FRUITPORT – As a senior, Mason DeVries probably figures he’s experiencing his last season of Fruitport football.

And depending on his future plans, that may be the case.

But first-year Trojan head coach John Shipley has become a big fan of DeVries in the months since he’s taken over the program. He likes the way he plays, his attitude and his dedication to the team.

The coach said he would be happy to have DeVries return next season in some sort of coaching capacity, working with defensive backs and spreading his positive vibe.

“He’s the type of young man you want to keep around your program, as a coach or mentor of some type,” Shipley said. “He’s a high character person.”

DeVries, a senior, has definitely been making a name for himself with the Trojans this season, particularly from his defensive safety position.

Every week he’s been among the team’s tackling leaders, and he was on the top of the list last Friday, recording eight tackles and four assists in a 42-0 victory over Kelloggsville.

He had eight tackles and six assists the week before against Allendale, which ranked second on the team.

On the season he has 26 tackles and 19 assists, and has been a big catalyst for an improving Trojan defense that has come in up big in several games this season.

There’s a reason DeVries has been so productive, Shipley said.

“He’s extremely coachable and leaves it all on the field every day,” the coach said. “He worked extremely hard in the offseason, and he’s always in position to make the play.

“The first thing I noticed about him is how selfless he is. He will do anything for the team. The second thing I noticed is his work ethic. He wants to be pushed hard.

“He’s been all over the field lately. His tackles have really been picking up the last few weeks. He’s kind of a do-it-all safety. He’s very good at chasing down receivers, and he’s a great open-field tackler.”

DeVries said the entire Fruitport defense has been doing what it’s supposed to do, and he’s just been playing his role.

“We’ve been playing together really well,” he said. “We are all doing our jobs. Whoever gets the tackle gets the tackle. They have just been coming to me recently.”

Does that mean the ball-carriers have just been coming his way more often, or DeVries has been working extra hard to track them down?

“A little of both, I guess,” DeVries said. “I get really excited out there when things are going our way and we’re doing good.”

A football-only guy

DeVries obviously has the athleticism to play a lot of sports, but has been strictly a football guy since he reached high school.

The sport is his passion, and nothing else comes close.

“I played basketball up to my freshman year, and I might do track this year,” he said about other sports. “Just since I was a little kid, I just loved playing football, watching football, everything about it.”

DeVries said he was watching a little too much football for his taste last season, when he was a junior on varsity in a backup role. He got his share of playing time, but would have liked more.

That inspired him to work extra hard in the offseason and in preseason camp, to improve and earn a full-time starting job at safety.

“There were times when I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get in as much,” DeVries said about last season. “I made sure I could get to all the (weight training) lifts, and as many 7-on-7 games as I could. I spent a lot of time watching film, and doing whatever I could to improve myself as much as I could before this season.”

DeVries remains a backup receiver on the offensive side of the ball, and has yet to record a catch this season.

But he plays that role well in a different way. The Trojans rely heavily on their running game, which means everyone, including receivers, have to be all in on blocking.

DeVries excels in that respect, according to Shipley.

“With blocking, we stress contact over form and the prettiness of the block,” the coach said. “Mason takes that to heart.”

“I just want do to whatever it takes to help us get to the end zone.” DeVries said. “If that means blocking, I do it as hard as I can.”

Last year DeVries was part of a team that seemed headed toward the state playoffs, before losing two heartbreaking games in the closing minutes against Godwin Heights and Hopkins.

This year the Trojans had the same experience in Weeks 1 and 3, losing two more stunners in the closing minutes, to Hopkins and Belding. DeVries said he was not particularly worried this time, however, because this year’s Trojans are built to handle adversity.

So far his confidence seems well-placed, because Fruitport, now 3-2, has won two straight games heading into Friday’s home matchup with Holland.

“We have a really tight group this year, and we have a lot of confidence,” he said. “Even after a close loss, we refocus and take it one game at a time. Coach Shipley does a good job of having us not look back or too far ahead. We just focus on this week, every week.”

For the record, DeVries said he might be very interested in Shipley’s idea to have him help with the team in the future.

“If I don’t go anywhere to play in college, I want to keep my love for the sport going, so I would be happy to help out at Fruitport any way I can,” he said.