Reeths-Puffer faces a tall task this fall, as it must move on without one of the program’s best players ever - Paige Anderson. Anderson, who placed third at last year’s state finals, graduated and is now playing at Ferris State University; she originally signed with Eastern Michigan, but a coaching change at EMU led to her joining the Bulldogs instead.
“Obviously losing a player like Paige Anderson is a huge loss,” R-P coach Matt Pallett said. “She was a two time all-stater. We are not going to replace her production individually. I have several girls who have worked on their game this summer and competed in tournaments. The hope is that collectively we have improved as a team and that will help to lessen the impact of losing a player of her caliber.”
R-P does bring back two of its other top players, who both finished in the individual top 10 in 11 of the Rockets’ 14 events last season - senior Rowan Bluhm and sophomore Sophia McCollum. The two were key factors in the Rockets’ earning a conference co-championship and scoring an impressive win in the GMAA.
Being a senior, Bluhm in particular will be taking on a leadership role, something Pallett said suits her personality very well.
The Rockets should be bolstered by the experience several younger players gained from the program being able to field its first-ever JV team last year. Sophomore Olivia Ambler, who played nine varsity events in 2023 before injury cut her season short, has put in a lot of work on her game and is set to be a major contributor. Senior Emma Dvorak and sophomore Ella Voorhies are also names to watch as R-P looks to fill out its varsity scoring roster.
R-P will play its usual opening tournament at The Meadows Golf Course, which given the caliber of the field should give the Rockets a good barometer of how they stack up. Pallett also is hopeful for a good showing at the team’s tournament up north at Crystal Mountain. R-P takes on the challenge of a new O-K Green Conference, but last year’s co-champ, Mona Shores, is still in the league, so the Sailors will again likely be R-P’s chief obstacle.
“Last year we got a taste of winning,” Pallett said. “We tied for the conference championship. We won an invitational. We won the GMAA. The internal expectation is to maintain this level of competitiveness. A lot of our success this year will be on how much and how quickly we can get better as a team.”
