PLAINFIELD TWP. — It’s not often a football team celebrates a big win by practicing their home run trot, but when in Rome — or rather, LMCU Ballpark — do as the Whitecaps do.

The Fruitport football team had a very unique opportunity Friday night to play a game at the home of the West Michigan Whitecaps minor league baseball team, and finished the night in style by running the bases as a team, complete with a few head-first dives into home.

It was a memorable finish to a memorable night, which saw the Trojans top Comstock Park 20-9 in a tough O-K Silver conference battle.

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” senior quarterback Brady Hanson said. “It was cool, it was fun. Especially to be out here with this team, I love these guys. They’re my brothers. It was really cool.”

“There’s nothing like this,” senior lineman Dylan Avery said. “We’re in the dirt, you’re with your brothers. This was a crazy experience and we’re all thankful for it.”

Fruitport head coach John Shipley thanked the athletic departments from the two schools, and the Whitecaps for making the game possible.

“They did a great job putting together a really great experience for both communities,” he said. “It was a really cool experience. I know our kids definitely enjoyed it.”

While the Trojans didn’t get another one-sided victory, like they have in recent weeks, they turned in another hard fought-effort to take home a fifth straight win.

“We showed tonight, good teams find a way to win,” Shipley said. “I’m extremely proud of our kids’ effort tonight, their fight, their grit. We had some guys pretty banged up and they gutted it out and played through it. It’s a selfless group and they’re a joy to coach. I’m just so proud of them.”

Fruitport started off slow, going four-and-out on its first drive before giving up a 7-yard touchdown pass to Comstock Park to go down 6-0.

The Trojans then turned the ball over on their next drive before the defense forced a punt to get the ball back.

Senior running back Josh Eppard scored the first Trojan points of the night with a 31-yard TD run early in the second quarter, tying the game at 6-6.

Three minutes later, Liam Cambpell broke free for a 52-yard TD run, followed by an Eppard two-point conversion, to give Fruitport its first lead at 14-6 with 6:04 left in the second quarter.
Comstock Park collected a 28-yard field goal with 1:28 left in the third quarter to get within 14-9.

Campbell answered for Fruitport by breaking loose with a 37-yard touchdown run with 4:48 remaining to stretch the lead to 20-9.

The Panthers entered the game averaging more than 31 points per game, but could not get much going against a stingy Trojan defense.

After allowing the touchdown on the Panthers’ first drive of the night, Fruitport’s defense forced four punts, two turnovers on downs, and snagged an interception to keep Comstock Park from mounting a comeback.