By Ron Rop
LocalSportsJournal.com
MUSKEGON – The Reeths-Puffer Rockets had a rather emotional evening at Rocket Stadium on Friday night.
First off, the seniors were honored prior to the game for their hard work and dedication to the football program.
Photo/Joe Lane
Then, the seniors, and their teammates, capped off the regular season with their first-ever victory over the Zeeland West Dux, 14-12.
The result leaves the Rockets with a 7-2 record, a playoff berth, and the possibility of hosting a playoff game next weekend.
“Our message this week was ‘kill the beast’ and it had nothing to do with Zeeland West,” said Rocket coach Cody Kater. “It had everything to do with there’s this beast lurking around in our hallways, in our program and other programs just the way they talk, like we can’t do things like this. And, all the boys executed well enough to win.
“It was a rather weird first quarter for the Rockets, which ran just one play on offense in the first 12 minutes of the game.
That’s because the Dux took the opening kickoff, drove 76 yards on 11 plays and ate up 8:45 of the opening quarter. The 2-point conversion failed.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Dux blasted a low line drive that hit a Rocket and the live ball was recovered by Zeeland West’s Keaton Hendricks on the Rocket 46.
Ten plays later, the Rocket defense held the Dux on a fourth down from the 14-yard line.
“That fourth down stop was huge,” Kater said. “We had a lot of confidence in our defense the last few weeks. We usually don’t play slow so that was odd for us.”
Photo/Joe Lane
One play into the Rockets’ drive, the clock hit 0:00. But, Reeths-Puffer wasn’t done. With a strong running game, led by senior Brody Johnson, the Rockets marched down the field, but after 16 plays, the drive came to a halt on the Dux 8.
“I personally think our defense played amazing,” said Johnson, who scored both Rocket touchdowns. “The wing-t and you know they try to run the clock and play it slow, our defense came up in moments when we needed them.”
The Rockets’ defense held and forced a punt, which gave Puffer the ball on the Dux 37. Five plays later, quarterback Antrel Jones was spot-on with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Johnson. Luke Callender booted the extra point and R-P led, 7-6. That’s the way the first half ended.
The hosts took the opening kickoff of the second half and went on a 10-play drive that culminated with Johnson scoring on a 13-yard run. Callender split the uprights for the extra point and it was 14-6 in favor of the Rockets.
Zeeland West had a response of its own. The Dux drove down the field and used up the final 7:16 on the third-quarter clock. Five plays and 2:07 into the fourth quarter, the Dux scored on a 4-yard run by Brody Maas. Then came the key 2-point conversion for the tie, but the Rocket defense was up to the challenge on a passing play.
The Rockets took possession in hopes of running down the clock and scoring an insurance touchdown. They were able to eat up more than 6 minutes of the clock, but were forced to punt from its own 48. Punter Jaxon Whitaker launched a punt and with a favorable bounce, pinned Zeeland West on its own 3 with 3:24 remaining.
The Dux were able to reach their own 44 before four straight incomplete passes gave the Rockets the ball for one last play in the “victory formation.”
“The defense had huge plays, the special teams, the punt down here was outstanding,” Kater said. “It was a game of inches and a game of moments and plays and we’re continuing to learn from our prior experiences.”
Johnson rushed the ball 19 times for 75 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 28 yards and a touchdown. Kamerson Coleman rushed six times for 38 yards.
The victory was the Rockets’ fourth straight.
“This feels really good, it really does,” said Johnson.
Take a look at more photos from the action shot by Joe Lane.
