining in the first half. Running back Nicholas Dailey added a six-yard score to put the Rockets up 34-0 with 3:51 left.
The Rockets weren’t done. Johnson capped off the first half with a nine-yard touchdown run to give Reeths-Puffer a daunting 41-0 lead at the break.
After a Grand Rapids Union 50-yard touchdown pass from Datyn Lee to Marquell Ross in the third quarter, McCrary took the ensuing kickoff 80 yards to make the score 47-8.
Grand Rapids Union scored on the final play in the third quarter on a seven-yard run by Lee to make the score 47-16.
Dailey scored the lone touchdown of the fourth quarter on a 55-yard run.
McCrary finished with 127 yards rushing while Dailey totaled 130 yards for the Rockets.
“It felt really good to find the end zone and have fun with my team,” said McCrary. “We played as a focused unit and came out on top this week. It feels good starting 2-1. I can tell as a team that we’re getting stronger and learning from our mistakes.”
Jewett is aware that his team will have tougher tests as the season moves on, starting with a cross-town showdown with Mona Shores next week.
“We feel good about the win but we still have some work to do,” said Jewett. “Our offensive line is coming along each week and we have to feel good about that. I thought our defense was lights out tonight and everyone played together as a unit.”
