The Reeths-Puffer football team is preparing for important games in late October.
That means the Rockets have arrived, at least to a significant degree.
After winning a total of five games over the previous two seasons, Reeths-Puffer is on the verge of securing a berth in the Michigan High School Athletic Association playoffs for the first time since 2013.
“The kids have done a great job by putting themselves in a position to have an opportunity for a playoff spot,” said Reeths-Puffer head coach Cody Kater. “Except for the COVID year, this team has not made the playoffs since 2013. Now we know what it’s like to play meaningful games. The last two games were like playoff games.”
Of course playing meaningful games in late October means it’s time to put the finished product on the field.
R-P quarterback Brady Ross finds running room against Mona Shores.
After months of working hard to improve and prepare for the next opponent, there’s no guarantee there will be a next opponent.
The Rockets head into Friday’s regular season finale at Lansing Everett with a 5-3 record. A victory would almost certainly get them into the Division 2 state playoffs. A loss would leave them holding their breaths while they watch Sunday’s MHSAA playoff pairings show.
R-P scheduled Lansing Everett as a last-minute replacement for conference foe Holland, which called off its season weeks ago due to competitiveness issues.
In a way the tradeoff is good for R-P, because Holland is Division 3 and would bring fewer potential playoff points, while Lansing Everett is Division 2 and brings more.
“If we win we should be in, and having a Division 2 opponent might help us a little more if we lose,” Kater said.
Tayte Vanderleest tries to haul in a pass last Friday.
R-P could have taken a forfeit against Holland, collected its sixth win and probably sealed up a playoff bid, but the Rockets don’t want to win games by forfeit.
“We want to earn everything,” Kater said. “We want to play the games. For whatever reason there’s a lot more (forfeits) happening, but fortunately we get to play.”
The Rockets had a good and bad game last Friday at home against Mona Shores.
On the positive side, they played great defense and battled one of the state’s better teams all the way to the end before falling 15-0.
The defense was particularly good, shutting down the Sailors’ big-play offense and holding Mona Shores to a field goal, a blocked punt touchdown return and a short touchdown run.
“Our defensive staff has done a great job the entire season,” Kater said. “Some games we’ve given up a few more points than they wanted, but they always just go back to work. I felt like they put a complete game together against Mona Shores and put (the Sailors) in a tough spot.”
R-P's Garrett Chesney chases down a Mona Shores runner.
The biggest problems for the Rockets, for the second straight week, came on offense. They moved the ball effectively up and down the field but could not finish drives inside the red zone. They also hurt themselves with untimely penalties and two passes that were intercepted.
The same type of problems plagued the Rockets a week earlier in a 30-12 loss to Zeeland West.
“It’s not like we haven’t moved the ball,” Kater said. “We had around 300 yards of offense both games, but penalties and errors cost us. In pressure situations we haven’t executed as well. We’ve been trying to create some pressure in practice so we can learn to win moments like that.”
R-P fans who are worried about making the playoffs should know that Lansing Everett is a struggling team.
The Rockets pursue Mona Shores quarterback Johnathon Pittman.
The Vikings are 2-5 and have been outscored by opponents 207-72. Lansing Everett has not scored more than 17 points in a game this season.
The Vikings were idle last week and will be wrapping up their season against R-P.
Despite Everett’s struggles, the Rockets are preparing for the game like there’s no tomorrow – because if they lose there might not be.
“It’s a big-time game for us,” Kater said. “It’s do or die from here on out. That the mindset of our program this week. We understand the big picture and we’ve been preparing with a sense of urgency.”