One of Oakridge’s finest, Peyton Ruel eclipsed the 1,000-point mark on January 3rd against Whitehall. “Reaching the milestone of 1,000 points is a goal that he has been looking for since his freshman year,” said Ruel’s father and coach, Tracy Ruel.
The senior carries a huge weight on his shoulders, being the starting point guard for a solid Oakridge team. But it’s almost as if that weight doesn’t bother him much, as he continues to do his thing. Ruel averages 21 points per game, which ranks 3rd overall in the West Michigan Conference.
Ruel’s best attribute, however, is his playmaking. He leads the WMC in assists per game with six.
Peyton added to his legacy at Oakridge by surpassing Dr. Calvin Johnson on the Eagles all-time scoring list and became the record holder for most points ever scored by an Oakridge Eagle boys’ basketball player.
The milestone moment came last Friday night when the eagles hosted and beat West Michigan Christian 66-45.
The Eagles are off to a 6-4 start and are 3rd in the Lakes Division. Their only two conference losses come against Whitehall and Ludington, both currently atop the division. “This group of guys will always hold a special place in my coaching career,” Tracy Ruel said.
Ruel also excels in Track and Cross-Country to go along with Basketball.
“Peyton is one of the hardest-working kids that I’ve had the pleasure of coaching,” Tracy Ruel said. This past Cross-Country season, Ruel qualified for the individual state meet for the 3rd time in his high school career. His personal best came at the regional meet, where he recorded a 16-minute flat time.
Outside of Oakridge basketball, Ruel plays for West Michigan Hardwood MIdwest AAU team. “This extra commitment and determination also helped him create friends from around West Michigan playing on Hardwood MIdwest AAU teams (Cam Thompson, Zane Stahl, James Young, Grade Anspach, Reid Grimmer, Jaden Core to name a few). These friendships will remain for many years to come.” said Tracy Ruel.
Peyton’s competitive nature came to life at a young age.
“I remember when Peyton was 9-10 years old and in the gym. His older brother TJ was doing offseason workouts. Peyton would always want to play his 6-year-older brother in a game of one-on-one. Peyton would use the padded roll because TJ is 6’3, and Peyton at the time was maybe 5 feet tall. That didn’t matter because Peyton was going to give it his all and wouldn’t quit until he either scored on TJ or a small scuffle broke out and I had to call it quits,” Tracy Ruel recalled.
Peyton’s accolades are off the charts as well. Throughout his high school career, he has played a total of 12 seasons of a varsity sport across Basketball, Track, and Cross-Country. In 10 of those 12, Ruel has received either All-Conference or All-Conference Honorable Mention honors.
Post-graduation, Peyton will compete in Cross-Country and Track at Muskegon Community College.
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