GRAND RAPIDS – The Reeths-Puffer boys soccer team may have fallen 3-2 at Grand Rapids Union on Tuesday night, ending its impressive seven-game win streak, but all of the Rockets' season goals remain very much intact.
Tops on that list is winning a conference championship for the first time since 2005. Falling to a good Union squad certainly did not help, but it was hardly a death blow.
The Rockets are now 8-2 overall and 3-1 in O-K Green conference play. Wyoming and Holland also have one conference loss while Zeeland West is in first place with a 3-0 league record.
R-P will host Wyoming on Thursday and Zeeland West on Sept. 21 in what could turn out to be a very big clash indeed.
R-P's Nick Clemens moves upfield with the ball. Photo/Andrew Johnson
“I think tonight will be the only night I have to remind them,” said R-P head coach Kody Harrell about the upcoming fight for the conference title. “It’s a hungry senior-led group. As we’ve been saying all season, it’s a group with a ton of experience. I think just the reminder tonight will be enough.”
Reeths-Puffer was indeed reminded that it has some tough conference opponents, including Union, which jumped out to an early two-goal lead and held on for the win.
Harrell was certainly not happy to lose, but liked the way his team fought back and thinks it’s a sign of more good things to come.
“Things didn’t go our way,” the coach said. “Rather than folding, we won the second half 1-0. While we’re way beyond moral victories, winning the second half after having a sluggish first half shows me that we can battle.”
R-P's Kyler Brainard tries to get control of a loose ball. Photo/Andrew Johnson
Union took a 1-0 lead just over nine minutes into the game and a 2-0 lead about two minutes later.
Reeths-Puffer responded when senior Liam Smith got a pass to Nick Clemens, who netted the first Rocket goal to cut the deficit to 2-1 just 13 minutes into the game.
Union ended the first half scoring around the 30-minute mark to take a 3-1 halftime lead, despite being outshot 5-4.
In the second half, Smith took a long pass from R-P goalkeeper Gage Hopkins and moved past the defense before finishing off a goal to cut the deficit to 3-2 with around 16 minutes remaining.
Reeths-Puffer was unable to tie the game, however, as the two teams traded shots the rest of the night.
R-P finished with a 9-8 shot advantage.
