D3 Final Filled with Close Finishes
May 30, 2014
By Keith Shelton
Special to Second Half
HYDE — Two superb players with two scorching scores. Two palpitating playoff holes. One winner.
Those were the stakes at Thursday’s Upper Peninsula Division 3 Final at Highland Golf Club.
Cedarville senior Sam Eberts and Carney-Nadeau freshman Hunter Eichhorn both came in even at 71, shooting identical scores of 36 on the front nine and 35 on the back.
Neither hung around the scoreboard in the 90 minutes that followed as waves of golfers checked in. There were many good scores on the day, including a trio of 75’s. That score would have been good enough to win medalist honors in each of the past two U.P. Division 3 Finals, but not Thursday.
Inside the clubhouse, another nail-biter ensued as scores from Cedarville and Painesdale-Jeffers came in. When the dust settled, it was the Jeffers Jets by a slim margin, taking the U.P. title for the third consecutive year with a score of 314. Both teams had four golfers all at 83 or under, but Stephen Butina and Tyler Bailey’s dual 75’s were enough to put the Jets over the top. Cedarville was second at 316 followed by Carney-Nadeau at 337, Rudyard 341 and Munising 347.
Eichhorn, the young phenom from Carney, made a splash in 2013 as an eighth grader when he was runner-up on this same course. Putting together a card that was four strokes better and staying remarkably consistent throughout, he nearly still found himself in the same boat.
Eichhorn was the tactician, displaying a wealth of ability and golf knowledge. He had a seemingly large advantage from the tee box, frequently drawing “oohs” and “ahs” with his long drives of well over 200 yards.
He looked ahead on fairways with a pair of binoculars, measured distance and tested the wind with handfuls of sand, using every available piece of information to his advantage, tactics he said he picked up from watching professionals in the PGA.
“I see what they do, read the greens, test the wind, how they scout holes. I learn from watching the pros,” Eichhorn said.
On the playoff, both competitors went in confidently, playing in front of a large gallery. There was Eberts, appearing relaxed, smiling throughout and celebrating his small victories, and the stoic Eichhorn, who also enjoyed the crowd.
“It always pumps me up when there’s a crowd. The more that watch me, the better I do,” he said. “I tried to stay calm, but there’s always nerves on a playoff hole. I just tried to stay as calm as possible.”
Each appeared to make a costly error during the playoff. Eberts drove hard to the left from the No. 10 tee box, falling just out of bounds, but he recovered incredibly well. His next shot went sailing back on course and landed just on the inside edge of the green, where he two-putted for par to force a second playoff hole.
On No. 11, Eichhorn drove too hard to the right and landed amongst a cluster of trees. His next shot banked off the bark but landed in a favorable position, where had a clear shot to the green. Once there, he two-putted for a bogey. Eberts meanwhile, was in position to match with a short putt. He took his time, lined up his shot, and turned and exhaled when his ball went trickling past the hole.
Thanks to Eichhorn and Eberts however, both of their schools received a boost with their scores of 71. Carney-Nadeau finished with possibly the best MHSAA Final score in school history, coming in third at 337. For Eichhorn the team finish was more meaningful than the medalist honor.
“It was nice to win, but nice to finish third and see my team play well and compete with some of the better schools around,” he said.
The remarkably deep Jets ruled the day. Identical twins Alex and Christopher Outinen capped their team’s scores with a respective 81 and 83 on a beautiful, clear and sunny day with temperatures in the mid-70s, a welcome change from the weather Jeffers had to deal with throughout most of the season.
“We had a rough start with the weather and only having five meets under our belt,” said coach Jason Koski. “But as the year went on, the scores improved. We were in a real competitive West-PAC conference with Houghton, Calumet and Hancock. We only won one meet, but the level of competition helped — Houghton won the Division 1 Finals.
“This year, after winning the last two years, the kids had a little more confidence. I wouldn’t say they were overconfident, but they had that confidence to them this year.”
The Jets also exhibited another important quality in keeping a level head in the game of golf.
“They’re mentally strong,” Koski said. “Whenever they’d have a rough first nine, they’d pull it together on the second nine. As an example, Christopher (Outinen) had a 46 on the first nine today and ended up pulling in an 83. I always tell the kids, don’t be throwing your clubs, even when you feel like it. You forget it, and move on.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Stephen Butina of Painesdale-Jeffers holds the Upper Peninsula Division 3 championship trophy with his teammates, including, from left; Jacob Zerast, Alex Outinen, Tyler Bailey, Butina and Christopher Outinen on Thursday at Highland Golf Club. Painesdale-Jeffers shot 314 to win its third consecutive U.P. title. (Middle) Hunter Eichhorn of Carney-Nadeau watches his drive on the second playoff hole, No. 11 at Highland Golf Club. (Photos by Keith Shelton.)
Performance: Lakeview's Andrew Walker
June 27, 2016
Andrew Walker
Battle Creek Lakeview senior – Golf
Walker finished his high school career June 11 with his second straight MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 1 Finals championship, shooting a two-day (68-75) 143 and then edging Plymouth’s Jack Boczar in a one-hole playoff at The Meadows at Grand Valley State University to earn the Michigan National Guard “Performance of the Week” for June 6-12.
Walker then was named Mr. Golf for the third straight season by the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association, and since has qualified to return for the second straight summer to the U.S. Junior Amateur, which this year will be played July 18-23 at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn. (He also played in the U.S. Amateur as a 14-year-old in 2013, becoming one of the youngest players ever to tee up at the prestigious event.) Walker this spring became the only player in the 16-year history of the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference to win the individual league championship all four seasons, and he shot par or better in 14 of his 20 rounds. Lakeview finished sixth as a team at the MHSAA Final and won the title when Walker was a freshman in 2013.
Boasting a grade-point average above 4.0 and among the top 10 in his class at Lakeview, Walker picked Michigan State University over Duke, Michigan, Georgia Tech and Oklahoma State, among others. He followed his brother Filmore Walker IV, also a former high school golf standout, at Lakeview, and the influence of his father Filmore III and godfather and uncle, Gene Hughes, in wearing the straw hat that has become something of a stylistic signature as Andrew has succeeded on the state and nationwide levels. Walker also played basketball as a freshman and sophomore.
Coach Tony Evans said: "I have known Andrew since he was little because his older brother played for me. Andrew was playing in high-level tournaments at an early age, and everyone expected him to be not only one of the best Michigan players, but one of the best in the nation. There are two things that stand out to me when it comes to Andrew Walker: One is that fact that he was able to handle all of the external and internal pressure and fulfill the expectations that were placed on him by others. The second is the respect that I have for him as a person. Andrew is not only a brilliant student, 4.12 GPA and a 31 on the ACT, he is a kind, funny, and respectful young man. It has been such a pleasure to watch him grow into an honorable young man who has represented our community with utmost integrity. Andrew Walker is not only one of the best high school golfers in Michigan, but one of the best in the nation as well. I can honestly say that Andrew Walker is a better person than he is a golfer. It has been my pleasure and honor to be his coach over the past four years."
Performance Point: (High school golf) meant a ton to me. I can’t really put into words what it meant to me, actually. It’s a great honor to say what I’ve done, and I’m thankful to the people who helped me get through that journey along the way, teammates, coaches, family, friends – whoever they are, they all helped. It definitely was a big part of my golfing career, definitely a big part of my life. I’m glad to say how big a part of me it became; I had some of the best times of my life with the five or six other guys. Looking back it’s really amazing, everything we’ve done, everything I’ve accomplished with those guys.”
Breaking the tie: “We’ve (Walker and Boczar) known each other quite a long time, played a bunch of junior tournaments together. I made it a little more stressful in the second round than I wanted, but it was a ton of fun. Playoffs always pressure-wise are a step above regular competition for me; there’s no time to make up for any mistakes you make, and it demands your best. … Jack told me (after), ‘Congratulations,’ and I was like, ‘Thanks buddy. They was great, a ton of fun.’”
Big brother knows: “I picked up quite a few things from my brother. Definitely work ethic was one of those things. Whenever he was off, he’d start to work on it, and that’s a big thing – don’t get upset or anything, just work on it … go out and fix it. Patience is another thing. Growing up playing golf, I was not a patient kid when I wasn’t playing well. My big brother was a person who helped me grasp the concept that you’ll not always have your game, but be patient, wait for it and do the best with what you have that day.”
Picking up from the pros: “I look to different people for different aspects of the game. I look at Jordan Spieth, he’s one of the better players in the world, and his putting. … I look at a player like Zach Johnson; his wedge game is phenomenal. My game is my game. I won’t and don’t play like any other player; I play like me. But that’s definitely something I look out for, tips and stuff to help improve different aspects, playing-wise and strategy-wise, and I try to make them my own."
Making a connection: “I’m planning on studying applied engineering sciences … and I’m definitely looking into supply chain management. My dad worked as vice president of the Asia Pacific supply chain for Kellogg’s for a while, and that showed me a bit about that and how it all works. I’m a math/science geek, so it goes with what I want to do.”
– Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Every week during the 2015-16 school year, Second Half and the Michigan 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 protecting lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
Previous 2015-16 honorees
June 8: Sekayi Bracey, East Kentwood girls track & field - Read
June 1: Anna Jefferson, Oak Park girls track & field - Read
May 25: Connor Bandel, Oxford boys track & field - Read
May 18: Kalyn Breckenridge, Birch Run girls soccer - Read
May 11: Morgan Beadlescomb, Algonac boys track & field - Read
May 4: Abby Krzywiecki, Farmington Hills Mercy softball - Read
April 27: Mike Mokma, Holland Christian baseball - Read
April 20: Abby Divozzo, Cadillac girls soccer - Read
March 30: Cassius Winston, Detroit U-D Jesuit boys basketball - Read
March 23: Kierra Fletcher, Warren Cousino girls basketball - Read
March 16: Jacob Montague, Grosse Pointe South swimming & diving - Read
March 9: Kyle Tuttle, St. Charles boys bowling - Read
March 2: Brittney Schnicke, Caledonia girls bowling - Read
Feb. 24: Kamari Newman, Detroit East English boys basketball - Read
Feb. 17: Jason Whitens, Powers North Central boys basketball - Read
Feb. 10: Rachel Hogan, Grand Ledge gymnastics - Read
Feb. 3: Nehemiah Mork, Midland Dow swimming & diving - Read
Jan. 27: Mardrekia Cook, Muskegon girls basketball - Read
Jan. 20: Sage Castillo, Hartland wrestling - Read
Jan. 13: Rob Zofchak, Dexter swimming & diving - Read
Jan. 6: Tyler Deming, Caro wrestling – Read
Dec. 15: Jordan Weber, East Jordan boys basketball – Read
Dec. 8: Kaitlyn Geers, Kent City girls basketball – Read
PHOTOS: (Top) Andrew Walker watches one of his shots during the MHSAA LP Division 1 Final at The Meadows at Grand Valley State University. (Middle) Walker (right) and Plymouth's Jack Boczar shake hands after Walker won a one-hole playoff to clinch the individual title. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)