MUSKEGON TOWNSHIP- Curious Reeths-Puffer football fans who came out on Thursday to see how the Rockets might fare under new head coach Cody Kater had to be impressed.

R-P looked good – very good, in fact – in an impressive 32-20 season-opening victory over Grand Haven.

The Rockets showed some flash on offense, with quarterback Brady Ross making big plays through the air and on the ground, receivers Tayle Vanderleest and Bryce Ross snagging several huge catches, and tailback Brody Johnson grinding out big yards in the second half.

The defense was equally impressive, making a number of big stops on fourth down, recovering a fumble and adding an interception that led to a score.

R-P’s special teams were also very good, recovering two fumbles on kickoffs.

R-P quarterback Brady Ross takes a snap from center. Photo/Joe Lane

The Rockets weren’t perfect, particularly when it came to penalties. They were flagged for five infractions in the first half, including one penalty that negated a long touchdown pass.

But in the end it added up to a very encouraging win for a team that’s been starved for big victories in recent years.

It was also a great beginning to Kater’s head coaching career.

The 30-year-old has known a lot of success before, as a state championship quarterback and offensive coordinator at Montague, but never as the top guy on the sideline.

The coach was happy after the game but seemed more focused on building on the victory than celebrating it.

“It feels good,” Kater said. “We had a decent week of practice, not a great week, but this gives us something to build off from. We’re starting to find ourselves.”

Reeths-Puffer’s Tayte Vanderleest breaks loose from a would-be tackler. Photo/Joe Lane

The victory also provided a degree of revenge for the Rockets, who have struggled against Grand Haven in recent years, going 1-6 in their last seven meetings with the Buccaneer.

“That’s something this program hasn’t done in a while,” Brady Ross said. “Coach Kater reminded us we were 1-6 the last seven times.”

The excitement started on the opening kickoff when Grand Haven fumbled the ball and R-P’s Elijah Smith recovered it at the Buccaneer 25.

Two plays later Brady Ross threw a screen pass to his brother Bryce Ross, who broke loose for a 22-yard TD catch. The PAT failed and R-P led 6-0 less than a minute into the game.

Grand Haven had a long drive on its first possession, running 17 plays from its own 35 to the Reeths-Puffer 4, but the scoring effort failed when the Bucs had a bad snap on a field goal attempt.

R-P defenders stuff a Grand Haven ball carrier. Photo/Joe Lane

The Buccaneers fumbled again early in the second quarter and R-P’s Caleb Zimmerman recovered the ball at the Grand Haven 22.

Three plays later Brady Ross found the end zone from three yards out, the PAT attempt failed again, but Reeths-Puffer led 12-0 with 7:31 left if the first half.

Grand Haven fumbled again on the ensuing kickoff. Then the Rockets had a turnover when Ross was picked off by Grand Haven’s Logan Minear at the Buccaneer 20.

But R-P got the ball back one play later when Bryce Ross intercepted a pass. Two plays later Brady Ross hit Vanderleest with what might have been a 39-yard touchdown pass, but it was called back on a blocking in the back penalty.

That didn’t discourage the Rockets. Two plays later they pulled off an amazing flea-flicker play, when Brady Ross handed off to Johnson, who pitched to Bryce Ross, who completed a pass to Vanderleest on the far sideline.

Vanderleest broke several tackles after the catch and battled his way into the Grand Haven end zone to complete a 47-yard touchdown play.

Vanderleest finds running room and gets a big gain for Reeths-Puffer. Photo/Joe Lane

The PAT kick was good and Reeths-Puffer led 19-0 with 4:21 left in the first half.

Grand Haven got on the scoreboard with 1:21 remaining when quarterback Xzavier Rodriguez found Will Korenstra for a 33-yard TD pass.

The Rockets led 19-7 at halftime.

Reeths-Puffer took the opening kickoff of the second half and went 71 yards on 14 plays, with two successful fourth down conversions, and capped the drive with a 20-yard run touchdown run by Brady Ross. The PAT run failed and the Rockets led 25-7.

Grand Haven scored on its next possession on a 10-yard scamper by Rodriguez and the score was 25-13 after three quarters.

R-P’s Brady Ross scores a touchdown. Photo/Joe Lane

The Buccaneers faced a crucial fourth-and-one situation at their own 19 early in the fourth quarter, but the Rockets stuffed the play, with Zimmerman and Tyviea Williams combining for the big tackle.

R-P got the ball at the Grand Haven 19 and Brady Ross scored from two years out with 4:41 remaining. The PAT was good and the Rockets led 32-13.

Ross finished with three touchdown runs and one TD pass in the game.

“Our quarterback played well,” Kater said. “That was not a surprise. He played how he practices. He’s a great kid and you get nothing but great results from people like that. And he’s going to make sure he improves.”

Grand Haven got a late score on a short touchdown run by Rodriguez, but it was too little, too late.

“We had a great defensive plan, offensive we took some shots when we could take shots, and we ran the ball well in the second half,” Kater said. “We’re going to work and build off from this, but it’s exciting. I love coaching these guys and I love this coaching staff.”