MUSKEGON TOWNSHIP - It it weren’t for the O-K Green postseason tournament, the Reeths-Puffer girls soccer team would have no shot at a conference championship.
Sophia Hekkema would probably have no shot at tying or breaking her own single-season school scoring record.
But the conference tournament is a fresh start for everyone, and the R-P girls are taking full advantage.
After easily defeating Wyoming on Tuesday in the first round, the Rockets earned a berth into the tournament championship game with a very impressive 4-0 victory over a good Zeeland East team in a semifinal matchup on Thursday.
R-P's Billie Tryska (16) and Sophia Hekkema battle a falling Zeeland East player.
Hekkema and fellow senior Billie Tryska led the way with two goals apiece while goalie Ava Klopp earned the shutout.
Reeths-Puffer will now face rival Mona Shores for the tournament title on the road on Monday. The game will be a much-anticipated rematch of the first meeting between the two teams, which Mona Shores won in a squeaker, 2-1.
The Sailors won the regular season conference title and R-P finished second. If the Rockets can get the win on Monday, the teams will share the overall league championship, which sounds very appealing to R-P Coach Kody Harrell.
“We’re excited about the opportunity,” Harrell said. “We’re happy to get another shot at our rival, and the fact that it could bring a conference championship makes it even more exciting.
R-P's Reese Tryska (left) tries to keep the ball from an aggressive defender.
“I was telling the girls before the game, if they take care of business tonight, they could be potentially playing in one of the biggest games in West Michigan this season. The whole buildup to it is really exciting and I’m happy these girls get to be a part of it.”
Hekkema’s pursuit of her own single-season scoring record is an interesting side note to the Rockets’ run through the conference tournament.
Her two goals on Thursday brought her season total to 19, three short of the school record she set as both a sophomore and junior.
Two weeks ago Hekkema only had 12 goals, but she has been pouring it on lately, with two in a game against Fruitport, three against Wyoming on Tuesday, and another two on Thursday.
R-P's Brooke Bradley locks arms with a Zeeland East player while protecting the ball.
With one more conference tournament game guaranteed, and as many as three district tournament games around the corner, Hekkema has a chance to reach or surpass that mark again.
“Whatever happens in Monday’s game, the fact that there are potentially two or three more games left after that means she could do it,” Harrell said. “It will be fun to see what she can do.”
Thursday’s game was a bit worrisome for the Rockets, due to the circumstances of the rematch with Zeeland East.
The two teams played back on April 20 and R-P won 1-0, but the game ended after just one half due to lightning.
R-P's Ashley Bradley spins around to try to gain possession of the ball.
Zeeland East left the field feeling a bit ripped off by nature and the state rules, and were sure to come into Thursday’s game with extra motivation.
But if the Chix were extra motivated, the Rockets were more than up to the challenge, dominating the game offensively with a 10-3 advantage in shots on goal.
Hekkema started things off with a light shot from close range that somehow found its way into the Zeeland East net, giving the Rockets a 1-0 lead with 18:52 left in the first half. Mallorie Messer had the assist.
Tryska kept things going by scoring on a long shot with 11:35 left, putting R-P up 2-0. Klopp, the goalie, was credited with an assist.
Brooke Bradley (14) races an opponent to the loose ball.
Tryska struck again about three minutes later, working the ball between two Zeeland East defenders and putting it in the net.
Reeths-Puffer led 3-0 at halftime.
Hekkema finished the scoring with a high, hard shot that found the mark from about 20 yards out with 24:46 left in the game.
Zeeland East had its best chance to score with a penalty kick with 14:27 left, but the shot sailed over the Rocket goal.
