MU8KEGON TOWNSHIP - By now we know all about Caiden Bolduc’s intensity on the football field.
He’s not very big for a linebacker, but he’s very strong and plays with a passion that allows him to dominate on the defensive side.
Last year he led the Muskegon area in tackles and earned All-State honors, and he’s on a similar pace this season, with 88 Tackles, including 39 solo stops.
What many don’t know about Bolduc is how much thought and study go into his game.
Adding a dose of preparation and brain power can put a player over the top, and Bolduc is living proof.
Caiden Bolduc
“He’s the one who asks the most questions and is most interested in the game plan,” R-P Coach Cody Kater said about Bolduc. “He watches more film than some coaches, then asks questions about it the next day.
“He’s a football junkie. He’s really interested in the cognitive piece so he can be prepared for the next game.”
Kater said Bolduc shares the knowledge he gains with other players, which adds an extra element to the leadership role he already plays.
“He really is kind of the coach on the field at times,” he said. “I think other kids follow him because of the way he plays on the field and the way he carries himself off the field. He doesn’t do it for the glory. He does it because he loves football, he loves Reeths-Puffer, and he wants us to put out the best product we possibly can.”
Bolduc admits he watches and studies a lot of film, because for him it’s just like homework for one of his classes.
He said the team already spends a lot of time watching game and practice film, anyway, then he spends several more hours per week at home, looking at what happened, how it happened and why.
Bolduc takes down a Muskegon runner.
“It’s like studying for a test,” Bolduc said. “You see the other team’s offense come out in a formation, and right away you can say ‘I know this formation.’
“Now I know what to look for when I watch film. When I was a sophomore I would just look at the game highlights and say ‘Ooh,” but know I know what I'm looking at when I’m watching this formation or this play.”
The Rockets’ next game, on Friday night at home against Zeeland West, will be a really big one for Bolduc and his fellow seniors.
They’ve already secured a spot in the upcoming Division 2 playoffs – they did that with their victory last week over Zeeland East - but they have no idea who they will play or where.
That means the ZW game could be the seniors’ last chance to compete on their home field, in front of their home fans. After three years of varsity football, that means a lot to Bolduc.
“I haven’t wrapped my head around it yet,” he said. "It’s come really fast. I didn’t expect it to fly by like this. Nine weeks have gone by just like that.
Bolduc (8) and teammates pursue a ball carrier.
“I won’t know how sad it will be until I’m out there. I’m sure it will hit me at some point, but I’m trying not to think about it.”
Bolduc will be motivated in lots of ways on Friday, particularly after the way the game played out at Zeeland East last week.
The Rockets won a 35-21 thriller, but the defense struggled at times.
R-P scored and pulled ahead three different times, but Zeeland East always answered, and the game was tied 21-21 in the fourth quarter.
Bolduc had a good game again from his middle linebacker position, but he admits it wasn’t his best.
He usually always leads the Rockets in tackles, but last week he was second behind Bryce Ross.
Bolduc catches a Big Red from behind.
“I struggled with finishing tackles,” Bolduc said. “I fell off a few people. I’m not blaming the weather – I just have to finish the plays.”
Bolduc said the entire defense will have to pick things up a bit in the stretch run of the season.
“We rallied when we needed to last week, but there were still those big moments we have struggled with since last year, like on third downs,” he said. “I got a ball caught on me in the end zone for their first touchdown. It’s just about understanding the situations and getting off the field.”
Bolduc is extra pumped for the chance to play Zeeland West. He loves the challenge of playing against the Dux’ dangerous Wing-T offense, and he also wants to do something the Rockets have not done since he’s been on varsity – beat one of the three traditional power teams in the O-K Green conference.
The Rockets are 0-3 against Muskegon and Mona Shores during Bolduc’s career and 0-2 against Zeeland West.
Bolduc knows they may get another chance against one or more of those teams in the upcoming playoffs, but there’s no guarantee of that.
Bolduc (8) gets ready to make a tackle.
“This is like a gut check game,” he said. “One of our goals as a team was to win one of the games against the big three, and this is our last shot as seniors, at least in the regular season."
Kater knows Bolduc will be one of the seniors who leaves it all on the field, on Friday night and in the playoffs.
“Ever since he’s been here, he’s been the centerpiece of the defense, and as the season comes to an end you always see the seniors play their best football,” the coach said. “We definitely expect that from him over the next few weeks.”
