Thank goodness for failed two-point conversions.
In two different games this season, the Reeths-Puffer football team has avoided potential defeat when visiting teams failed to convert late two-point tries following touchdowns.
The first occurred in overtime against Grand Rapids Union. The latest occurred last Friday against Zeeland East, allowing the Rockets to escape with a tight 20-18 Homecoming victory in a game where they were heavy favorites.
R-P head coach Cody Kater credited Zeeland East, which is 1-5 on the season, for playing a strong game, but he also said last Friday’s performance was partially the result of inadequate team practices.
“It was one of those games where we learned about ourselves and our preparation,” said Kater, whose team improved to 5-1 with the win. “I don’t know if we overlooked them. We knew Zeeland East could give us trouble in a couple of different ways because of their size up front.
R-P's Brady Ross, seen taking a snap, passed for 122 yards last week and ran for 92 more.
“We really had a bad week of prep. We didn’t have 11 guys in sync on offense or defense at any given time.”
Kater is counting on bad practices being a thing of the past, because the Rockets have a pair of huge games ahead, on the road against 5-1 Zeeland West on Friday, and at home against powerful Mona Shores on Oct. 14.
Two victories would give the Rockets at least a share of the O-K Green conference championship, which would be a huge accomplishment for a team that finished 3-6 last season.
Win or lose, Kater said the fact that the Rockets are still playing meaningful games in October, and are still in the running for the conference title, means a lot.
He said the players have a right to feel proud of how far they’ve come in a short period of time.
Brody Johnson (24) rushed for 132 yards and two touchdowns against Zeeland East.
“Overall they’ve done a great job,” Kater said about the players. “They’ve really bought into what we’re trying to do. These are games (the next two weeks) that we really want to win, and that we will use as a measuring stick to see how far we’ve come.
“We are playing meaningful games, which is something that hasn’t been discussed around here in a while. Some of the kids may not even realize what’s at stake here, but that’s okay. They are busy focusing on themselves and what they need to do to improve.”
The first challenge will be Zeeland West, which was undefeated before running into Mona Shores last week and falling 34-6.
The Dux, under the direction of legendary head coach John Shillito, run the Wing-T offense, and it’s more than a little effective. Zeeland West has outscored opponents 232-85 this season.
Zeeland West will be just as motivated as the Rockets, because the loser will drop out of the conference title race.
Bryce Ross caught five passes for 62 yards and a touchdown last Friday.
“With Zeeland West we obviously know what’s at hand here,” Kater said. “We’re going against a great program with a great coaching staff, and a type of running style we haven’t seen all year. They ground and pound. It will be a totally different look for us.”
In the past the Wing-T was commonly known as a multiple-back deception offense, and if executed correctly it was very difficult for defenders to determine who had the ball.
Kater said the Wing-T has evolved and isn’t so much about hiding the ball anymore. With Zeeland West, it’s more about having several very good running backs who can churn the ball down the field and sustain long scoring drives, he said.
Based on media reports, Zeeland West has at least three running backs that can create a lot of havoc for defenses – Skyler Guerink, Parker Holman and Rolando Robelin.
Tyviea Williams (30) was Reeths-Puffer's leading tackler last week.
“You will still see them carry out fakes, but their backs are extremely fast and the whole team is very athletic,” said Kater, who ran a version of the Wing-T as a high school quarterback at Montague. “They’re going to do things to give us fits and we have to make sure we’re prepared to pivot.
“We know if they get up on us, we’re in trouble. We’re going to have to do some different things and create some explosive plays to stay in the game."