It was just a matter of time before the talented Reeths-Puffer boys bowling team hit its stride and did something big.
It finally happened on Wednesday, when the Rockets, who have been kind of up and down all season, bowled the lights out and won the championship at the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association Tournament at Sherman Bowling Center.
The Rockets were hot all day, finishing in first place in the preliminary competition with a team score of 1,048 in Game 1 - the highest score for R-P in at least seven years - and a strong 906 in Game 2.
The Game 1 score put R-P far ahead in the preliminary standings, all but guaranteeing a playoff spot.
The Rockets also turned in strong baker round scores of 199 and 182.
R-P individual medalists Liam Copenhaver (left), Tanner Bahr, Quinn Alderink.
R-P advanced to the playoffs, beating Fruitport 386-335 in the semifinals, then downing archrival Mona Shores 395-373 in the championship match.
The victory over the Sailors was extra sweet, since the Rockets split a pair of dual matches against them earlier this season, and lost to them in the semifinals of the Mona Shores Invitational.
After the match, the R-P boys and members of the girls team joined in a rousing rendition of the Reeths-Puffer fight song to celebrate. The girls finished second in their tournament, then stuck around to the cheer on the boys.
"It's awesome - the boys support the girls and the girls support the boys," said R-P Coach Craig Alderink. "It's always been that way. We absolutely love it."
Coach Alderink said he was not surprised by the championship, because he's been watching his team start to gel in recent weeks.
"The kids have been bowling really well," he said. "We have been working toward this the whole season, and it all came together today."
Quinn Alderink, who finished second individually, only two pins out of first place.
The Rockets had three bowlers finish in the top 10 of the individual tournament standings.
Quinn Alderink had the best day, rolling a 449 series and finishing in second place overall, just two pins behind Mona Shores' Derek Kern.
Alderink now has a distinction that he can someday brag about to his grandchildren - he has been a member of a GMAA tournament championship team for three consecutive sports seasons.
His R-P baseball team won the GMAA title last spring, and his R-P tennis team won the GMAA championship in the fall.
Alderink has now won top 10 medals in three straight GMAA bowling tournaments, as a sophomore, junior and senior
"That was his best day of the year," Coach Alderink said about his son. "He just has a knack for doing really well in these tournaments!"
The R-P girls and boys teams, pictured together earlier this season, celebrated the boys' championship after the tournament.
R-P's Tanner Bahr finished third in the individual standings with a 439 series and won the first tournament medal of his career.
Liam Copenhaver finished fifth with a 402 series.
Carter Hekkema, Karsen Boeskool and Ryleigh Beebe also bowled very well for the Rockets, helping to put them over the top.
"It helped a lot to have Tanner Bahr healthy," Coach Alderink said. "He was hurt for most of the season. He didn't bowl a lot, and when he did he was limited. But he's healthy now and has been bowling really well. His scores today were huge for us. Liam also bowled really well, and Quinn did awesome.
"The whole team bowled well today. We averaged almost 195 per game as a team, which was incredible!"