MUSKEGON TWP. – The Reeths-Puffer football players had to take a look in the mirror after an 0-2 start to the season.
They’re young but they have talent, and losing the first two games was not living up to the standard set by the team over the past two seasons.
Apparently a little soul-searching, plus a lot a hard practice, is paying off, because the Rockets are clicking again.
That was obvious in their 48-13 Homecoming win over Grand Rapids Union on Friday, which marked the second straight victory for the Rockets.
R-P's Marvin Moore makes a big gain. Photo/Tyler Lirones
Reeths-Puffer is now 2-2 overall and 1-0 in O-K Green conference play.
“It’s been a job,” said head coach Cody Kater about what his team has learned about itself in recent weeks. “We’ve tried to find our identity the last two or three weeks. We’re trying to live by a certain standard we’ve set the last few years.
“So it was nice to see our boys celebrate one another, because this is a really diverse team in terms of age and skill. It’s been fun to see these guys come together and get a morale booster.”
One thing that the Reeths-Puffer community has learned over the past few weeks is that sophomore running back Bryce Muskovin is well on his way to becoming a standout.
R-P's Sage Secrest (10) and Elliot Schneider (28) combine for a tackle. Photo/Tyler Lirones
Muskovin rushed for 192 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries last week, only to top that against GR Union with 225 yards and four touchdowns on five carries, while adding a 25-yard touchdown reception as well.
“It’s really fun,” Muskovin said about having a second straight big week. “We’re getting better and better every week as a team, but we still have a lot to improve on and get better.”
His performance wasn’t lost on Kater.
“He’s building himself a nice little season right now,” the coach said. “The offensive line is doing a great job, the receivers are blocking well too, and he’s starting to finish runs and not run with anxiety. He’s really running to finish the job, which is awesome to see.”
R-P's Bryce Muskovin (20) looks for running room. Photo/Tyler Lirones
Speedy junior receiver Marvin Moore showcased his talents with an 85-yard touchdown reception and a 50-yard touchdown run, while also intercepting a pass on defense.
“When he gets the ball in his hands and as he gets comfortable, he’s electric,” Kater said about Moore. “He’s gotten through some things medically, and I think this is the Marvin we’re going to see the rest of the season.”
After throwing an interception of the first play of the game, the Rockets got the ball back on downs and took just one play to score.
Junior quarterback Mason Darke found Moore on a screen pass that went 85 yards for a touchdown, and the PAT kick gave Reeths-Puffer a 7-0 lead with 7:50 left in the first quarter.
R-P's JaVon Plummer (52) gets ready to sack the Union quarterback. Photo/Tyler Lirones
Muskovin then broke loose for touchdown runs of 82 yards and 42 yards to give R-P a 21-0 lead after one quarter.
In the second quarter, Darke found Muskovin for a 20-yard passing touchdown, extending the lead to 27-0 with 5:09 left in the half.
The final first half score came on a 50-yard touchdown run by Moore with 2:40 left in the second quarter.
The Rockets forced Union to commit a first-play fumble to begin the third quarter, then Muskovin punched in a five-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 41-0.
A Red Hawk touchdown made the score 41-7, then Muskovin broke loose for an 80-yard TD run on the first play of the ensuing possession to make the score 48-7.
Moore and Muskovin do a celebration jump after a score. Photo/Tyler Lirones
The final score of the night came with 4:24 left in the game when Grand Rapids Union returned a fumble for a touchdown.
Reeths-Puffer ran behind its offensive line for 333 yards on the ground while Darke totaled 110 passing yards and two touchdowns.
“We thought the offensive line would be our centerpiece,” Kater said /about the job his front line did. “They kind of showcased it tonight with the game they had.”
The Rockets will continue conference play next Friday when they travel to Forest Hills Northern, where they expect to get much more of a challenge.
“We’ve got a lot of work ahead,” Kater said. “But we’ve identified some things, having gone through the gauntlet we’ve gone through. I think as this team has gone forward, we’ve started to have real conversations, and they’ve identified some things to improve on. We had some of our better practices this week and that’s all we can ask for.”