Performance: Carney's Hunter Eichhorn
June 9, 2017
Hunter Eichhorn
Carney-Nadeau senior – Golf
Hailing from a school of just 90 students, Eichhorn added one more statewide accomplishment last week by becoming the first in MHSAA boys golf history to win four Finals individual championships. Eichhorn shot a 66 at Irish Oaks Golf course in Gladstone to win the Upper Peninsula Division 3 championship by four strokes, lead the Wolves to their third straight team title and earn the Michigan Army National Guard “Performance of the Week.”
Eichhorn averaged 34 strokes for nine holes and 68 strokes for 18 this season, cutting roughly three strokes off his tournament average. With Carney-Nadeau having an enrollment of fewer than 100 students, Eichhorn was eligible to play high school sports as an eighth grader and tied for second at the 2013 U.P. Division 3 Final before winning the event the next four seasons. Entering his last Final on June 1, he was one of six players in MHSAA history who had won three individual titles and the most recent since Manistique's Mike Nagy won his third in 2012 (before going on to play at University of Tennessee).
His talents aren’t limited to golf, however; Eichhorn played basketball all four years of high school and joined the varsity in that sport as a sophomore. Over the next three seasons, and only 65 games, Eichhorn scored 1,068 points and made 244 3-pointers – the 3s are tied for eighth most in MHSAA history. As a senior playing for Jacob Polfus – who also coached his golf team – Eichhorn averaged 23.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game and made a school record 86 of 171 3-point tries. He also set a single-game school record with 12 3-pointers against Milwaukee (Wis.) Academy of Science, and total connected on 50 percent of his shots from the floor and 88 percent of his free throw attempts this winter in helping his team finish 15-6. If those sports didn’t keep him busy enough, Eichhorn decided last fall to run cross country for the first time, and he finished third in his graduating class with a 3.86 grade-point average. He’ll continue at Marquette University on scholarship with the men’s golf team, and study business communications.
Coach Jacob Polfus said: “Hunter is the true definition of a workhorse, and he shows that with hard work you can achieve anything. You see so many kids these days talk about working hard, but Hunter is a kid who strives to be the best at everything that he does. Since he has been a little kid, he has spent many hours on the golf course perfecting his game. He is someone that will go to the range after meets, or go play another 18; he is constantly looking to improve his game every day. The biggest improvement that he has made over the years is how he handles himself on the golf course. He has come to realize that you aren’t going to hit the perfect shot all the time, or you aren’t going to have the perfect round, but he keeps his confidence high at all times. It is hard to put into words what Hunter has done for the golf program and for golf in the U.P. He has shown kids today that you can achieve anything that you want if you are willing to work hard and go after your dreams. … Hunter has the same demeanor on the basketball court as he did with his golf game. He was always striving to be his best and get the best out of others. He always gave me his most and a lot extra every single practice and every single day. He is someone that was constantly at the gym wanting to and willing to improve his game every chance that he got. He is one of the hardest workers that I have seen in my eight years of coaching. The biggest thing about Hunter on the basketball court was how much he cared for his teammates. His stats show how good of a season he had, but that doesn’t even begin to tell what kind of player he was. He was always there for his team, leading them through drills and showing them how hard you have to work to be successful. He is a coach’s dream to have on your team, and he exemplified everything that you want as an athlete both on and off the court.”
Performance Point: “It was something that as a freshman or sophomore, I didn’t see that day coming because I don’t look that far ahead,” Eichhorn said of his four golf championships. “It was special, especially to go out the way I did. I couldn’t have honestly dreamed of having a better performance in my last UPs. … It’s unique. In a community like this you know everybody; you have to, there’s only a certain amount of you there. So (becoming the first four-time champ) is a special feeling. I’m honored to be the one to do it.”
Thanks, Grandpa: “When I was younger, basketball always was my first sport. I golfed with my grandpa a couple of times and ended up just loving it. Summers when I was younger, I’d go over there for three or four days and we’d golf in the morning and again in the afternoon, playing as much as we could. That’s where it came from, just from him.”
Getting better, body and mind: “As I got older, I hit the ball farther. But really it was just the mental toughness in golf; that’s what it comes down to. At a certain point it’s just believing in yourself and recovering from the unexpected without getting frustrated.”
Grind it out: “When I was younger, it was cool to hit a great shot. But I like the part about (golf) now when if you’re struggling or playing good, you just keep grinding it out. Just keep pushing. That’s by far my favorite part, just getting better, because no matter how good you are you can just get better at it. You can play the round of your life, but I guarantee you can look back at a shot or two where you could have been better.”
Hoops crossover: It’s the same as golf; when basketball season rolls around, it’s winter and I don’t play golf as much, obviously, but I love the grind for basketball too – more than I thought I would. With basketball, I joined for something to do, for fun, and I ended up having a deep passion for that one too.”
U.P. power: “It’s just a passion for the game. I enjoy getting out and practicing every day. I know we’re limited (by the weather), but when golf season arrives, it’s what we do, what we dedicate our summer to. That’s why the U.P. has produced good golfers. It’s cool, knowing I’m coming from this area – we have a school with 17 kids in my graduating class – and the U.P. being the U.P. and how small it is, with a limited time to be playing golf. It is a pride thing, to be honest.”
- Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Every week during the 2016-17 school year, Second Half and the Michigan Army National Guard will recognize a “Performance of the Week" from among the MHSAA's 750 member high schools.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, and responds as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. This training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our nation's freedom or protect lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
Previous 2016-17 honorees:
June 1: Grace Stark, White Lake Lakeland track & field – Read
May 25: Brendon Gouin, Gaylord golf – Read
May 18: Hannah Ducolon, Bay City All Saints softball – Read
May 11: Mason Phillips, Salem track & field – Read
May 4: Lillian Albaugh, Farwell track & field – Read
April 27: Amber Gall, Shepherd track & field – Read
April 20: Sloane Teske, East Grand Rapids tennis – Read
March 30: Romeo Weems, New Haven basketball – Read
March 23: Jaycie Burger and Maddie Clark, Pittsford basketball – Read
March 16: Camden Murphy, Novi swimming & diving – Read
March 9: Ben Freeman, Walled Lake Central wrestling – Read
March 2: Joey Mangner, Chelsea swimming & diving – Read
Feb. 23: Isabelle Nguyen, Grosse Pointe North gymnastics – Read
Feb. 16: Dakota Hurbis, Saline swimming & diving – Read
Feb. 2: Foster Loyer, Clarkston basketball – Read
Jan. 26: Nick Jenkins, Detroit Catholic Central wrestling – Read
Jan. 19: Eileene Naniseni, Mancelona basketball – Read
Jan. 12: Rory Anderson, Calumet hockey – Read
Dec. 15: Demetri Martin, Big Rapids basketball – Read
Dec. 1: Rodney Hall, Detroit Cass Tech football – Read
Nov. 24: Ally Cummings, Novi volleyball – Read
Nov. 17: Chloe Idoni, Fenton volleyball – Read
Nov. 10: Adelyn Ackley, Hart cross country – Read
Nov. 3: Casey Kirkbride, Mattawan soccer – Read
Oct. 27: Colton Yesney, Negaunee cross country – Read
Oct. 20: Varun Shanker, Midland Dow tennis – Read
Oct. 13: Anne Forsyth, Ann Arbor Pioneer cross country – Read
Oct. 6: Shuaib Aljabaly, Coldwater cross country – Read
Sept. 29: Taylor Seaman, Brighton swimming & diving – Read
Sept. 22: Maggie Farrell, Battle Creek Lakeview cross country – Read
Sept. 15: Franki Strefling, Buchanan volleyball – Read
Sept. 8: Noah Jacobs, Corunna cross country – Read
PHOTO: (Top) Carney-Nadeau's Hunter Eichhorn watches one of his shots during an event this season at Escanaba Country Club. (Middle) Eichhorn holds the Division 3 championship trophy after last week's U.P. Final in Gladstone. (Photos by Dennis Grall and Mike Mattson, respectively.)
Rain Delay Can't Stop Flint Powers' Charge
June 10, 2018
By Butch Harmon
Special for Second Half
BATTLE CREEK – The Flint Powers Catholic boys golf team gained plenty of experience playing after extensive weather delays this season.
That experience paid major dividends during the second round of the Lower Peninsula Division 2 Finals on Saturday.
Shortly after the first groups hit their tee shots at Bedford Valley Golf Course, the cracks of thunder brought out the horn calling players off the course. The next five-plus hours found golfers, coaches and spectators huddled in and about the clubhouse as heavy rains hit and put day two of the Finals in jeopardy. After a nearly six-hour delay, the rain came to an end and the Division 2 golfers finished just before darkness fell to cap a highly-competitive two days of golf.
Flint Powers came out on top with a two-day total of 600 to edge Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (603) and East Grand Rapids (608).
The lengthy delay was something the Powers golfers had experience with as they endured a four-hour delay during the regular season on their way to winning a tournament at Katke in Big Rapids.
“I’m so thankful we went through that because the boys handled it very well up there, and they were able to take that and carry it over and handle it today,” said Powers Catholic coach Robert Beach. “They just kicked back and relaxed, and we tried to have a little fun. We went out and had lunch and got back here and had to wait a little bit longer, but once that horn sounds, they’re in competitive mode.”
Powers strung together four strong scores after the delay as sophomore Grant Tucker shot a 72, senior Matt Knight carded a 73, senior Zach Hopkins shot a 74 and sophomore Ty Vanitvelt added a 76.
Heading into Saturday’s final round, the Chargers trailed Friday’s leader, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, by five strokes. Notre Dame Prep shot a 300 on the first day, followed by East Grand Rapids with a 301 and Forest Hills Northern with a 302. Following right behind Powers Catholic was DeWitt with a 306, Gaylord and Richland Gull Lake with 308 and Byron Center with 309 – in all, seven teams were within nine strokes of the lead.
“This is my 30th year of coaching, and I’ve never seen it this close,” Beach said. “I’ve never seen so many teams that had a chance going into today. I was talking to the other coaches, and we were all hoping and praying. Our kids worked so hard, every team worked so hard to get here, all I wanted was just a chance today. I’m so thankful all these kids got a chance to experience the second day of the state tournament.”
For the Powers seniors, the title was extra sweet after they finished second at last year’s state meet.
“We had the mindset going into today that if we were able to play, we would pull it off,” Knight said. “It’s pretty cool to see that happen. It’s a big turnaround in one year and a great way to go out as a senior.”
Fellow senior Hopkins finished the tournament with rounds of 73 and 74 to lead the Chargers with a 147 total, eight shots off the lead. Although the delay was a challenge, the opportunity to capture the title made the wait worth it.
“The delay was a little annoying,” Hopkins said. “We didn’t know if we would play today. I’m happy that we ended up playing. The course itself was actually not as wet as I thought it would be.
“That’s all we wanted all this year. I’m happy we finally accomplished it.”
Mason’s Alex Jordan also made the most of the long delay. Jordan put together two solid rounds to win the medalist honor with a 139. Nick Krueger of Spring Lake placed second with a 141 followed by Andrew Kolar of Forest Hills Central with a 142 and Tanner Moore of Byron Center and Charlie DeLong of DeWitt with both at 143.
Trailing by two strokes entering the second day, Jordan relaxed and spent time with people close to him.
“It was nice being with my mom and my coach,” Jordan said. “Being able to talk with them and not get impatient just thinking about it. I was able to distract myself a little bit. I did a good job of staying patient. When I came back I had an eight-foot putt for birdie, and I knocked it in on the first hole.”
After shooting a 69 on Friday, the birdie putt sent Jordan on to a score of 70 after the weather delay. Jordan’s strategy was the same as it was for the first round.
“I just tried to do the same things I did yesterday,” Jordan said. “I played a very similar round as far as making decisions and where I placed the ball, and it worked.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Flint Powers coach Robert Beach and golfer Grant Tucker confer during Saturday’s second round at Bedford Valley. (Middle) Mason’s Alex Jordan watches one of his shots. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)