By Jack Hart | ILSportsWire
The Rochester Rockets are turning their attention toward the postseason after finishing the regular season with an 8-1 record. With a first-round bye providing extra time to rest, recover and improve, the Rockets are focused on sharpening their game as they pursue another run toward a state championship.
ILSportsWire stopped by Rochester practice to catch up with Head Coach Derek Leonard and several key players about the regular season, lessons learned from their loss to Sacred Heart-Griffin (SHG), and what the team hopes to accomplish in the Class 4A playoffs.
Despite a successful regular season, the Rockets know there is still work to do.
Learning from the SHG loss
Rochester’s only loss of the regular season came against SHG in a hard-fought matchup that was decided by a single point. The result left the Rockets with valuable lessons as they prepare for the postseason and the possibility of another meeting with the Cyclones.
Coach Leonard believes losses can provide a perspective that wins sometimes cannot.
“Dad always told me this, and it’s so true. You learn a lot more from losses than you do wins,” Leonard said. “Sometimes, to fix things and kind of look at yourself in the mirror, you got to lose.”
Leonard emphasized that Rochester must improve if it hopes to reach its ultimate goal of winning a state championship.
The players echoed that message, particularly when discussing SHG’s success on the ground. Rochester has made stopping the run a priority during the bye week, with adjustments to its defensive scheme and personnel.
Parker Seifert said the loss helped keep the team grounded.
“I think it humbled us,” Seifert said. “It shows that we’re good, but we’re not as good as we think.”
For the Rockets, the setback has become another opportunity to improve before the games carry even greater stakes.
Rochester’s offense continues to lead the way
One of Rochester’s biggest strengths throughout the regular season has been its ability to move the football in multiple ways. The Rockets have found success running and passing, supported by an experienced offensive line and a collection of returning playmakers.
Offensive lineman Nolan Cordes credited the team’s ability to work together as a major reason for its success.
“I think we just worked really good as a team together,” Cordes said. “Some teams don’t really work as much as individuals, but I just think that we as a team can execute a lot of things that other teams can’t.”
Cordes also pointed to the work happening away from Friday nights, particularly in the weight room and during daily practice.
“That’s, like, the key factor of being a good offensive lineman, in my opinion,” Cordes said of weight training. “Just being strong and having good movements.”
Receiver Frankie Stefano also highlighted the effectiveness of Rochester’s offensive personnel, including the returning linemen, running back Evram Tabag and experienced receivers.
Stefano said getting open and blocking on the perimeter have been important parts of his development this season.
“If you’re not open, the quarterback can’t find you,” Stefano said. “You just got to get open when you get your opportunities.”
With a balanced offensive attack, Rochester believes it has the pieces to compete against the top teams remaining in Class 4A.
A bye week focused on improvement
With Rochester earning a first-round bye, the Rockets have an opportunity to address areas that can be difficult to prioritize during a typical game week.
Instead of preparing for one specific opponent, the coaching staff and players are concentrating on their own execution, technique and recovery.
“Right now, we need to fix us in general,” Leonard said. “It’s about getting better, yourself getting better at what you’re doing, and not worrying about what defense they’re running or who’s across from you.”
The additional time also gives injured players an opportunity to recover and potentially return as Rochester moves deeper into the postseason.
Seifert said the team is taking advantage of the week by working on its technique and making sure players are executing their responsibilities correctly.
Cordes added that the bye provides valuable time to work on details that can get overlooked when the team is preparing for a Friday-night opponent.
For a team with championship aspirations, those extra repetitions could prove important.
Experience could be a difference-maker
Rochester knows the road through Class 4A will not be easy. The postseason field includes several challenging programs, and Leonard expects a difficult path regardless of which opponents emerge.
The Rockets also have experience to draw from after reaching the state championship game last season before falling to Montini.
That experience has helped shape the team’s expectations heading into another playoff run.
“I think just the fact that we’ve been there before,” Stefano said when asked what could help Rochester make another championship push. “Obviously we lost last year, just couldn’t get it done, but that has kind of motivated us to finish it off this year.”
Quarterback Jack Beaker also stressed the importance of consistency, preparation and toughness as the Rockets get ready for postseason football.
Beaker has grown up around the game, learning from his father and his older brother, Henry. He said those experiences helped prepare him for his role with the Rockets.
“It’s always been awesome,” Beaker said of having his dad coach him. “He’s one of the people I look up to most, along with my brother.”
Beaker believes the team’s response to adversity has been encouraging, particularly as younger and less-experienced players have stepped up during an injury-filled stretch.
The road ahead
Rochester enters the playoffs at 8-1 with its sights set on another deep postseason run. The Rockets understand that reaching their ultimate goal will require improved defensive execution, continued offensive production and the ability to handle the pressure that comes with playoff football.
For Leonard, the immediate focus remains simple: get better.
The bye week offers Rochester a chance to regroup, get healthier and address the issues exposed during the regular season. With experienced players, a productive offense and the motivation of last year’s championship loss, the Rockets believe they have the foundation to make another run.
The regular season has established Rochester as a contender. Now, the Rockets must turn that potential into postseason results.
ILSportsWire will continue following Rochester and Central Illinois football throughout the IHSA playoffs.
