It will be really interesting to watch the Reeths-Puffer football team this fall.
After a turnaround season a year ago, when the Rockets posted a 6-4 record and made the state playoffs for the first time since 2013, there is definitely new life in the program.
There are some very good players coming back from that 2022 squad, including two-year standout running back Brody Johnson and the area’s leading tackler, Caiden Bolduc.
But there are also a lot of new faces stepping into starting jobs, and the question will be whether the Rockets can pick up where last year’s squad left off.
One thing is certain, however. There is a new confidence and sense of optimism that emerged from the 2022 season, and that should go a long way toward helping the Rockets stay on a winning trajectory.
R-P Coach Cody Kater enters his second season after having success in 2022.
“Some people called that year zero,” second-year head coach Cody Kater, whose team will open the 2023 season on Thursday at Grand Haven. “We had the staff established by June and we were able to get ahead of the game. I felt like we had some of the right pieces in place and put the right kids in place. It helped us find some success, we won some close games, and the community was excited.
“I would say, going into this season, that we’re athletic but we’re green. There are some new faces that didn’t play football last year, and some who played different positions at the JV or freshman level. We are senior led, but at the same time very green across the board. The coaching staff has been working hard to piece some things together to make sure the kids have an opportunity to be successful.”
The Rockets only return three starters on offense, but one of them is Brody Johnson, a third-year varsity running back who has gained more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons.
Kater is planning on more of the same from Johnson this season, and is expanding his role by having him play on both sides of the ball.
“Brody carried the ball a lot for us the last couple of years,” the coach said. “He’s been in the weight room a lot, he went out for track in the spring, and he’s found ways to improve. He’s about 10 pounds heavier and he’s faster.
Running back Brody Johnson breaks loose for a TD last season against Muskegon.
“Week 1 will be interesting for Brody, because he’s being asked to be more of a football player on both sides of the ball, and maybe catch the ball more. He played no defense at all last year, but he’s been practicing at linebacker. We’re going to find a way to keep him on the field.”
The Rockets will be breaking in a new starting quarterback, but there’s really nothing new about him. Senior Antrel Jones competed for the job a year ago before losing out to eventual starter Brady Ross.
Now the job belongs to Jones, and Kater is excited about what he will bring to the position.
“He was able to watch a lot of football last season and grow,” Kater said about his 6-foot-3, 205-pound quarterback. “He has shown tremendous growth over the past 12 months. We know Week 1 will not be his best football. We know he will continue to grow and get better. He wants to prove himself and be great.
“He can throw the ball downfield with the best of them. He’s also a big, long kid who’s very strong. He’s more of a power runner.”
Caiden Bolduc (8) will again lead the defense for the Rockets.
Jones will have some very good offensive weapons around him, starting with Johnson and including guys like senior slot receiver Bryce Ross, junior Hback/running back Sage Stiller, slot receiver Kameren Coleman and wideouts Jaxson Whitaker and Travis Ambrose.
The latter two, who have been practicing in rotation with other receivers, are well-known R-P basketball stars who decided to play football in their senior year and will bring a lot of natural athleticism.
The offensive line will return senior Nathan Straley, a starter last season, and junior Ben Adams, who saw a lot of field time.
Others in the mix to play major roles include junior Cooper Kejonen, the starting JV center last season, and junior Nathan Dolloway, who was called up to varsity last season and impressed the coaches with his performance.
One surprising new face on the O-line will be senior Brooks Johnson, who showed great potential as a wide receiver last year but has been moved to left tackle. The change was made to add more depth to the O-line, according to Kater.
New R-P starting quarterback Antrel Jones.
“He weighs about 225 and he’s learning and growing,” Kater said about Johnson. “I think he enjoys (the new challenge). He’s such a team player.”
The unquestioned leader of the R-P defense will be Bolduc, the small but powerful middle linebacker who raised a lot of eyebrows by leading the area in tackling last season.
“He’s about 10 pounds heavier than last season,” Kater said about Bolduc. “He can move sideline to sideline, and he’s a student of the game. He loves it, he enjoys the grind. We’re trying to make sure he only plays defense, because he’s the heart and soul and a coach on the field.
“The other kids respond well to him because they know how seriously he takes it. He led the area in tackles and was a second-team All-Stater, but he still has a lot he wants to prove to himself. He learned a lot last year.”
Other names to watch for at linebacker will be Stiller, Brody Johnson, junior Sam Hillin (who was called up to varsity midway through last season) and junior Elliot Schneider.
Bryce Ross celebrates a touchdown last season.
There won’t be a lot of experience on the defensive line at the start of the season, but there are promising kids could end up leaving their marks.
Brooks Johnson, mentioned above, will play on the D line, along with junior JaVon Plummer, who saw a little varsity playing time last season, and senior Max Dibble, who also saw spot duty.
Bryce Ross, who was impressive on offense and defense last year, will return to one safety position for the Rockets. Several others, including junior Lukas Johnson and senior Ethan Winters, are in the mix for the other spot.
Coleman will return as a rock-solid cornerback while juniors Jezsiah Sims and Shaun Haley could see a lot of time as the other corner.
While experience is an issue for R-P, Kater is very excited about the personalities on the team and how the players interact with each other.
R-P's Sage Stiller pursues a Muskegon ball carrier last season.
“Our chemistry would rival anyone’s,” the coach said. “We are not the same program we were a year ago. The way the guys talk to each other and the way they have bonded has changed.”
The Rockets will have to develop this season while competing once again in the brutally tough O-K Green conference, which features traditional powers Muskegon, Mona Shores and Zeeland West.
Reeths-Puffer gave Muskegon and Mona Shores a run for their money last season, losing a 28-20 heartbreaker to the Big Reds and a tough 15-0 battle to the Sailors.
The question is whether the Rockets can build on that this season, but either way, Kater and his staff relish the challenge.
“Our conference is as difficult as it gets, but as a staff we enjoy it,” Kater said. “One reason I wanted to come to Reeths-Puffer was to have the opportunity to go up against those coaches and those programs and challenge ourselves.”
