FRUITPORT — On the surface, and on the scoreboard, Friday night looked like another strong win for the Fruitport football team.
But the Trojans and head coach John Shipley know there’s more beneath the surface, and more room to grow for this team, especially as a potential playoff berth draws nearer.
The Trojans came away with a comfortable 39-14 win over an improved Holland team at Doc Pierce Field, but small mishaps in each phase of the game left the Trojans feeling less stellar than the score would indicate.
“I’m proud of our kids and always happy about a win,” Shipley said. “Good teams find a way to win. But good teams also need to find that caliber where, regardless of the opponent, the approach should always be the same.
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“We’ve got areas where we can work on and grow, but a win’s a win.”
Fruitport fumbled a handful of times, losing two of them, missed some extra points and had to burn timeouts early to clean up formations.
“It just didn’t click in all three phases tonight, it just felt sloppy,” Shipley said. “Our week of prep, in some areas it was good, and in other areas it could have been better. That starts with me.
“Just consistency in all three phases and playing fluid, we’ve just got to do better at that.”
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In the end, the Trojans once again leaned on a strong rushing attack and stingy, turnover-causing defense to pick up the win.
Senior Josh Eppard led the way offensively with nearly 200 yards and four touchdown runs.
“I gotta say it’s all the O-line,” Eppard said of his big game. “They’re putting their bodies on the line every play, giving me a gap. They’re just leading the way.”
The Trojan defense turned in another strong performance, forcing four Holland turnovers. The Dutch lost three fumbles and threw an interception. Fruitport also had four sacks.
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Fruitport struck first on a 14-yard run by Liam Campbell on the game’s opening drive, taking a 6-0 lead. The teams traded fumbles on the next two plays from scrimmage before Holland marched down for a 1-yard TD run to take a 7-6 lead.
The second quarter belonged to Fruitport, and Eppard in particular. The senior scored three touchdowns, from 3, 42 and 60 yards, putting the Trojans up 25-7 at halftime.
Eppard added a fourth TD, this one a 6-yard score, late in the third, and Alan Jackson scored from 16 yards out in the fourth to extend the lead to 39-7.
Holland scored on a 36-yard touchdown pass with 2:13 to play to bring the game to its final score of 39-14.
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Eppard finished with 15 carries for 186 yards and four TDs. Campbell totalled 97 yards and a score, while Jackson had 71 yards and a touchdown.
Trojan quarterback Brady Hanson was 5-for-8 passing for 57 yards. Jayce Hanson was his top target with 33 yards on two receptions.
Colton Smith had seven tackles and two sacks for the Trojan defense. Jackson, Ashten Kemp and Bryson Cena each recovered a fumble, with Cena also registering a sack. Mason DeVries had an interception and a handful of tackles.
Fruitport is now 4-2 on the season, including 3-2 in the O-K Silver conference standings. The Trojans travel to Calvin Christian next week to take on the 1-5 Squires.
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