The Fruitport boys golf team may have finished in third place for the third time in conference competition, but the Trojans took a major step forward on Tuesday.

The Trojans finished with a team score of 167, only eight points out of second place and nine points out of first at the third O-K Silver conference jamboree of the season, hosted by Comstock Park.

NorthPointe Christian took first place with a 158 score, followed by NorthPointe Christian with a 159. Comstock Park, Hopkins and Belding all finished behind Fruitport.

Fruitport head coach Nate Smith was excited to see his team knocking on the door of first place.

“Our guys were really dialed in today,” the coach said. “We all know that we’re chasing NorthPointe and Calvin Christian in our conference. Today we missed out on the top spot by just nine strokes and missed second by 8.

“After the match, each one of our guys talked about how close we are and each guy could identify missed opportunities – a three putt here, a chucked chip there. We are improving.

“I think what was most exciting for me was to talk to the guys during the round. They kept their eyes on the leader board and kept saying how Landon was playing and Ryder was playing and Eli was playing. You could feel them feed off each other’s success.”

Fruitport’s Landon Lodholtz and Ryder Nadeau both had great days, each shooting a nine-hole 41 and tying for sixth place in the overall individual standings.

Eli Cuti finished 12th with a 42 and Chase Marcus took 15th with a 43.

Only the top four scores for each teach count, but even the fifth and sixth best Trojans on Tuesday – Jake Hekroth (44) and Tyler Cuti (46) finished in the top 20 individually.

” Landon and Ryder really found their groove today,” Smith said. “They seem very comfortable out there playing, and if they had a bad shot they did a great job of moving on. That’s the kind of mentality that is going to make them great golfers.

“We talk a lot about focusing on the next shot, and to be honest that’s typically something we talk about after a poor shot. But there were several times today that they made great shots and their mentality was still the next shot. That’s how you can tell they’re growing.”