Tayte Vanderleest grew up listening to stories about winning football teams.
That’s because he’s the son of Rob Vanderleest, a former All-Stater who played on a state championship team at Muskegon Catholic Central back in 1990, then spent his collegiate career playing for the Michigan Wolverines.
“All of my dad’s stories are awesome to hear,” said Vanderleest, Reeths-Puffer's 6-foot-3, 200-pound wide receiver and defensive back. “They motivate me, actually. My goal has always been to live up to my dad and what he accomplished. I’ve seen his rings. They are sweet.”
All of that talk about winning had an impact on Vanderleest, to the point where he thought about transferring to MCC before his junior season.
Vanderleest stayed at Reeths-Puffer for several different reasons.
Vanderleest runs a pass route against Muskegon last Friday.
The first was that he didn’t want to sit out a season, which would have been required under the MHSAA’s transfer rules.
He also believed in his school and its football program, and held on to the hope that a winning season might come before he graduated.
“I just trusted our guys and hoped that we would eventually get there,” Vanderleest said. “My dad told me to just do my part, try to be a leader as much as I can, and stay positive.”
Vanderleest is finally getting his wish during his senior season, but he had to endure some tough times first.
He played varsity for the Rockets as a sophomore, when they finished 2-5 in a shortened season. Last year they were 3-6.
Vanderleest is tackled by a Muskegon defender.
But this year the team has new life, thanks to the arrival of first-year head coach Cody Kater.
The Rockets started out with impressive wins over Grand Haven and St. Johns, then turned a lot of heads last Friday when they went toe-to-toe with the Muskegon Big Reds on the road and lost a close one, 28-20.
That was a far different experience than the previous two years, when Muskegon beat R-P 47-21 and 39-7.
Vanderleest and his teammates were disappointed in the outcome, of course, but they also got a good measure of how much they’ve improved in a very short time.
“We don’t have our heads down like we did the past few years,” he said. “Before we were intimidated and played scared a little bit, but this year was different. It showed that we belong and we’re capable of closing the gap. It showed we have what it takes.”
Vanderleest, a wideout and defensive back, says he prefers to play offense.
Vanderleest has been a huge contributor for the Rockets all season, on offense and defense.
His most memorable offensive moment came in the second quarter of the Week 1 game against Grand Haven, after he had a touchdown reception called back due to a penalty.
Two plays later he found the end zone again on a flea-flicker play, when quarterback Brady Ross handed off to Brody Johnson, who handed off to Bryce Ross, who threw the ball across the field to Vanderleest.
Vanderleest then ducked, weaved and fought his way past numerous tacklers and scored, bringing Rocket Stadium to its feet.
“That was so much fun,” he said. “When coach put that in the playbook I was so excited. I love those kinds of plays.”
Vanderleest breaks a tackle against Grand Haven.
So how did he manage to score with four or five defenders between him and the end zone?
“I just made some moves and kept my feet moving,” he said. “I just shook them off and finished the run. That’s Kater’s big thing, always finish the run. It was very exciting, especially after my first touchdown was called back.”
Vanderleest also had a highlight reel moment on defense last Friday at Hackley Stadium when he stuffed Muskegon’s standout slot receiver Destin Piggee for a seven-yard loss with a booming hit that left the entire stadium gasping.
“I was just ready for that play,” he said. ‘I saw him go in motion and head my way. It felt great. I had to make up for some missed tackles.”
Vanderleest has 10 receptions for 195 yards and one touchdown so far this season, with 21 tackles and one interception on defense. The interception came in the St. Johns game, and he injured a thumb on the play, but he said it’s getting better.
Vanderleest goes up for a jump ball against a Muskegon player.
Vanderleest loves being on the field no matter what, but said he prefers to play offense.
“I just love catching the ball, running around and making plays,” he said. “Nothing feels better than scoring a touchdown.”
With good size and skill on both sides of the ball, Vanderleest seems like a natural for college football, and he’s currently weighing his options.
He says he’s considering several Mid-American Conference colleges, if he can’t play at U-M, his entire family’s school of choice.
“We try to get to a game (in Ann Arbor) at least once a year, and we watch them on TV every week,” he said. “That’s my dream school.”