FRUITPORT – Looking back on it now, Fruitport’s Frankie Kotecki wishes he would have started playing football long before he finally joined the team.

After watching him run on Friday night, Trojan fans probably feel the same way.

Kotecki, a senior who didn’t join the Fruitport program until last year, wrapped up his short career with his best game ever, rushing for 164 yards on 10 attempts, including two long touchdown runs, in the Trojans’ impressive 48-14 season-ending victory over Kelloggsville at Doc Pierce Field.

“I was having a conversation with coaches throughout the week, and saying how I wish I would have played sooner, and they were saying they wished I had played sooner,” Kotecki said. “I don’t know what got into me tonight. I just wanted to go out with a bang.”

Kotecki wasn’t the only Fruitport senior to leave it all on the field.

Bradon Dornbos, who has played just about every offensive skill position for Fruitport, rushed for 149 yards and had two long touchdown runs of his own.

Senior Ethan Riggs had a blocked punt for Fruitport. Senior Riley King was 6-for-6 on extra point kicks after touchdowns. Senior Caden Carrillo led the defense with nine tackles.

Meanwhile, two of their classmates who didn’t see much playing time this season were given the opportunity to score their first and only career touchdowns, and made the most of it.

Landon Bourque, who has been in the program since his freshman year and is loved by his teammates for his dedication, scored on a 10-yard run in the second quarter.

“I have loved every minute of it,” said Bourque, who also had a tackle in the game.

Knox Willis, who only came out for the team this year, followed suit with a three-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

“At the start of the season I was really nervous,” Willis said about finally trying football in his last year of high school. “I didn’t know what to expect. But now I am so happy that I came out and played and tried something I always wanted to do. It ended up being one of the greatest decisions of my life.”

When asked about scoring his touchdown, Willis said “It was something I really can’t explain. It was incredible.”

The exciting victory was huge for the Trojans, who took a nice step up from last year’s 0-9 record and finished 3-6 this season.

The win broke Fruitport’s frustrating four-game losing streak, which was extra hard because two of the games were lost by a combined seven points.

Head coach Nate Smith said Friday’s performance was the culmination of several factors, including a determination to end the losing streak, a season long process of improvement, and the desire of everyone on the team to send the seniors out on a very happy note.

“Probably a little bit of everything – the guys executed some plays really well early on and went on and had some success,” Smith said. “They did things the right way tonight. Had we done that all year we would probably be in a different situation right now, but I am glad it all finally came together.

“We played with a little bit of juice and a little bit of confidence. This changes the way the seniors will remember their senior season. It’s the last memory they are going to have. And it sets us up for next year, because now the guys know they are capable of doing something like this.

“I am just super proud of them.”

Smith noted that Dornbos, one of the top players on the team, could have gotten the ball more and probably could have scored several more touchdowns, but he sacrificed for his fellow seniors so they could experience the thrill of the end zone.

“When Landon Bourque got his touchdown, the key block was made by Bradon Dornbos,” the coach said. “When Knox Willis scored his touchdown, Dornbos made a huge block. It was just a testament to what these seniors mean to each other.”

Fruitport dominated from beginning to end in the most complete game its played in the last two years.

The Trojans found the end zone on the first possession of the game when Dornbos broke loose for a 38-yard touchdown run with 8:11 remaining in the first quarter.

Fruitport struck again on its second possession when Kotecki scored from 35 yards out, and the Trojans ended the first quarter with a 14-0 lead.

Riggs blocked a punt for the Trojans with 9:02 left in the second quarter, giving Fruitport the ball at the Kelloggsville 41.

Kotecki gained 11 yards on the first play of the possession, then added a 30-yard touchdown burst on the second, and the Trojans led 21-0.

Junior quarterback Brady Hanson hit junior DayDay Williams with a 43-yard touchdown pass with 5:32 left in the half, putting Fruitport up 28-0. It made up for an earlier touchdown connection between the two that was called back on a penalty.

Fruitport got the ball at the Kelloggsville 10 a few minutes later after the Rockets’ punter kicked the ball into one of his teammates. Bourqe scored his touchdown one play later, and the Trojans went into halftime with a 35-0 lead.

The teams traded touchdowns in the second half. Willis’ TD put Fruitport up 42-6, then Dornbos capped off the scoring with a huge 80-yard touchdown burst.

When it was all said and done, you would have never known that the Trojans had lost twice as many games as they won this year. The put in the hard work, they never gave up, and they happily celebrated their big win on their final night together.

“There were some ups and downs, but that’s what it’s all about, overcoming those situations and getting back up,” Kotecki said. “This was definitely a great way to end the season, especially with us seniors going out this way.”