CEDAR SPRINGS – The Reeths-Puffer soccer team suffered through a long scoring slump in the regular season, then kicked it into gear down the stretch of the schedule with a lot of scoring and big victories.
The Rockets repeated that script within one game on Monday, surviving a 40-minute scoring drought throughout regulation, then finding the net twice in overtime to beat Ludington 2-0 in a Division 2 district semifinal matchup at Cedar Springs High School.
Owen Ritsema and London Carpenter were the heroes, scoring the two OT goals that kept the Rockets’ season alive and sent them into Wednesday’s district championship game against host Cedar Springs at 6:30 p.m.
R-P's Owen Ritsema tries to get the ball past a defender. Photo/John Willoughby
“I thought Ludington was the better team in the first half,” said R-P head coach Kody Harrell. “It kind of resembled our whole season, because we started hot this year, but we had a streak where we struggled to score, and that felt similar to the first half where we couldn’t even generate chances.”
R-P was outshot 3-2 in the first half and definitely looked sluggish, but started showing signs of offensive life in the second half.
The Rockets had a great opportunity with a penalty shot within the first minute of the second half, but Ludington goalie Gabe Gomez made a great save and kept the game scoreless.
The scoreboard remained blank at the end of regulation, with Ludington holding a 5-4 edge in total shots on goals.
R-P's Landon Nash goes high to head the ball. Photo/John Willoughby
Some teams seem nervous heading into overtime, particularly in do-or-die tournament games, but the Rockets appeared confident and it showed on the field.
Just 1:53 into the first OT period, senior Owen Ritsema ripped a shot into the back of the net to give Reeths-Puffer a 1-0 lead.
He wasn’t done, either. Just one minute later, Ritsema got a pass to junior London Carpenter, who rocketed a shot past the Ludington goalie to give the Rockets their final margin of victory.
There was a lot of overtime left, because high school soccer requires two full 10-minute OT periods with no sudden death, but the R-P lead held up. Each team managed just one more shot on goal the rest of the way.
Ritsema gets fouled during the heat of the action. Photo/John Willoughby
After the game, Ritsema seemed more pleased with his assist on the second goal than the goal he scored himself.
“I pride myself on assist balls," he said. "I’m always trying to keep my head up to find someone. That felt like it sealed it, and it felt great.”
Coach Harrell couldn’t have been more proud of Ritsema.
“Overtime is where legends are made, and Owen did that,” the coach said. “It was everything. To see him go get a goal, and then keep his composure to get someone else a goal was amazing.”
R-P's London Carpenter charges up the field with the ball. Photo/John Willoughby
When the final buzzer sounded, the Rocket bench ran onto the field, celebrating the latest win that improved the team’s record to 15-5-3 on the season.
“Our boys trusted the system,” Harrell said. “I think our biggest thing is we went away from the game plan a little bit in the first half, but we got back to it better in the second half and even better in overtime. I’m really proud of the boys for trusting it and probably handling things even better than I did.”
R-P senior goalkeeper Liam Copenhaver, who set a team record for shutouts this season, collected another one on Monday, stopping six shots.
R-P's Andrew Eilers works his way around a sprawling Oriole. Photo/John Willoughby