NORTON SHORES - What started as a promising week didn’t pan out for the Reeths-Puffer boys soccer team.
On Tuesday the Rockets had a chance to tie O-K Green conference power Byron Center, and remain in the thick of the conference title race, but two late goals led to a 3-1 loss.
There was still hope to remain in title contention on Thursday, when the Rockets traveled to Mona Shores for the annual Causeway Cup rivalry game, but they failed to put the ball in the net and fell 2-0.
R-P's Kam David (9). Photo/Nick Fuller
In a way the loss to the Sailors was not surprising. R-P beat Mona Shores 1-0 earlier in the year, but the Sailors have been on a tear of late, with a seven-game winning streak since losing to the Rockets.
Reeths-Puffer is now 5-5-3 overall on the season and 4-3-1 in the O-K Green, with just two conference games left to play.
“It was against two very good opponents, plus all that extra emotion that comes with who we were playing,” Reeths-Puffer head coach Kody Harrell said about the tough week. “We have had weeks like these where we have gone 2-0 against good opponents - which would have been nice this time, for the confidence and the resume.”
R-P goalie Evan McCollum goes high to deflect the ball. Photo/Nick Fuller
The Sailors opened the scoring with the lone goal of the first half, when Tucker Vroman-Boxer scored on a header that was assisted by Jayden Moye at the 7:25 mark.
Mona Shores had chances to extend the lead with a couple shots just over the net, 26 and 28 minutes into the first half, but the score remained 1-0 at halftime.
The Sailors had another great opportunity three minutes into the second half when the ball bounced near the R-P goal line on a deflection from a shot, but Rocket sophomore goalkeeper Evan McCollum swiped it away just before it got in.
The Rockets had their best scoring opportunity five minutes into the second half on a shot by senior AJ Jackson, but the ball sailed just over the crossbar.
R-P's Landon Nash (6). Photo/Nick Fuller
Mona Shores increased the lead to 2-0 on a rebound shot from the left side of the net by Damian Medina with just under 15 minutes to play.
“They were a little more organized on the back end, and they were quicker to respond on the loose balls and second chances,” Harrell said. “They looked like a hungry team that was urgent to get a victory over us for the first time in four years, and that is props to them.”
The Rockets will host Grandville next Saturday as they begin to prepare for another big goal – winning a Division 2 district trophy.
“We just need to keep preparing for districts the rest of the way,” Harrell said. “We have held our hats on playing a tough schedule that will help us prepare better for districts. It’s about finding those finite details to fix that will carry us over.”
R-P's Matthew Hansen, left. Photo/Nick Fuller
