MUSKEGON TWP. - The Reeths-Puffer girls soccer players never dreamed they would start the season with seven straight losses.
But the Rockets never let the disappointing outcomes break their spirit. They knew that one day soon they would turn the tables on some unfortunate opponent, and it finally happened on Thursday.
The fired-up Rockets jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first half, controlled the ball in the second half and posted a very impressive 4-1 win over Jenison at R-P's Eric Marcil Field.
Reeths-Puffer is now 1-7 overall and 1-3 in O-K Green conference play.
R-P's Ella Siembida tries to work the ball past a defender. Photo/Jeremy Clark
The victory was overdue for a team that returned quite a few skilled players from last season and expected to get off to a much better start.
To be fair, several of the seven losses were against very good teams, including Grand Haven, which reached the Division 1 state semifinals last year.
And four of the losses were by only one goal - but a loss is still a loss.
Through it all, however, the team's baseline confidence never wavered, and head coach Kody Harrell said he was never really worried.
Siembida extends her leg to get her foot on the ball. Photo/Jeremy Clark
"I know what we have," Harrell said. "No matter how tough the schedule has been, I have known the types of players we have and what I have seen from them every day, the mental toughness they have.
"That's one thing that I am so proud of, the mental toughness of this group, and how they have remained super positive and confident in their abilities. I was talking to someone the other day, and I said I never expected to be 0-7 and still have so much confidence in a team. They just had to learn how to start closing out games against very skilled opponents.
"Tonight was just kind of a poke-the-bear moment, and they decided it was time to start finishing games."
The Rockets came out flying against Jenison, netting three goals in the first 12 minutes of the contest.
R-P's Mallorie Messer (9), who scored one of the Rockets' goals. Photo/Jeremy Clark
It started just under four minutes into the game, when R-P's Morgan Rekeny chipped the ball into the net from close range, giving the Rockets a 1-0 lead.
Just over four minutes later, Mallorie Messer score on a free kick from about 20 yards out, making the score 2-0.
With 28:11 remaining in the first half, R-P's Joslynn Kops scored a really impressive goal, launching a hard shot from about 15 yards out while still in a full sprint to get past defenders.
Jenison broke the shutout with a goal by Akaya DuShane about six minutes later, and R-P went to halftime with a 3-1 lead.
R-P's Ashlyn David leaves the ground as she drills a shot. Photo/Jeremy Clark
Some fans probably worried about a Jenison comeback in the second half, but the Rockets never gave the Wildcats a chance to get rolling.
Each team had five shots in the first half, but the Rockets stayed on offense and outshot the Wildcats 7-1 in the second half.
Only one of those seven shots went in the goal, but it was more than enough to seal up the win.
It came from Chloe Brainard, who scored from about 20 yards out with 16:40 left, and the Rockets rolled to their first victory from there.
R-P's Maddilynn Dyer battles for the ball. Photo/Jeremy Clark
R-P goalie Sara Carlson was sharp in the net, particularly in the first half, when the offensive chances were pretty even for each team.
Carlson leaped and got her fingers on a high, hard shot that looked like a sure goal early in the game. The tip sent the ball flying harmlessly over the goal, and R-P maintained its 1-0 lead.
After the game, R-P senior captain Reese Tryska said Rockers were not only hungry for a win, but wanted to please a big home crowd that showed up for Teacher Appreciation Night.
"It feels good," Tryska said. "It took a while, but we finally got it. We were still playing with a lot of confidence, even though we had been down for a while. We knew we were getting better each week. We just had to start finishing."