FRUITPORT – The Fruitport football team definitely turned a big corner last year.

After eight straight seasons with a losing record, the Trojans cashed in with an 8-3 mark, a share of the championship in the brutally tough O-K Blue conference and a first-round playoff victory.

It was the type of year that head coach Nate Smith and his staff had been working toward, and now they’re eager to build on the momentum as they try to produce a consistent winner.

“We had a great season and things really came together,” said Smith, whose team will open the season on Thursday at home against Kenowa Hills. “We won some games that people didn’t think we were going to win. I always feel like the follow-up year will tell the true impact. We are looking to build on it. This is an opportunity to set the standard.”

Having the same type of success this fall will be a challenge for the Trojans, because a lot of great players graduated in the spring, including Paschal Jolman, Collin Jolman, Cody Nash and quite a few others.

The good news is that a lot of really good players are still around, ready to fill the big shoes and keep the program moving forward.

“We have a good number of kids back with experience,” Smith said. “A good chunk of them have taken a lot of snaps. We are much further ahead than we were in past years. They know what they’re doing and they’re accustomed to the system.”

Smith feels very good about the crucial quarterback position, which will be filled by junior Bradon Dornbos, who started a few games last year as a receiver and cornerback.

“He’s going to have a few growing pains, but we are excited about his potential,” Smith said. “He can run the ball very well and has a very strong arm. One thing that jumps out is he throws a very high velocity football. He throws very well on the run and we’re working on his deep ball accuracy.”

Smith is excited about the idea of having a two-year starting quarterback who can keep developing and improving as a junior and senior.

“I one hundred percent love that idea,” the coach said. “He has some unique talents and abilities, and he can keep building on them. He’s been a beast in the weight room. He’s put on about 40 pounds of muscle. He is prepared. He’s been working out with (West Michigan Ironmen quarterback) Alex Carder. We’ve watched him get better and better.”

The offensive backfield should also be in very good hands, with a pair of veteran standouts from other positions leading the way.

The featured back will be senior Kayden Beardsley, who was an All-Conference safety for the Trojans as a junior. He will move around in different formations and pose a threat to opponents in different ways, according to Smith.

“He will move into the slot sometimes and into the backfield, the same as Paschal Jolman did,” the coach said. “He will do all kinds of things for us. He’s going to be a weapon.”

Senior Ricky Wiggins, an established standout along the line, will also move into the backfield as a more traditional type of fullback/Hback who will lend a power-running element to the attack.

“He’s strong as an ox,” Smith said about Wiggins. “He squats over 600 pounds. He runs in a straight line like a bowling ball. He’s an old-fashioned fullback type.”

Senior Daiton Campbell, who started eight games as an outside linebacker last year, will be a slot receiver who catches passes and sometimes runs the ball.

“He had a great offseason,” Smith said about Campbell. “He’s locked into football. He’s fast and a great athlete. We’re going to move our slots around a lot. Daiton is a little bit taller than Kaiden, and Kaiden is a little thicker. You can argue back and forth about who’s faster.”

Smith is very excited about the Trojans’ starting receivers, 6-foot-7 senior Bobby Canfield and speedy sophomore Day Day Williams.

“The outside guys are going to be special,” Smith said. “Bobby is long, rangy, runs great routes and catches the ball very well in traffic. There are one or two Division 1 and 2 colleges looking at him.

“Day Day is a basketball player and epitomizes what it means to be an athlete. He’s a game-changer. He’s going to turn some heads in the next couple of years.”

The offensive line will be anchored by junior guard Caden Carrillo (6-1, 290), who was All-Conference last year as a sophomore. Seniors Vanden Stegall and Xavier Kelly and junior Jaxon Thorns are some other names in the mix for the O-line, where competition for playing time remains ongoing.

On defense, Wiggins (5-8, 235) will say on the field and man the nose tackle position.

Other key names in the mix for the D line include seniors Macen Benderman and Donte May. Competition remains for other starting spots.

Three players will figure prominently at linebacker – senior Gianni Rowan, and juniors Alex Morse and Frank Kotecki.

In the secondary, Beardsley will serve as the leader of the defense and call plays from his free safety position. The rest of the positions were still being sorted out, but Williams, Canfield and Pierce Jolman are among those who will play prominent roles.

Soccer standout Brady Brown will handle the placekicking.

Coach Smith says he’s most excited about the team’s mentality going into this season.

“Their approach is different,” he said about his players. “They are taking the field with intentions higher than they had before. When you’ve had that success, you don’t want that to be a blip. They have a real understanding of the history they are playing for when they put on that uniform. This team has really embraced that.

“I am super excited about the season in a whole different way.”