MUSKEGON TWP. – By the end of a season, the hope is that a team has learned some lessons and corrected some repetitive errors, regardless of its record.
But the Reeths-Puffer football team ended its 2025 schedule with some bad tendencies still very much intact.
That was clear in a 37-22 loss at home to Forest Hills Eastern in the final game of the season.
A slow start, turnovers and penalties once again proved to be deadly for the Rockets, who wrapped up the year with a 2-7 record.
R-P's Cal Millis (22) fights hard for yards. Photo/Jeremy Clark
The worst part about the loss is that the Rockets overcame a very ugly start and led at halftime, but let the advantage slip away down the stretch.
“I just don’t know when we’re finally going to learn,” said R-P head coach Cody Kater. “Losing is really difficult. There’s a struggle to losing. A lot of us are having a difficult time with the last two seasons, with our own identity, because of losing. We just put ourselves in holes because of mistakes.”
Slow starts have been an Achilles heel for Reeths-Puffer all season, but none were quite as bad as what the Rockets experienced early in Friday’s game.
On their first play from scrimmage, the Rockets lost 12 yards. On the second play they snapped the ball over the quarterback’s head and out of the end zone, giving Forest Hills Eastern a safety and a very early 2–0 lead.
R-P's Mason Darke runs toward the end zone. Photo/Jeremy Clark
The Hawks got the ball back on a punt following the safety, but the R-P defense responded well to the ugly turn of events by stopping FHE on downs and regaining possession.
But just four plays into the ensuing Rocket drive, they fumbled and turned the ball over, giving Forest Hills Eastern great field position on the R-P 40.
Five plays later, the Hawks scored a touchdown and led 9-0 with 5:57 left in the first quarter.
Reeths-Puffer responded on its next drive, going 59 yards over 3:08 to get on the scoreboard. Quarterback Braylon Swain found Mason Darke for a 22-yard touchdown pass, and the extra point made the score 9-7 with 2:41 left in the first.
R-P quarterback Braylon Swain slings a pass. Photo/Jeremy Clark
The Rockets managed to pull ahead with 2:40 remaining in the second quarter when Cal Millis plowed ahead for a 14-yard touchdown run. The PAT kick gave the Rockets a hopeful 14-9 lead at halftime.
That lead did not last very long, however.
On the first possession of the second half, Forest Hills Eastern drove 75 yards over 12 plays to take a 15-14 lead with 6:19 remaining. Drew Ferrick found the end zone for the Hawks with a nine-yard run.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Ferrick scored on a two-yard run and then followed it up with a two-point conversion to extend the lead to 23-14.
R-P's Travis Henderson (12) and Cole Piper (3) combine on a tackle. Photo/Jeremy Clark
Forest Hills Eastern then recovered an onside kick to retain the ball, and just four plays later, Ferrick broke loose for a 40-yard touchdown run, and the Hawks suddenly led 30-14 with 9:47 left.
The visitors capped off their scoring with 5:47 remaining in the game when quarterback Kenrik Penkevich found Luke Rosenbrook for a 10-yard touchdown pass, and the extra point increased the lead to 37-14.
The Rockets scored their final touchdown of the season with 1:53 left on the clock. They drove 77 yards on 13 plays, with Millis scoring from 13 yards out. A two-point conversion provided the game's final points.
The Rockets shot themselves in the collective foot by being flagged for 145 yards in penalties. They also turned the ball over three times.
“I just don’t know how many times we’re going to have these talks about penalties,” Kater said. “We have to learn how to fix these things. It’s been incredibly frustrating. I just don’t know where to start.”
R-P's Andrew Corradin (21) pressures the quarterback. Photo/Jeremy Clark
Millis, in many ways the emotional leader of the Rockets, ended his career by gaining 122 yards and scoring twice on 21 carries.
“It meant the world to me,” Millis said about giving his all in his final game. “My whole life, I just wanted to be on this varsity field and make a play. I never wanted to leave anything up to chance, and I made sure to play as hard as I can.”
Overall, the Rockets will say goodbye to 15 seniors.
“They stuck it out,” Kater said about his departing class. “They love football. They have love for each other and their coaches. I’m excited about the foundation that they laid down for themselves. They’ve gone through tough times and that will help them in life.”