MUSKEGON TWP. - It’s a funny thing about Reeths-Puffer junior Jaslynn Kops.
During the winter, playing varsity basketball, she does a lot of important things for her team, but rarely scores much. Her coaches know she can do it, and want her to do it, but she usually lets her teammates put up the points.
Put her on a soccer field, however, and a different sort of player comes out.
That was very obvious on Monday night, when Kops exploded for three goals within the first 10 minutes of the game, and ended up with four, in the Rockets’ impressive 7-1 drubbing of Ludington in a cold weather non-conference game at R-P’s Eric Marcil Field.
The victory left R-P with a 2-0 record in the young season. The Rockets will host Cedar Springs in another non-conference challenge on Wednesday night.
R-P's Jaslynn Kops, who scored four goals in the win. Photo/Daniel Dunn
“Never,” Kops said, when asked if she had ever had a more productive 10 minutes in a soccer game. “That was a good, quick three. We really listened to the plan. Coach Harrell set a good formation to get us going, and we really executed it well."
When asked about her offensive aggressiveness in soccer, Kops said it’s a sport that suits her skills.
“I’ve just been playing this sport for so long,” said Kops, who now has five goals in two games. “In basketball I’m kind of undersized, but out here I feel more confidence on the ball. It helps me to push myself to score more.”
Kops’ goals were also the Rockets’ first four goals of the game.
Her first goal came just shy of three minutes into the game, before some fans had settled into the bleachers.
R-P's Abby Hill (7) battles for the ball. Photo/Daniel Dunn
She followed that up with another goal about five minutes later, when her shot from close range was partially blocked by the Ludington goalie, but still dribbled into the net.
Kops completed her hat trick with another goal about 10 minutes into the game, and her efforts gave R-P a 3-0 lead at halftime.
She topped off her night by scoring R-P’s first goal of the second half, after Ludington had scored and narrowed its deficit to 3-1.
Ashlyn David added two goals for the Rockets down the stretch while Mackenzie Danz added one.
R-P head coach Kody Harrell said Kops’ teammates did a great job of getting her the ball and she did an amazing job of finishing.
R-P's Katelyn Russell (17) dribbles past an opponent. Photo/Daniel Dunn
“A great athlete making great plays,” he said. “I think she’s just in a great head space right now, and feeling real good about her game. I think she’s going to have a special year.
“There are just certain teenagers who are special and athletic, and I think Jas has that athletic piece to her.”
Two wins in two games is definitely a small sample size for the R-P girls, who have a lot of big challenges ahead as the season unfolds.
But it’s definitely a lot more encouraging than the 0-7 start the Rockets had last year.
Harrell says one big difference can be traced to the team’s offseason winter workouts, which were supervised by JV coach Chris Belasco.
Kops unleashes a shot. Photo/Daniel Dunn
“I’ve got to give a lot of credit to Coach Belasco,” he said. “I kind of gave him the preseason workout stuff and he took it and ran with it. In the eight years I’ve been here, that was probably the best winter we’ve had.
“The results have been pretty clear early on, just to see how the girls are really opening it up and executing and playing with a lot of confidence.”
The Rockets dominated throughout the game and piled up a 26-4 advantage in shots on goal.
David had three assists to go with her two goals, while Wren Tryska, Lola Sapone, Mackenzie Danz and Lexie Danz each had one assist.
R-P freshman Ava Callender was the winning goalie.