MUSKEGON TOWNSHIP - The Reeths-Puffer competitive cheer team is accustomed to doing very well, and the Rockets did well again on Saturday.
It was just not quite as well as they were hoping, particularly since they were hosting their own invitational tournament at Reeths-Puffer High School.
The Rockets finished second among Division 1-2 schools, just behind first-place Cedar Springs.
Reeths-Puffer was right behind Cedar Springs all day long.
( Left to right) Carly Weinrick, Destinee Amos and Addyson Smith. Photo/Aubrey Clark
The Rockets scored a 225 in Round 1 (execution) while Cedar Springs checked in at 227.30. R-P scored a 213.84 in Round 2 (overall skills) while Cedar Springs scored a 214.76.
With the score between the two teams so close after two rounds (Cedar Springs led R-P 442.06-438.84), Round 3 (stunting) was crucial, but again Cedar Springs had a slight edge over the Rockets, 290.6-289.5, to seal up the tournament title.
Cedar Springs finished with a final score of 732.66, followed by the Rockets (728.34), Fruitport (716.26), Kenowa Hills (694.34), Allendale (537.60) and Grand Haven (520.70).
“We went down about 20 points from our average,” said Reeths-Puffer Coach Lisabeth Smith. “We were down a bit in every round. We have a lot of things we have to focus on before districts.
R-P's Detinee Amos. Photo/Aubrey Clark
“We were at a bit of a disadvantage because there is so much work involved in hosting a tournament. The girls’ focus was definitely there. They are just a little disappointed it didn’t work out in their favor.”
With the home invitational behind them, the Rockets are now fully focused on the most important part of their season – the state tournament.
R-P made it all the way to the Division 2 state finals last year, a first for the program, and finished in seventh place.
After winning three tournaments this year, and placing second many times, they like their chances of getting back to the finals in a few weeks.
It all begins on Saturday when R-P will compete in districts at Forest Hills Northern. A top four finish would send the Rockets back to regionals, and a top four finish at regionals would send them back to the state finals.
The Rockets wait for their final score at the end of the tournament.
“We’re actually scoring higher this year than last year on average, but our competitors are rising to the challenge,” said Coach Smith, whose team will have a final warmup for districts at Wednesday’s Comstock Park Invitational. “It makes it more fun, but it also makes it more rigorous.
“The girls are really hungry to get that ticket back up there. They know what they need to do. We have a lot of great plans this week for practice.”
Team member Addyson Smith thinks the Rockets need to polish their Round 3 performance a bit, then will be good to go as they drive for a return to the state finals.
“Our Round 3 needs a lot of work,” she said. “I really think if we get that together we will have a real good chance. I think we still have a lot of work to put in, but overall the season has been going very well so far.”
