If Reeths-Puffer fans really want to get excited, all they have to do is check out Detroit Free Press writer Mick McCabe’s Top 10 rankings for Division 2 high school football teams in Michigan.
Sitting at No. 3 are the Rockets, who are 2-0 after starting the season with impressive wins over Grand Haven and St. Johns.
That’s a pretty lofty ranking for a team that finished 3-7 last season. Is Reeths-Puffer really that good?
We will know a lot more around 10 p.m. on Friday night, after the Rockets test their newfound success against the always powerful Muskegon Big Reds (1-1) at Hackley Stadium.
The Big Reds will likely be extra motivated on Friday following their 49-16 loss to top-ranked Warren De La Salle last week, while the Rockets will be riding their newfound confidence, and will be eager to prove they can play with the big boys.
R-P quarterback Brady Ross, who scored four rushing touchdowns against St. Johns. Photo/Joe Lane
First-year R-P head coach Cody Kater says the game represents an opportunity to measure his team’s progress.
“100 percent,” Kater said, when asked if the Big Reds are a good measuring stick in Week 3. “As soon as I got this job, we made it a goal to be able to compete against great teams and great coaching staffs. This is a good measuring stick to see where we’re at. Our motto has been ‘close the gap’ since we’ve been here.”
Kater said the players are also eager to test themselves against the Big Reds, despite some of the big point totals Muskegon has rung up against Reeths-Puffer in recent years.
Muskegon is 21-1-1 all-time against the Rockets. Last year the Big Reds won 47-21. In 2020 they won 35-7 and in 2019 the score was 56-0.
The last time R-P beat Muskegon was in 1999, and the last time the game was close was in 2013, when the Big Reds won the regular season matchup 20-7.
Linebacker Caiden Bolduc (8), who has led the Rockets in tackles in both games this season. Photo/Joe Lane
Kater says that’s all water under the bridge, and the R-P players are interested in turning the tide.
“The greatest thing about football is that every week has its own storyline,” Kater said. “I think the kids are eager to go up against a big program in our county. They have worked incredibly hard, and this is one of those games they will use to determine if their efforts are working.”
Kater said the Rockets have had a fairly normal week of practice and haven’t made a lot of special preparations for Muskegon.
“Last week was kind of out of the ordinary because we were going against an opponent (St. Johns) that we didn’t know much about, and school was starting,” Kater said. “Now we’re settling into our routines better, we had a better week of practice, and the kids have learned what the expectations are for practice. All of that has been new to these kids.
“I can’t say this week has been totally ordinary. It goes without saying that we’re playing a team within the county, against kids that our kids have grown up with or played against before, so it’s going to be a fun game for them.”
Kater has been happy with the progress his team has shown in the first two weeks of the season.
Running back Brody Johnson, who scored two TDs against St. Johns.
Last week, after playing St. Johns to a 14-14 halftime tie, the defense tightened up and shut out the Redmen the rest of the way, allowing the offense to take control and sew up the 38-14 victory.
“The offense piggy-backed on the defense,” Kater said. “The way the defense played energized our offense, just like when the offense gets first downs, it energizes the defense.”
Several Rockets had big games against St. Johns.
Quarterback Brady Ross completed 6 of 10 passes for 113 yards and ran for 108 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Brody Johnson rushed for 55 yards and two TDs.
Defensively, Caiden Bolduc had 15 tackles and Sage Stiller added 10.
The Big Reds will counter with a number of explosive players who can do a lot of damage, starting with slot receiver Destin Piggee, a speedster who has rushed for 148 yards in two games. Muskegon also has dangerous running back Jakob Price, who has been out with an injury but could return on Friday.