Observer-Reporter Athlete of the Week

Name: Hunter Donahue
School: McGuffey
Sport: Golf – Soccer
Class: Senior
Donahue’s week: Donahue set the high school course record when he finished with a 7-under 28 at Dogwood Hills Golf Course last Wednesday to lead McGuffey past Bentworth, 179-211. After making a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 6, he followed up with a long eagle putt on the next hole.
“It didn’t really set in until hole 5 or 6,” Donahue said about his record-setting day. “I started making a lot of putts and just tried to keep my mind off it by constantly talking to my teammate, Trent Belleville, about other things.”
Donahue led McGuffey (7-1, 10-1) by shooting a 1-under 34 in last Friday’s win over Chartiers-Houston, along with bettering that mark by shooting a 3-under 32 Monday in a victory over Keystone Oaks.
“I didn’t start playing golf until the eighth grade,” Donahue said. “I picked it up and played every day in the summer. I never got lessons. During my freshman year, I was shooting in the low to mid-40s and have cut those scores down two to three strokes every year.”
Solid commitment: Donahue also made an important decision earlier this week, committing to Catawba College, a Division II school in Salisbury, N.C.
Donahue’s commitment was influenced by McGuffey graduate Jesse Vensel, who is a senior at Catawba. Vensel also plays golf.
“Ever since I started playing I wanted to go south to play a year-round,” Donahue said. “Their coach said I could almost jump on to the team immediately when I get down there and play in tournaments, which was really important to me.”
Donahue is pulling double duty for his senior year as a Highlander, assisting the McGuffey boys soccer team, which was lacking a goalkeeper coming into the regular season. After shooting the 28 at Dogwood Hills, Donahue played in goal in McGuffey’s win over Yough that night.
His day usually includes going to either a golf match or practice, then to either soccer practice or matches.
“It’s definitely not the easiest,” Donahue said. “They didn’t have enough bodies this year, and I wanted to be able to help. I did play goalie back in middle school.”
Compiled by Luke Campbell