Blair and Jenee Ross have been watching their sons play football since they were small, and they’ve seen each of them have great games before.
But they never imagined they would witness a game like the one on Thursday night, when both of their boys had the type of performance that most varsity players only dream of.
Brady Ross, Reeths-Puffer’s senior quarterback, had a great outing in his first game as the full-time starter. He scored three rushing touchdowns and threw for another to lead the Rockets to an exciting 32-20 opening-game victory over Grand Haven.
Bryce Ross, a junior slot receiver, had an equally terrific performance in his first game as an offensive starter, catching a touchdown pass, throwing a touchdown pass, and snagging an interception on defense.
Up in the stands, their mom and dad watched with the type of pride that only parents can feel. They were very excited before the game, and downright thrilled afterward.
Bryce (left) and Brady Ross pose with the mom, Jenne Ross, on Friday morning, following their big game on Thursday night.
“It feels like last night was the culmination of all their years of hard work,” Jenee Ross said. “They’ve been doing this since they were five or six years old, so last night, seeing it all on the field, was really, really exciting.
“We’ve been looking forward to this season for a long, long time. Brady is a senior and Bryce is a junior, and last night was everything we could have hoped it would be.”
Blair and Jenee didn’t have to wait long for the show to unfold. Reeths-Puffer recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff, and two plays later Brady dumped a screen pass out to Bryce, who broke loose for a 23-yard touchdown.
“We were pretty excited,” Jenee said. “There was lots of standing and screaming. We couldn’t believe it was going as well as it was. I don’t know if they would agree, but sometimes it seems like they have a connection with each other out there and know what each other are thinking. We are super proud of them.”
Brady said that first touchdown would have been exciting, no matter who caught the pass, but it was extra cool connecting with Bryce.
Brady Ross (12) celebrates with Bryce Ross (2) after they connected on a TD pass.
"It was kind of special, especially because he’s my brother,” Brady said. “I just flipped it out there and he took it for six. I was just pumped that he scored, especially so early in the game. That gave us huge momentum.”
Bryce played varsity last year as a sophomore, but his role was limited to defense. He started his first game on offense on Thursday, and played his first game ever as a receiver, so finding the end zone so quickly was a thrill.
“I got my first touch 20 seconds into the game, and it was a touchdown,” he said. “It was a lot of fun – my first varsity touch.”
Brady, who started a few games at quarterback late in the season last year, picked apart the Grand Haven defense through the air and on the ground.
After his touchdown throw to his brother, he ran for three more TDs, with scoring runs of 3, 2 and 20 yards.
Brady Ross waltzes into the end zone for a touchdown.
Someday he may tell his own children about the game, but on Friday morning he seemed pretty calm about it all.
“I’ve played quarterback my whole life, although obviously the game is a lot faster at the varsity level,” Brady said. “When you simplify everything down, it’s just football, and you do whatever you’ve got to do to make a play.”
Bryce was a little more animated when he talked about his performance.
He said his favorite moment came in the second quarter when he intercepted a Grand Haven pass, one play after the Buccaneers intercepted one of Brady’s passes.
‘I was dropping back, I could see the ball floating over the top, and I couldn’t get two hands on it, so I just tipped it with one hand and it fell in my arms and I just took off,” Bryce said.
Bryce Ross tries to keep a Grand Haven receiver from hauling in a pass.
As a former quarterback himself, Bryce was able to use his arm to create the most exciting play of the game.
It came in a key situation, when the Rockets faced a third and 18 at the Grand Haven 47 in the second quarter. Brady handed off to running back Brody Johnson, who flipped it to Bryce, who completed a pass to Tayle Vanderleest about 25 yards downfield.
Vanderleest weaved and battled his way into the end zone, and the score gave the Rockets a 19-0 lead.
“We talked about that play in practice, then we called time out and the coach said we were going to run it,” Bryce said. “Brady made a nice block on the edge, Tayte was wide open and he broke a lot of tackles. He made that play.”
Brady Ross takes a snap from center during an R-P offensive drive.
After the game and the on-field celebration, the Ross brothers met up with their parents and some relatives outside the R-P locker room.
“We had tons of family there from up north, too,” Bryce said. “They just said they were proud of us, that we played a great game. I think my mom was starting to tear up.”
Jenee Ross admits she was pretty emotional when it was all over.
"I took the day off from work, because I knew I was going to be a little distracted, and there was lots of emotion,” she said. “We want this season to be everything we dreamed it could be, and there were some big plays. There were definitely some tears in my eyes and hugs at the end.”