FRUITPORT – In the midst of a great season, with a conference trophy already bagged and other big goals within reach, it’s probably easy for Fruitport’s soccer players to forget that it will all be over pretty soon.

For the seven seniors on the squad, that idea has an extra kick to it, because their varsity careers are a maximum of six fun victories, or one tough defeat, away from ending.

While the Trojans are very good – undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the state – the state tournament has an unforgiving one-loss-and-done format.

Fruitport’s hopeful postseason experience begins tonight when the Trojans host rival Spring Lake in a district semifinal game. The Lakers put the only blemish on Fruitport’s record this year when the two teams played to a 1-1 tie.

One of the team’s seniors, defender Sam Krueger, admits that the idea of living up the lofty ranking and winning a state championship is more than a little appealing.

“For sure we’ve thought about it,” Krueger said. “Last year we made it really far and that was really cool. We’re just hoping that wasn’t our peak and we can grow and do better from that.

“The farthest we ever made it was regional finals, so it would be amazing to get further. We’re taking every game in the moment and not looking ahead. but we’d love to go all the way.”

Krueger also acknowledges the other possibility.

“We’ve all talked about, even if we do go out early, we had a really good run, but we’re definitely putting it all out there on the field every game,” he said. “We’re making sure we don’t have any unfinished business. I feel like the worst thing would be looking back and thinking we could’ve done more.”

The small but special class of Fruitport soccer seniors is comprised of Krueger, Grade Anspach, Braxton Ward, Logan Werschem, Isaac VanderMolen, Carter Chandler and Isaiah Packard.

All have played important roles for the team over the past few years.

Werschem (pictured at the top) has an amazing 22 career shutouts, which is a school record. Krueger, Ward and Packard have been key members of Fruitport’s stifling back-line defense, which worked with Werschem to post a jaw-dropping 13 straight shutouts last season, and eight straight earlier this year

VanderMolen (13 goals, 6 assists) and Anspach (10 assists) are key players in the offensive attack while Chandler provides depth and quality minutes off the bench.

Over the past two seasons the group has helped the Trojans post a combined 35-3-4 record.

Last year the team went 18-3-3, won a district championship and advanced all the way to the Division 2 regional finals, which is also the state quarterfinal round.

The Trojans have built on that success this season with a sparkling 17-0-1 record, an O-K Silver conference championship, and who knows what else over the next few weeks.

“It’s a huge accomplishment,” Krueger said about the season. “I know everyone on our team is proud. Like Steve Hazekamp (assistant coach) said, I knew we’d be good this year, but I didn’t think we’d be this good. It’s hard to even imagine not losing throughout a regular season.

“We’re all really good friends and it shows. I’ve played with all the other seniors outside of school. You can see the chemistry and that we play for each other and not ourselves. It doesn’t matter who gets the goals or assists.”

The seniors’ record of success is something to be proud of, but it’s not the most important aspect for Fruitport head coach Dan Hazekamp.

He loves how the group has gone about it’s business on a day-to-day and game-to-game basis. That’s the kind of stuff that makes it possible to win a lot.

“They’re a testament to what we try to install in our program,” he said. “It’s what I think (Fruitport soccer coaching legend) Ken Erny tried to build the foundation on. They’re playing for something larger than self and are willing to sacrifice for one another.

“Those are the things that will stick with the juniors and sophomores. How they operate on a daily basis, and how welcoming they’ve been to underclassmen, are what people will remember.

“I’m really proud of them for what they’ve accomplished, but I’m more proud of the young men they’ve turned into. They’re really great kids and tremendous soccer players. It’s fun to see the success on the field. But being able to be around them every day, and see just what genuine, hard-working, unselfish kids they are is special. That’s the thing I’m most proud of.”

Krueger said the best part about the senior group is the friendship that’s formed over the years.

That makes all the success even more enjoyable and will make it more difficult to walk away from.

“I look forward to every practice and every game,” Krueger said. “We have a good connection and chemistry. We all hang out outside of soccer and click very well. It’s been fun to go to practices and games.

“I’ve dreaded playing my last game at Fruitport. It’s like a family, and I’m sure we’ll hang out outside of soccer, but you build a connection by hanging out every day, especially with a group as tight as we are. It’s a lot to leave behind, and even if we do go all the way and win, there will still be a lot of things that will never happen again.

“I just want people to see us as role models and good players on and off the field. I want the underclassmen to see us and want to work as hard as we did so they can be just as good in the coming years.”