MUSKEGON — It’s year three for Reeths-Puffer head coach Cody Kater, but in a lot of ways it feels like part two of year one.
The Rockets graduated a slew of talented players from the squads that made playoff appearances each of the past two years, and most of the assistant staff has turned over as well.
On top of that, R-P is set to face one of the toughest schedules in school history, with a loaded O-K Green Conference that brings in Forest Hills Northern and Byron Center, plus an opening week game with defending Division 3 state champion Forest Hills Central. Only one Rocket opponent ended last year with a losing record.
Kater, though, is energized. During Friday’s two-a-day practices, he enthusiastically supported the defense in a head-to-head battle with the offense, and taking a cue from youth football club president Dave Muskovin, Kater called in the Muskegon Charter Township fire department to end the day’s labor by hosing his players down. (Muskovin, Kater said, did the same thing for the youth program last year.) The dancing and slip-and-sliding that followed seemed to indicate it was a good idea.
“We start to lean on each other a little bit more because of that adversity,” Kater said of having to turn over so much of the roster and staff. “That definitely helped. I haven’t been closer to a team ever in my career, and I never have been able to have such deep conversations with a coaching staff...We had to have four new hires, and I’m excited. This is the best coaching that’s been going on here since I’ve been here, on a continuous basis.”
R-P has to replace the top statistical performer in pretty much every category. On offense, the Rockets have a new quarterback, though he’s not new to White Lake area fans. Mason Darke, who transferred from Montague, brings his athleticism - he’s a hurdler - to the field. Darke wasn’t asked to throw much at Montague, but Kater said with a year of experience and work, he’s been among the team’s most improved players.
“I think it all comes down to mechanics and confidence,” Kater said. “Those are things that we’ve been trying to improve upon. Also, he was a sophomore playing up and now he’s obviously a year older. We hope with his experience, he’s able to grow from certain things throughout camp a little bit quicker than someone that doesn’t have as much experience.”
The Muskovin brothers, Ethan and Bryce, are set for big roles. Ethan, a slot receiver, is set to catch more passes than in past years after top receivers Jaxson Whitaker, Bryce Ross and Travis Ambrose graduated, and Bryce, a sophomore, steps up to the challenge of filling Brody Johnson’s significant shoes at running back.
“That’s what he’s wanting to do,” Kater said of Bryce. “He’s a giant-killer, a giant-slayer. He’s someone that wants the big task and he’s confident enough to go do it at a high level.”
All three levels of the defense feature new leaders too, though Sage Secrest boasts plenty of experience and is ready to be the defensive centerpiece.
“It’s been a tough task throughout the offseason trying to fill those gaps and trying to do our best to help, management-wise,” Kater said. “We feel like we’ve got some kids within our program that have experience, but just in different roles.”
Kater’s mantra since he took over the job has been “R-P versus R-P,” worrying only about the process and not the results. He conceded it hasn’t always been easy to keep past teams on that track, but credits the 2024 group with doing it as well as any so far.
“Our kids, and you can ask their parents, they don’t talk about other schools or other teams,” Kater said. “We know who’s in our county that we have to go play. We know who our non-conference (opponents are). We’re not afraid of it. We’re looking forward to the challenge and it’s going to help us get better. We’re going to learn something throughout that week of prep and that Friday night test.”
