Rockford had, for them, a somewhat disappointing season in 2024. Most teams would look at what Rockford accomplished in 2024 with a sense of solid achievement. But a 7-2 regular season, runner-up finish in the OK Red and a first-round exit in the playoffs was a disappointment for this proud program. Only twice in the previous 23 seasons had the team fallen in the first round of the playoffs. The team did manage to keep their state record of thirty consecutive years as a qualifier for the playoffs and defeated the eventual state champions from Detroit Cass Tech as well as perennial power Muskegon along the way.
This year’s version of Rockford football will feature eight returning starters on the defensive side of the ball. There are few teams in the state who will have the accumulated senior-heavy crew the Rams will take the field with. Leading the way for the defense is senior safety Luke Ahern. The last of the talented trio of Ahern brothers has already committed to join his siblings at Ferris State University next year. Ahern was a first-team all state selection in 2024. Rockford also welcomes back senior middle linebacker Sam Cummings after he missed the 2024 campaign with a serious knee injury. Cummings led the Rams in tackles as a sophomore and features a combination of speed and tenacity that the Rams sorely missed in 2024.
Other returners who started and/or saw significant action last year include linebackers Carter VanderTuig, Wyatt Colson, Nick Mannor and Ryan Kerry. The entire linebacking corps features a bevy of 200-plus pound hitters who can run. Ahern will be joined in the defensive backfield by PJ LeBlanc and Chase Pitsch, who both saw significant time in 2024. Up front the Rams will feature senior Drew Ramm and junior Deus Sims.
On offense the Rams return senior quarterback Brayden Daniels who accumulated nearly 2,000 yards on the season a s a dual threat. He will have a talented group of wideouts led by seniors Dylan Gross and Jax Eichbauer. They will be joined by junior Owen Holt and sophomore Jackson Cummings. This will be one of the biggest strengths of the team. Krystian Fedorowych, Rylan Kirn and Henry Luth are all in the mix on the offensive line as the Rams look to replace a huge chunk of lost production with a talented and speedy young offensive line.
Brent Cummings will begin his sixth year as the head coach for Rockford in 2025. He has accumulated a sterling record of 47-7 in the previous five seasons including a trip to the semis and a pair of appearances in regional play. The four captains for Rockford this year are Sam Cummings, Dylan Gross, Luke Ahern and Brayden Daniels.
