MUSKEGON – Injuries and turnovers are difficult to overcome in any game.
It’s pretty much impossible when facing the always formidable Muskegon Big Reds.
The Reeths-Puffer football team learned that in a very hard way on Friday in a 47-7 loss at Muskegon in an O-K Green conference clash.
The Rockets came into the game as underdogs from the get-go, then had to compete with a stitched together lineup completely decimated by injuries.
“We’re running out of bodies,” said R-P head coach Cody Kater. “We had offensive guys go down and we had defensive guys who had never taken any reps before have to go in on the offensive side. 
JaVon Plummer (52) and Elliot Schneider (28) try to prevent a Big Red touchdown. Photo/Tyler Lirones
“Then we had guys who hadn’t taken any reps come in on the defensive side. But adversity is going to hit every program at some point. It’s about how we find a way to pivot and overcome it.”
The Rockets are now 2-5 overall on the season and 1-3 in conference play. Any realistic hope of making the state playoffs for the third year in a row is gone..
The Rockets will now focus on their remaining two games – starting next week at home against undefeated Mona Shores – while trying to figure out exactly what players will be available.
“We have to regroup and figure out who can play,” Kater said. “We have to put people in the right spots and finish the season the right way.”
R-P's Sage Secrest breaks loose for a long run. Photo/Tyler Lirones
Things went bad from the beginning for Reeths-Puffer against the Big Reds.
The Rockets turned the ball over on the first possession before Muskegon marched 45 yards in eight plays to take a 7-0 lead.
Muskegon added three touchdowns in the second quarter and took a 26-0 lead into halftime.
The Rockets had three turnovers in the first half alone.
Muskegon returned the second half kickoff for a touchdown to extend the lead to 33-0.
Plummer works hard to take down a ball carrier. Photo/Tyler Lirones
R-P finally got on the scoreboard on its next possession, going 80 yards on 10 plays to reach the end zone.
Sage Secrest, who had left with an injury earlier in the game, returned and cut loose for a 54-yard run to spark the drive, then finished it off with a two-yard burst on fourth and goal.
The TD made the score 33-7 with 6:40 left in the third quarter.
A Muskegon touchdown with 1:42 remaining in the third quarter made the score 40-7, then another in the fourth quarter capped off a really long night for the Rockets.
Reeths-Puffer turned the ball over a total of six times, which was tough for Kater to witness.
The Rockets group tackle a Muskegon runner. Photo/Tyler Lirones
“We haven’t done a great job of protecting the ball,” he said. “We’ve been inconsistent with it. Some weeks we have no turnovers and others we have two or three at backbreaking times. Tonight it was just over and over. I think it’s really difficult to watch on the sidelines because we know how much ball security we work on.”
Secrest led the Rockets with 107 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries.
Defensively, Luke Johnson and Cal Millis each had a fumble recovery while Shaun Haley had an interception.
After such a tough defeat, Kater said he is looking forward to seeing how the Rockets respond against rival Mona Shores.
“We’ve always talked about character,” the coach said. “Character is going to drive this process and drive the results. We live and die off that. I sit here and reflect on all the character training we’ve had over the last three years, especially this offseason, and now we’ll see where were at in terms of responding.
“We’re going through some hardships and have to figure out how to finish this the right way.”