FRUITPORT – It’s one thing to win a game 8-0 against an opponent at the bottom of the conference standings.
The Fruitport soccer team did that on Tuesday against Comstock Park.
It’s far more impressive to pin the mercy rule score on a team with a pretty good record.
The Trojans did that to Kelloggsville on Thursday night.
[1]
[2]
They collected three quick goals within the first 13 minutes, hitting the Rockets before they had a chance to get untracked, and went on to another 8-0 win in a game that ended with 18:23 left on the clock.
Fruitport won its seventh straight game and improved to 7-3-2 overall and 4-0 in the O-K Silver conference standings. Kelloggsville, which came in with a record that did not make it seem like a mercy rule candidate, fell to 6-4 and 2-2.
Senior Ryder Merkins and sophomore Caleb Chandler led the attack with two goals apiece.
The Trojans are apparently focusing on taking control of games as early as possible this year, and they followed the script on Tuesday.
Davis Johnson led off the scoring with a goal just under three minutes into the game, then Ryder Merkins and Caleb Chandler each added goals within the next 10 minutes, putting the Trojans in command at 3-0.
[3]
[4]
“Coach talks to us about starting off the game early, setting the tone, and making the other team play from behind,” Johnson said.
Fruitport Coach Dan Hazekamp confirmed Johnson’s report.
“We are placing a huge emphasis on the preparation portion of match day, transitioning from locker room, to warm-up, to then hitting the field so we can establish a quick first 5-10 minutes, and play our brand of soccer,” he said.
“You can win and lose a game in the first 10 minutes, and I have been extremely happy with the way we have started the last couple of nights, and especially tonight against a solid Kelloggsville team.”
[5]
[6]
The home team kept pouring it on after the quick start, collecting goals from Ryder Doherty with 21:43 remaining in the first half, then a second from Chandler with just under two minutes left, to take a 5-0 lead at halftime.
“We are trying to find what we had last season, and play with passion,” said Chandler, whose goals came on his 16th birthday.
Fruitport was able to put the game away early with three more goals in the second half, from Merkins, Braylon Richards and Quincy McDaniels.
Jyles Smith had two assists while Hazekamp and Satchel Norwood each had one.
Overall six Trojans found the net, which continued to show off the team’s tremendous offensive depth.
[7]
[8]
“Our greatest strength is our depth, which allows us to sustain over lulls in the game,” Hazekamp said. “We don’t want to get in these spells where we have to absorb the pressure.”
Fruitport finished with an 8-4 advantage in shots on goal.
Both Trojan goalies contributed to the shutout, with Mason Kettel playing the first half and Sebastian Sweet playing the second.
The Trojans will return to action on Saturday morning with a non-conference game at Reeths-Puffer.
[9]
[10]
[11]
[12]