FRUITPORT – One thing is certain – the Fruitport football team doesn’t have time to fret about last week’s O-K Silver conference loss to Belding.

It’s true that the Trojans took it on the chin from the Black Knights for the second year in a row, 36-7. It was not as bad as last year’s 58-7 loss, but it certainly was not what Fruitport had in mind.

But the Trojans have another big game on Friday, against 4-1 Godwin Heights, and a victory would leave a lot of good possibilities open for the team.

While Friday’s loss dropped their conference record to 2-1, one game behind both Belding and Godwin Heights, the Trojans can get back into the race by winning on Friday, then winning their final two games on the road against Holland and Hopkins.

Three more wins would guarantee the Trojans at least a tie for second place, and Belding and Godwin Heights still have to play each other, so a share of the O-K Silver crown is not out of the question.

The state playoffs also remain a real possibility for Fruitport. Wins in the last three games would give the Trojans an excellent resume with a 6-3 record, according to head coach Nate Smith.

Anything less would probably not get it done, because the Trojans play some smaller schools, and playoff qualifying points are more difficult to come by, he said.

Beyond all that, just one more win would give the Trojans four this season, which would be one more than they managed last season.So there’s a lot to play for, as the coaches have been reminding the players in practice this week.

“It’s either you flush it and move on, or let it eat at you,” Smith said about Friday’s loss. “We had a really tough film session on Monday, with lots of honest feedback for the players, then we went out and had a really good practice. Our mindset is in a really good place. The guys know there are still some really good things that are possible, some goals still ahead of us.

“If we can win the games in front of us – yeah we would need some help –  but we would put ourselves in position to be right there (in the conference race). The playoffs are also a very viable option, and finishing 6-3 and 3-6 (like last year) are two very different things. Every win is a win we didn’t get last year.”

Still some improving to do

The Trojans went into the Belding contest with a three-game winning streak, and figured it would be a good measuring stick of how much they have improved from last year.

They learned that they still have a ways to go to compete with the Beldings of the world.

Fruitport never got moving on offense, managing only 135 total yards of rushing and 17 yards through the air. The rushing totals would have been even worse if it hadn’t been for Owen Doctor’s 83-yard touchdown run late in the game.

The lack of offensive movement allowed a big, physical Belding squad to control the time of possession and slowly grind down a tired Fruitport defense.

“Right after the game we said we lost that game back in January and February in the weight room,” Smith said. “They have a great weight room culture there and we are still building ours. Their guys have an opportunity to lift during the school day, and you really can notice a big difference. We are moving in that direction.

“You could tell about their strength in the skill positions, too. They are not super tall or weigh a ton, but they are strong. When kids are that physically strong, their bodies can handle everything better and they play with a lot of confidence.

“It was also noticeable, watching game film, that they go into every play with a real sense of urgency, which is something we have to grow into.”

Meanwhile the Trojans, who had played so well overall in the three previous games, did not look particularly sharp.

“We watched the film and noticed a lot of uncharacteristic errors,” he said. “We did not play well, and when you don’t play well against a really good team, it’s going to be reflected in the final score.”

Another important game on Friday

Last year Fruitport traveled to Godwin Heights feeling like they should definitely beat the Wolverines, who were struggling with a 1-3 record at the time.

And the Trojans probably should have won, but played poorly and lost 15-12. They did not score in the first half, and a last-ditch offensive drive to get the win stalled out at the Godwin Heights 7-yard line.

This year the matchup looks a lot different, because the Wolverines have clearly turned a corner and are winning a lot of games.

They are off to a strong 4-1 start, including a 3-0 mark in the O-K Silver standings. They opened with a 38-8 win over Lake Odessa Lakewood and also beat Comstock Park 44-41, Hopkins 26-16 and Holland 49-19.

Godwin Heights has played one fewer game than most teams, because it lacked an opponent in Week 5.

“They have athletes all over the place, and they are much more physical than they have been in the last several years,” Smith said about the Wolverines. “It looks like their coaching staff has done a great job of getting guys in the right positions, and a great job of creating matchups.

“They have a pretty balanced offense, but they do like to throw it around. They have a quarterback who can launch the football and two or three pretty good receivers. Defensively our work will be cut out for us.

“They have a defense that is different than what we saw from Belding, and will present us with different challenges. Belding is going to punch you in the mouth, while Godwin Heights is fast and will take quick jabs.

“It could turn out to be really fun game.”