MUSKEGON TWP. - Sage Secrest finally got his chance to play quarterback for the Reeths-Puffer football team.
To some it may have seemed odd to see a bulky inside linebacker at quarterback. But he did great, which should have surprised nobody, because Secrest always excels, no matter where he lines up on the field.
Besides, Secrest has been in the R-P quarterback discussion for two years now.
He would have made his debut at QB last season in Week 2, when senior starter Antrel Jones was injured for a road game against Farmington. The only problem was that Secrest, the backup, was injured, too, so the Rockets had to use their third-string quarterback.
Over the winter the general assumption was that Secrest would be the starter this season, but that was before Mason Darke, a younger quarterback with a big arm, transferred in from Montague.
R-P's Sage Secrest
Darke’s presence allowed the Rockets to develop a talented junior signal-caller for two years of duty while keeping Secrest on the field at linebacker and H-back.
But Darke suffered an achilles injury, and last Tuesday the Rockets learned that he wouldn't be available for last Friday’s home game against Byron Center.
On top of that, sophomore running back Bryce Muskovin, who's had several big games this season, had an ankle injury and was limited in what he could do.
All of that was very worrisome for the Rockets, who were 2-3 on the season and had to face one of the higher-ranked teams in the state.
As it turned out, Secrest did many of the things that both Darke and Muskovin do every week.
Secrest ran for 180 yards and 2 TDs while filling in at quarterback. Photo/Jeremy Clark
He calmly guided the R-P offense, completed seven passes, and gave the Rockets the explosive ground game that Muskovin usually provides, rushing for 180 yards.
Most of those yards came on his two long touchdown runs that he made at important moments in the game.
Byron Center scored first and took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, then Secrest broke loose for a 58-yard touchdown run. It was the first TD of his varsity career.
“It was a designed quarterback run,” he said. “I just went off tackle, a hole was opened for me by my lineman, I had to make one guy miss, then I just ran for the touchdown.
“It was crazy. My first varsity touchdown. It didn’t seem real.”
Secrest breaks a tackle against Byron Center. Photo/Jeremy Clark
Bryon Center scored first in the second half to take a 21-14 lead, then Secrest answered again with a 60-yard scoring run, and the game was tied after the PAT kick.
“I just had a cutback lane open and just kind of let go and ran,” he said.
In the end his performance wasn’t enough. R-P gave the powerful Bulldogs all they could handle but lost 42-28 after Byron Center scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
But Secrest gave the R-P coaches confidence that the offense will be in capable hands, no matter who lines up under center.
That will be very important over the last three weeks when R-P plays three very good teams, starting on Friday at Muskegon against the defending state champion Big Reds. 
Secrest cruises toward the end zone after a defender dives and misses. Photo/Jeremy Clark
“We don’t really like surprises, but Sage practiced really hard, asked all the right questions and performed at a high level,” said R-P head coach Cody Kater.
Secrest now has some impressive offensive stats to go with his great defensive numbers. He has recorded 32 tackles this year and led the Rockets in two different games with eight.
Secrest said he was not nervous when he learned he would start at QB last Friday, because he was the freshman team quarterback three years ago and has been taking practice snaps as the backup QB all season.
“There was kind of no pressure on me,” he said. “It was my first time playing quarterback, so I just played free.”
Secrest gets a celebration lift from Nate Dollaway after scoring. Photo/Jeremy Clark
He admitted that he was hoping to be the Rockets’ starting quarterback this year, but circumstances played out differently.
“It was kind of my mindset throughout the offseason that I was going to play quarterback, but when Mason came I had to draw back my ego and do what was best for the team,” Secrest said. “We rallied behind him because he’s one of our guys.”
That kind of team-first attitude is what Coach Kater loves about Secrest, and why he was thrilled to see him excel last Friday.
“He’s our silent leader in the weight room, locker room and hallways, so I was happy to see him get the opportunity to have his name announced over the loudspeakers a little more,” the coach said. “He’s had to play a lot of different positions for us, and he’s played them very well. It just shows his dedication to the team and his love for his teammates."