HOLLAND – The Fruitport boys soccer team has made it seem almost impossible for opponents to score, and that trend continued on Monday night.

The Trojans did not come home with an O-K Blue conference tournament championship, because they battled Holland Christian, the No. 2 ranked team in the state, to a 0-0 draw in the tournament title game on the Maroons’ home field.

But they did come home with their jaw-dropping shutout streak extended to nine games, and a new school record of 11 shutouts in a season.

Holland Christian won the overall conference championship, based on the regular season standings and tournament results, but the Trojans sure seemed like champions with the dust finally settled.

“We’ve grown up a little bit,” said Fruitport head coach Dan Hazekamp, whose team finished second overall in the O-K Blue. “These guys are gritty, and it’s allowed us to compete with really good teams like tonight. We’ve gotten a little better every year in this conference and tonight was a testament to that.”

Fruitport goalkeeper Logan Werschem was incredible, stopping all 10 Maroon shots while facing pressure throughout the game, particularly in the second half.

“It was good to keep the streak,” Werschem said after the game. “It’s a great feeling. It’s great to represent the school and have something to show for it.”

The streak was certainly put to the test, particularly with just 1:26 left in the game when a Holland Christian crossing pass was headed by a player just over the open goal.

The near miss drew a collective sigh of relief from the Trojans and their fans.

“You know you’re going to have to dodge some bullets from a team like that,” Hazekamp said. “We felt relief to see that one go by, and I thought for the most part we kept them out of the middle.”

Werschem admitted the high shot was scary.

“I almost had a heart attack,” he said. “There always seems to be a close one right at the end. It was just a nervous game the whole time.”

The near miss was the best chance either team had to score throughout the 80 minutes of play.

In the first half, Fruitport was outshot 4-1, but neither team really came close to finding the back of the net.

Holland Christian dominated possession in the second half, outshooting Fruitport 6-0, but Werschem stood tall keeping the game scoreless.

The goalie passed credit to the Fruitport defense, which kept a lot of would-be shots from developing.

“Best I’ve seen them play all year,” Werschem said about the defenders. “I couldn’t have asked for a better defensive effort. Any shot that they let go wasn’t their fault. I couldn’t ask for more.”

Werschem’s biggest contribution may have been making his saves without giving Holland Christian second chances.

“The biggest thing he was great at tonight was not giving up rebounds,” Hazekamp said. “He swallowed everything up and was confident with his decision-making. From where we were at the beginning of the year to now, he has settled in and become a confident leader.”

The Trojans wrapped up the regular season with a 14-2-3 overall record and a 6-2-2 conference mark.

They’ll next host Muskegon on Thursday in the opening round of Division 2 district play.

“Our guys are really focused,” Hazekamp said about moving into the state tournament. “They’ve been through some wars and seen some things. I’d have a hard time thinking we’ll take anything for granted. We got some goals in mind, but we’re taking it one game at a time.”