FRUITPORT – There’s no way of knowing if the Fruitport football team would have fared any better in its first two games with Kalan Teeter and Liam Campbell in the lineup.

But one thing is certain – the Trojans are sure excited to have the two standouts back for Week 3, when they open O-K Silver conference play at Kelloggsville on Friday night.

Campbell and Teeter were Fruitport’s two leading rushers last season, and Teeter was also the team’s leading tackler.

Both were pumped up for the start of the season this year when the injury bug sent them to the sideline.

Teeter, a senior, missed both of the first two games, against Spring Lake (a 42-14 loss) and Big Rapids (a 39-7 loss). Campbell, a sophomore, was only able to play through part of the Spring Lake game.

Teeter’s injury occurred during a preseason scrimmage against Mason County Central, when he was thrown to the turf by a defender.

“It was an outside handoff, I got caught in the backfield, but I broke the tackle and tried to break out to the edge,” Teeter said. “Then somebody grabbed my pads, swung me down and then landed on the side of my knee.

“It felt weird to walk on it. It felt loose. I took a couple of plays off, then I took a turn on defense, made one cut, and said ‘Coach I can’t do it anymore.'”

Teeter suffered a partial tear of his MCL, something only a few weeks of rest could cure.

That meant standing around during practice and the first two games, which was no fun at all, particularly when the games started going badly.

“Oh man, it was horrible,” Teeter said. “It was even worse knowing I could have helped. The coaches were coming up and telling me that I was helping by coaching the new guys. I was helping, but it was not the same.”

Campbell, who started the season on JV last year before being called up to varsity and impressing everyone, suffered an ankle sprain early in the second half of the Spring Lake game.

“It was the first play of the third quarter, I was running, I fell forward and the defender rolled on my ankle,” he said. “I got up, but I couldn’t feel anything. I went over to our trainer, and she taped me back up, and I had the mindset to finish the game.

“But then I ran the ball once more, got tackled and it was just hurting too much. I told coach I didn’t think I could finish.”

Campbell echoed Teeter’s sentiments, when asked about having to sit out and watch.

“It really sucked,” he said. “That was my first Spring Lake game on varsity. Just knowing that I did not have a good first half, then I was going out after the first play in the second. Not being able to finish with my team was heart-wrenching.”

Will help on both sides of the ball

Obviously Spring Lake and Big Rapids are really good teams, both with 2-0 records, and the Trojans may very well have lost anyway, with or without Teeter and Campbell.

But they were definitely missed.

Against Spring Lake, the Trojans rushed for 177 yards, but Campbell gained 31 of those before his injury, while Carsen Crow, normally a linebacker, led the team with 83 yards.

Against Big Rapids, Fruitport only rushed for 102 yards. Two juniors – Dariyon Gatlin and Josh Eppard – led the team with 40 and 38 yards, respectively.

The Fruitport defense gave up quite a few big plays in both games. Junior Mason DeVries, who filled in as a starting safety for Teeter, was productive both weeks and totaled nine tackles.

Teeter said they all played hard and did great.

“It was awesome watching them go out there and play like I felt I would have,” he said. “It sucks I had to just watch, but it was cool to see how much they wanted it.”

Campbell is reportedly 100 percent and is expected to start at running back against Kelloggsville. Teeter is close to 100 percent and will play on defense, but is questionable for offensive duty this week.

Fruitport head coach Nate Smith said their return will provide a positive jolt for the team.

“On the defensive side, Teeter is going to make a huge difference,” he said. “He’s been the quarterback of that defense for the past 2½ years, so to have his knowledge and competitive drive back on the field is going to be a difference-maker. He raises everyone else’s game, as well.

“Offensively, we’re getting our horses back. With their skill sets, Campbell and Teeter open up the playbook and allow us to do a lot of different things.”

Both players are chomping at the bit to get back on the field and help the Trojans get their season back on track, especially with the conference season starting.

“We are pumped up,” Teeter said. “It’s not going to be any different than it would have been if this were our first game. We are fired up and ready to get back at it.”

“We got that goal in our minds to go win a conference championship and make a run in the playoffs,” Campbell said. “Like Coach Smith said, we’re battle-tested now. Those were tough losses against two good teams, and they prepared us for what is yet to come.”