Usually Called On to Contain Buzz, Rockafellow Ready to Make More Noise as Perry's Top Target
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
August 21, 2026
PERRY – Two nests already were packed away in the back of his vehicle when Alex Rockafellow rolled up at 9:45 p.m. under an impressive find – a basketball-sized sphere hanging from a single thin branch over a driveway and filled with black and white-lined bald-faced hornets.
While most of us surely would have considered removing the nest daunting, the Perry senior saw an easy task compared to his usual searching around in the dark for a nest of insects he doesn’t want to startle. With the nest out in the open, all he had to do was snap the branch, drop the nest and its hundreds or hornets into an open pillowcase, and move on to the next collection.
Rockafellow spent five or six nights a week this summer driving around mid-Michigan working for the family business, Rock’s Free Yellow Jacket & Hornet Removal, which contains and takes away yellow jacket and hornet nests for free and sends the insects off to laboratories in Washington and Idaho where their venom is extracted to create immunotherapies to treat allergy patients.
That’s obviously not the typical high schooler summer job – and surely it’s unique among all-state football receivers and MHSAA record-holders. But he enters this season as all three, having earned all-state honorable mention from the Detroit News last fall and after tying the record for longest reception with a 99-yarder from teammate Zach Miller.
“I’ve taken some of my teammates on a few (nest) runs before. They think it’s a great time, and it’s really great getting to know each other,” said Rockafellow, a 6-foot-1, 170-pound pass catcher who reeled in 47 total for 882 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior. “Just looking for the nests, it’s really fun, (and) it’s cool to have two people looking for it. One time I took my buddy Miles, and he was the one who found the nest, and he was pretty surprised. He was like two feet from the nest when he found it.”
Opening night is a week away for 600 football teams across Michigan, and preseason practice the last few weeks has allowed Rockafellow to step away from his nighttime insect runs. Tales from his summer vacation are fascinating on their own, but the story of his climb the last five years from being uninterested in football to becoming a college prospect has its share of riveting details as well.
Rockafellow was an eighth grader during the fall of 2022, a quiet kid mostly hanging out at home “probably solving Rubik’s Cubes or reading books” and not nearly physically active enough for his dad Travis’ liking.
Alex had no interest in playing football, but Travis – who with wife Amy teaches in the Perry district – decided to reach out to a past student who was now serving as a middle school football coach. The middle school team at the time had 11 players – seventh and eighth graders combined – so Alex joined, giving the Ramblers 12 and some of his teammates a chance to take a breath.
He enjoyed that season enough to play again, entering high school a notable 6-foot tall but also just 123 pounds. He liked catching passes, didn’t love tackling, and so football remained just something to do during the fall – until the end of his sophomore season, when he moved up to varsity, and it was like he’d been stung (in a good way).
“I got a little taste of what it was like to play varsity, and I loved it,” Rockafellow recalled. “After that … (I) was just wanting more of it.
“(Football is) like an art. It’s just beautiful to watch it and see the plays unfold. Just understanding how to run routes against different defenders, where they are, and utilizing their leverage, how to attack that off the ball and how I’m going to break down.”
Intensely pursuing his role as artist, Rockafellow became a tireless worker, often found on Perry’s football field during the offseasons running routes by himself, even during breaks in winter weather. Despite suffering a broken collarbone at the end of that sophomore season, and then a busted wrist during basketball that winter, Rockafellow dedicated himself. It was during one of those football field training sessions before last spring when football coach Steve Bentley – also the school’s longtime and successful track & field coach – proposed Rockafellow give that sport a try. Over April and May, Rockafellow cut nearly two seconds off his 200 time, added four inches to his high jump and ran on the Ramblers’ 800 relay.
He’s hoping the improvements he picked up in running mechanics pay off on the football field. Another bonus: His big numbers from last fall – piled up almost entirely against double teams – came mostly on passes from now-senior quarterback Tyger Whitbeck.
They are two of only 16 players on the Perry varsity. But there are 25 players on the Ramblers’ JV, and Rockafellow’s commitment provides an example that may continue to pay off after he’s moved on.
“He’s the sort of kid who is setting the foundation. He doesn’t care about any of the individual stuff or whatever. The only time he cares about that is when it can help him get to the next level,” Bentley said.
Rockafellow has been generating interest among Division II football programs and been offered 2027 roster spots by four Division III teams. “Courtney (Hawkins) is a friend of mine, at Michigan State, and we went and did some hand-to-hand stuff off the line of scrimmage with him, and (Alex) absorbs everything,” Bentley noted. “It’s almost to the point where it looks like he’s not paying attention to you, and he’s thinking of five different things on how he can apply what you just told him.”
Rockafellow also carries a 3.9 grade-point average, so maybe entomology is in his future?
Actually, he’s hoping to follow in the footsteps of his dad, a physical education teacher at Perry’s upper elementary school who Alex has watched impact students in a way he’d like to continue – like when Travis secured a grant to purchase mountain bikes and taught kids how to ride them.
“We’ve never been those parents to say ‘you’re going to do this, we want you to do this.’ He’s gone above and beyond what we’ve expected from him,” Travis Rockafellow said. “The best way to describe Alex is he gets himself in the right place in the right time. He puts himself out there. I was never that confident and outgoing, but to watch him make the transformation from a shy kid to this, he’s exceeded my expectations, and I’m really proud of him.”
Alex said his future could also include permanently adding a third generation to Rock's removal service. As a sweat bee darted around his helmet Monday, he didn’t seem to notice. He’s been helping out his dad and grandfather since he was 5, and the eight or so stings he received this year haven’t hurt like they used to when he was younger.
Rockafellow also will leave his mark as one of the all-time top receivers at Perry, but would love to be remembered in a less measurable way. Despite being few in numbers, the Ramblers this season are a close-knit group, and he’s plenty confident they’ll improve on their one win from a year ago.
“I would love to be just a different kind of team, one that hates losing more than they love winning,” Rockafellow said. “Just trying to be our best and fighting for everything we can get.”
Geoff Kimmerly joined the MHSAA in Sept. 2011 after 12 years as Prep Sports Editor of the Lansing State Journal. He is a senior editor of MHSAA.com's editorial content and has served as MHSAA Communications Director since January 2021. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for the Barry, Eaton, Ingham, Livingston, Ionia, Clinton, Shiawassee, Gratiot, Isabella, Clare and Montcalm counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Perry’s Alex Rockafellow hauls in a pass last season while closely covered. (Middle) Rockafellow prepares to collect a nest Friday, despite nearly being stung. (Below) Rockafellow makes a move up field, also last season. (Photos courtesy of the Rockafellow family.)
Drive for Detroit: Week 4 Preview
September 19, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
As we cruise into Week 4 of this high school football season, be ready for a few curveballs and change-ups.
For starters: Something just doesn't feel right about not featuring the latest meetings between Detroit Martin Luther King and Cass Tech and Traverse City West and Central, like we have almost every season since beginning these previews in 2012. But other games from those parts of the state are potentially bigger this time around.
Read on for more on many of the matchups that especially stuck out from this week's schedule. Be sure as well to check out this week's MHSAA.tv schedule featuring 25 games including seven mentioned below.
And because those two games mentioned above are still going to mean a lot, potentially, here are a few quick notes: The King/Cass winner will move to 2-2 and the loser to 1-3, with the teams likely to meet again in the league playoffs and the loser of that rematch very possibly missing the MHSAA postseason. Both got to 1-2 after playing some of the toughest opening competition of any teams statewide. Meanwhile, the West/Central “Patriot Game” will draw more than 10,000 fans downtown tonight, and the winner will be a frontrunner to win the Big North Conference title. West was the champ and Central second last season thanks to West's 21-14 win of the Trojans.
"Drive for Detroit" is sponsored by MI Student Aid.
Bay & Thumb
Frankenmuth (3-0) at Freeland (3-0)
These two have met six times over the last four seasons, four in nonleague contests and twice in the playoffs, with Freeland holding a 4-2 edge. The realigned Tri-Valley Conference East has them both in the same league this fall and as the only unbeaten teams overall after three weeks (Saginaw Swan Valley also is 2-0 in league play, 2-1 overall). Freeland has pulled out a couple of close games this fall against tough opponents, while the Eagles have won all of their games (against a less imposing group) by at least 29 points – but fell to the Falcons in last year’s Week 9 matchup 15-8.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY New Lothrop (3-0) at Montrose (3-0), Davison (3-0) at Flint Powers Catholic (3-0), Richmond (3-0) at Croswell-Lexington (2-1), Alma (1-2) at Saginaw Swan Valley (2-1).
Greater Detroit
Brighton (3-0) at Plymouth (3-0)
The Wildcats took a nice step last fall after posting sub-.500 records in 2016 and 2017, finishing 6-4. Taking down reigning league champion Brighton to move into first alone in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association West would be another jump. Plymouth broke a three-year losing streak against rival Canton with a 15-13 win last week, while the Bulldogs are riding an 11-game regular-season winning streak that includes a 24-7 win over Plymouth last season.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY Orchard Lake St. Mary's (3-0) at Walled Lake Western (3-0), Detroit Cass Tech (1-2) at Detroit Martin Luther King (1-2), Birmingham Groves (3-0) at Oak Park (2-1), Clarkston (1-2) at West Bloomfield (2-1), Brownstown Woodhaven (3-0) at Wyandotte Roosevelt (3-0).
Mid-Michigan
DeWitt (2-1) at Holt (2-1)
The Rams’ rejuvenation has brought relevance to this matchup after the first meeting between these teams ended with a 49-7 Panthers victory a year ago. With solid wins over Caledonia and Hudsonville and a close loss last week to Traverse City West, Holt is projecting early to earn its first playoff berth since 2013. But DeWitt represents a fourth straight tough opponent to start the season, and also a major measuring stick locally as the reigning Capital Area Activities Conference Blue champion and winningest team in the Lansing area since the start of the century.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY Evart (3-0) at Beal City (3-0), Fowler (3-0) at Laingsburg (3-0), Portage Northern (3-0) at East Lansing (2-1), Williamston (2-1) at St. Johns (2-1).
Northern Lower Peninsula
Traverse City St. Francis (2-1) at Kingsley (3-0)
This rivalry has been one-sided this decade, with St. Francis winning seven of eight meetings including last year’s during the regular season (43-8) and playoffs (41-20). But there are a few reasons to believe this rematch will be much more competitive. First, last year’s games saw Kingsley break a four-year shutout streak against the Gladiators on the way to finishing 10-2 – after going only 1-8 in 2017. The Stags have won all of their games this fall by at least 27 points. And St. Francis did suffer only its second regular-season loss of the last five seasons, in Week 2 to Maple City Glen Lake – although the defeat is looking better every week as the Lakers remain unbeaten.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY Traverse City Central (2-1) at Traverse City West (2-1), Frankfort (2-1) at Maple City Glen Lake (3-0), St. Ignace (2-1) at Johannesburg-Lewiston (3-0), McBain (1-2) at Lake City (1-2).
Southeast & Border
Sand Creek (3-0) at Clinton (3-0)
Clinton has emerged as the early favorite in the Tri-County Conference with recent power Ottawa Lake Whiteford off to a 1-2 start and the Redskins putting up at least 41 points in all three of their games so far. But Sand Creek has gone over 50 twice, and more impressively pulled out a 31-28 Week 2 win over otherwise unscored-upon Adrian Lenawee Christian. The last three games between these two were decided by seven points or fewer. Clinton won the last two including last fall 28-27.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY Blissfield (2-1) at Brooklyn Columbia Central (3-0), Onsted (2-1) at Hillsdale (3-0), Michigan Center (1-2) at Addison (2-1), Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes (1-2) at Pittsford (2-1).
Southwest Corridor
Edwardsburg (3-0) at Vicksburg (3-0)
The reigning Division 4 champion Eddies have run their winning streak to 17 and given up all of eight points this season, those to Dowagiac in Week 1. This is all familiar of course – Edwardsburg has lost only two regular-season games over the last seven years, although the first defeat came to Vicksburg in 2014. Despite finishing just 3-6 a year ago, the Bulldogs did give the Eddies their second-closest game of the entire 2018 season including playoffs with a 38-22 defeat in Week 8 (only Grand Rapids Catholic Central in a two-point Semifinal loss came closer).
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY Lawton (3-0) at Delton Kellogg (3-0), Paw Paw (3-0) at Dowagiac (2-1), Stevensville Lakeshore (2-1) at St. Joseph (3-0), Kalamazoo Central (1-2) at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix (0-3).
Upper Peninsula
West Iron County (3-0) at Calumet (3-0)
Coming off what surely will be one of its toughest league games of this season against Ishpeming Westwood, Calumet next gets what should be a strong nonleague challenge in West Iron – even considering the Copper Kings won the same matchup under similar circumstances 43-6 a year ago. The Wykons did go on to finish 8-3, its only other losses both to Ishpeming. A win tonight would give them not only a great measuring stick as they look to match up with another undefeated Hematites team in league play, but also would put West Iron at 4-0 for the first time since 2014.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY Marquette (1-2) at Escanaba (3-0), Ishpeming Westwood (1-2) at Ishpeming (3-0), Kingsford (1-2) at Gladstone (2-1), Petoskey (0-3) at Sault Ste. Marie (2-1).
West Michigan
Rockford (3-0) at Muskegon Mona Shores (3-0)
Even with some of their opponents’ struggles, it’s always going to be impressive how Rockford has opened with wins over Grand Rapids Christian, Lowell and Holland West Ottawa. Mona Shores actually was even better this time against early opponents East Kentwood, Bay City Central and Reeths-Puffer than a year ago, when the Sailors also started 3-0 and then went on to beat Rockford 33-14 in Week 4 and eventually finish 12-2 and Division 2 runner-up. The Rams have some added motivation, as reportedly longtime and legendary coach Ralph Munger is slated to return to the sideline for the first time this fall after undergoing heart surgery just before practice began.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY Holland Christian (2-1) at Byron Center (3-0), Sparta (3-0) at Grand Rapids Catholic Central (2-1), Zeeland West (3-1) at Lowell (2-1), Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central (2-1) at Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (1-2).
8-Player
Climax-Scotts (3-0) at Camden-Frontier (3-0)
While the Panthers’ early run during their inaugural season of 8-player has been impressive, Camden-Frontier might present a next-level challenge. The Redskins have made the playoffs all three seasons they’ve played 8-player, and this fall they’ve sandwiched a nice eight-point win over Burr Oak between 50+ scoring weeks. The last time these teams played, Climax-Scotts won 60-0 in a 2015 11-player game – but it’s a good assumption the move to 8-player for both will prove to be a bit of an equalizer as they meet again.
Keep an eye on these: FRIDAY Suttons Bay (3-0) at Onekama (3-0), Rudyard (2-1) at Brimley (3-0), Colon (3-0) at Burr Oak (2-1). SATURDAY Pickford (2-1) at Eben Junction Superior Central (2-1).
Second Half’s weekly “Drive for Detroit” previews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTO: Norway quarterback Nathan Paulitch (7) gains several yards during the second quarter of last week's game against Ishpeming before Hematites Ben Pruett (14), Dawson Delongchamp (17) and Tanner Romback (80) catch up to him. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)